IPL 2019: Four international greats who failed in IPL
The countdown for the biggest T20 season of the year has begun. IPL 2019 is just a week away. It is slated to begin on the 23rd of March when the Virat Kohli led Royal Challengers Bangalore take on the MS Dhoni-led Chennai Super Kings at the Chidambaram stadium in Chennai. The IPL is one of the most popular tournaments and many great players are eager to perform at this big stage, given the seriousness and competition around.
In the past, the tournament has served as a platform for players to get back to their international sides. Shane Watson is one of the most popular international players who benefitted from this tournament.
He was recalled to the Australian side after his successful stint with the Rajasthan Royals in the inaugural edition of IPL in 2008. While the tournament has been lucky for some, few others haven’t quite enjoyed success in this cash-rich league. We will look at 4 such players who failed to make their presence felt in the IPL.
#1 Sanath Jayasuriya:
One of the all-time legends of the game, Sanath Jayasuriya from Sri Lanka was known for his explosive batting throughout his career. In the age of Tests and slow strike-rate, Jayasuriya had an ODI strike rate of 91- a period when even a Strike rate of 75 was considered massive. Opposition bowlers always dreaded to bowl to Jayasuriya in the power play overs.
He held the record for fastest 50 (17 balls) and fastest 100 (48 balls) during his time which was subsequently bettered. Coming onto IPL in 2008, he was one of the most feared and explosive batsmen that everyone was looking for.
However, The Sri Lankan had a rather disappointing time in his stint for the Mumbai Indians. In 30 IPL games, Sanath managed to score 768 runs at an average of 27. By the 4th IPL, Jayasuriya went unsold and never played again in the Indian Premier League.