England all-rounder Ben Stokes remains the star attraction of IPL 2017 after being bought for a 2017 record price at the IPL auction in February.
MS Dhoni and Steve Smith's Rising Pune Supergiant were the side to splash the cash and purchase the star.
Now with the 10th edition of the IPL just days away, Stokes has said that he wants to make an impact right from the start in his debut Indian Premier League campaign.
"I'm excited to be here and am grateful for the opportunity. It will be my first IPL, which I have only watched only on TV in the past. I hope we have a good season, and we hopefully win the trophy," Stokes told reporters on Thursday.
"In England it isn't a franchise competition. So, the exposure you get in a competition like this, you don't get there. This is the best in the world, and you get to share the change room in the IPL and Big Bash with other international players. You get to share, and take your T20 game to a new level.
"I'm going to be here for six weeks, and solely focus on T20 cricket. The level of exposure here compared to anything (will be far better)."
Stokes, 25, became the highest paid foreign player in the history of the IPL after being bought for a whopping Rs14.5 crore. India's Yuvraj Singh however remains is the costliest player in the history of the tournament, after being bought by Delhi Daredevils for Rs16 crore in 2015.
Stokes was one of the integral members of the England cricket team during the World T20 2016 where they went all the way to the final of the tournament, before losing to the West Indies.
