The IPL has been around for quite some time now, long enough to make you forget that some notable players, who had distinguished careers, briefly appeared in the tournament.
Here’s an XI – a strong one, we should add – of players who briefly took part in the tournament during its early years.
Darren Lehmann – Rajasthan Royals, 2008
The Australia international played for the Rajasthan Royals in the inaugural edition of the IPL, which the Royals went on to win. Lehmann played two games at the tournament, both in 2008, scoring 18 runs across the pair of fixtures. Lehmann later went on to coach Deccan Chargers to become the first cricketer to play in the IPL and then coach a side.
Aakash Chopra – Kolkata Knight Riders, 2008-2009
Now a renowned pundit, Chopra had a stint with KKR across the first two seasons of the tournament. He was unable to crack the code of batting in T20s, scoring 53 runs in six games at an average of 8.83. His strike rate of 74.65 left much to be desired.
Rohan Gavaskar – Kolkata Knight Riders, 2010
Rohan Gavaskar, who had played 11 ODIs for India in 2004, got a chance in the IPL in two games for KKR. He batted in just one innings, at No.8, and never got a chance again after scoring two runs.
Misbah-ul-Haq – Royal Challengers Bangalore, 2008
The former Pakistan captain played eight games for RCB in the first season of the competition. Though he ended with 117 runs at an average of 16.71, he struck at a rate of 144.44. It was the only year when Pakistan cricketers were allowed to play in the IPL.
Damien Martyn – Rajasthan Royals, 2010
The Australia cricketer played one game for Rajasthan, against RCB, in 2010 and scored 19 runs at a strike rate of 79.17. His first and only IPL appearance was four years after he played his last T20I for Australia.
Jesse Ryder – Pune Warriors and Royal Challengers Bangalore, 2009-2012
The New Zealand big-hitter scored 604 runs in 29 matches at an average of 21.57 and also picked up eight wickets with his medium pace. Ryder batted with a strike rate of 131.88 and scored four fifties in his IPL career, including a high score of 86.
Tim Paine – Pune Warriors, 2011
Not many will remember that the former Australia Test captain played in the IPL. Paine was bought by the Pune Warriors for USD 270,000 ahead of the 2011 season and made his debut against Mumbai Indians, where he opened the innings. However, he could only score two off nine deliveries. Paine was given another chance against RCB, but disappointed yet again, taking 17 balls to score eight runs. He never played an IPL game again.
Michael Neser – Kings XI Punjab, 2013
Nearly nine years before his Test debut, Neser made a one-off appearance in the IPL for Kings XI Punjab in 2013. Neser left his mark on the competition but not in a good way; his four overs went for 62, one of the most expensive spells in IPL history, against a star-studded RCB side that included the likes of Chris Gayle, Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers.
Sunil Joshi – Royal Challengers Bangalore, 2008
Joshi, who played 15 Tests and 69 ODIs for India, played four IPL games for RCB in 2008. However, he did not set the stage on fire, picking up one wicket with an economy rate of nearing nine.
Andre Nel – Mumbai Indians, 2008
The South Africa quick troubled the best batters in his heyday. He got a chance in the IPL in 2008 for Mumbai Indians, making his debut against Delhi Capitals (then Delhi Daredevils). That turned out to be his only game in the competition.
Umar Gul – Kolkata Knight Riders, 2008
Though Gul was given limited chances in KKR, he emerged as one of the bright sparks for the side in what was a dismal campaign for them. In six matches, he picked up 12 wickets, including best figures of 4-23 against Punjab. Overall, he ended with a bowling average of 15.33 and a strike rate of 11.25.
