IPL 2017: 5 players with most appearances in IPL history
As the Indian Premier League enters its tenth edition (IPL 2017), the tournament which has redefined domestic T20 tournaments, has had the whole world trying to replicate its success. One of the reasons for its success is the presence of stars who have performed on a consistent basis.
When you have players performing on a consistent basis, the quality is bound to prepare and IPL owes a great debt to the players that have made it so successful. Unsurprisingly, players who have played with one team for a long team make the list of players who have played the most IPL games.
Extra Cover: Players who have played more IPL matches than internationals
The likes of Gautam Gambhir, Robin Uthappa, and Yusuf Pathan only just miss out on the top five. Here are the 5 players who have played the most games in the IPL ahead of IPL 2017:
#5 Dinesh Karthik
Of all the players in the top five, Dinesh Karthik is the only player to have played for more than two teams in the IPL. He has played for Delhi Daredevils, Kings XI Punjab, Mumbai Indians, Royal Challengers Bangalore and current side, Gujarat Lions.
Throughout the course of the nine editions of the IPL, Karthik has been bought for big sums by teams, including Delhi Daredevils, who have bought him twice, courtesy of the flexibility he brings to the side as a top-order batsman who can also keep wickets.
In total, he has played 138 matches and scored 2,542 runs at an average of 23.75 and strike rate in excess of 120. He hasn't scored a hundred in IPL and while his highest score is 86, he has 12 fifties to his name. While his numbers may not be extraordinary, there can be little doubt about his consistency and fitness, having taken part in the tournament since its inception and being the first-choice for quite a few teams.