4 overseas cricketers who have tasted success in IPL but failed to replicate their performances in T20Is
The Indian Premier League (IPL) has provided the perfect platform for cricketers to excel in the shortest format of the game.
The IPL has also been a learning phase for overseas players. IPL helps overseas cricketers to get used to Indian conditions. There have been a few overseas cricketers who have cemented their place in the national team after performing well in the IPL.
There have however been a few cricketers who have excelled in the IPL but failed to replicate the said heroics in T20Is. Here is a look at 4 such cricketers.
#1. Mitchell McClenaghan: 3-time IPL winner
The left-handed fast bowler from New Zealand was a part of the Mumbai Indians squad from the year 2015 to 2020. He contributed to the triumph of the team in 2015, 2017, and 2019 editions of the IPL.
He has picked up 71 wickets in 56 IPL games at an average of 25.39. He was the go-to man for skipper Rohit Sharma whenever he needed a wicket. McClenaghan was effective with the new ball, in the middle overs and in the death overs.
He has however played only 29 T20 internationals for New Zealand from the year 2012 to 2018. He has picked up 30 wickets in the said matches. He has not been as effective for New Zealand in T20 internationals as he has for Mumbai Indians.
#2. Dwayne Smith: Another lost star from IPL
The hard-hitting West Indian all-rounder has 582 runs in 32 T20I innings to his credit. He averaged 18.19 in T20Is but last played a T20 match for West Indies in 2015.
Smith was a totally different player when it came to IPL cricket. He usually opened the batting in the IPL. In 89 innings, he scored 2385 runs at an average of 28.39 and had an impressive strike rate of 135.2. He scored 17 half-centuries in IPL cricket.
He had productive IPL seasons from 2013 to 2017 when he scored 418, 566, 399, 324, and 238 runs in the said seasons. He last played IPL cricket in 2017.
He also has 26 IPL wickets to his credit at an average of 31.15. He was a three-dimensional player in IPL cricket and a game-changer in all aspects.
Check out the IPL most valuable player in 2021 here.
#3. Shaun Marsh: Orange cap winner in 2008
Shaun Marsh took everyone by surprise when he ended up as the top run-scorer in the first edition of the IPL in t008. Despite missing the first four matches of the 2008 season, he scored 616 runs in 11 matches at an astonishing average of 68.44 and an impressive strike rate of 139.68.
Since then, the left-hander has scored 2477 runs in 69 IPL innings at an average of 39.95 with 20 half-centuries and 1 century.
Marsh played for Kings XI Punjab until the year 2017 and was a vital part of their team.
He has failed to replicate his IPL heroics in T20Is. To date he has played 15 T20Is and scored 255 runs at a dismal average of 18.21.
Marsh last played a T20I in 2016 and it is very unlikely that he will play for Australia in the shortest format in the future.
#4. Chris Lynn: Was one of KKR's best openers
Though Lynn made his IPL debut in 2012, he played a solitary game that season for the Deccan Chargers. He was bought by Sunrisers Hyderabad in 2013 but did not feature in a single game that season.
Thereafter he was acquired by Kolkata Knight Riders in 2014, and he has been a regular part of their playing XI since the year 2017. He scored 295 runs in 7 IPL innings in 2017 at an impressive average of 49.17 and an astonishing strike rate of 180.98.
Lynn had fruitful IPL seasons in 2018 and 2019, where he scored at an average of 32.73 and 31.15 respectively. He scored at a strike rate of 130.24 in 2018 and 139.66 in 2019. He did not play a single match in the IPL in 2020.
In 42 IPL innings, the opener from Australia has scored 1329 runs at an average of 34.08 and a strike rate of 140.63.
Lynn has failed to play with the same level of consistency for Australia in T20I. He represented Australia in 18 T20Is and 16 innings, having scored only 291 runs at an average of 19.40 with the highest score of 44.
He last played a T20I in November 2018 and since then has been overlooked for selection in the said format.
It is hard to believe that Lynn has failed to score runs in T20Is considering that he has scored runs in the IPL and the Big Bash League.