Top 6 one-franchise players in IPL history

Loyalty is something very rare but still special in the sporting world. In the world of club football, being a one-club player earns you a great amount of respect and love from fans around the globe.The Indian Premier League, which is in its eighth season, has not seen many players who have stuck with one team. That said, we can’t really blame the players and question their loyalty, as the working of IPL is different from that of a football league. Moreover, with the auction happening each year, it becomes very difficult for a player to stick with one team.But there are some players who have represented just one team since they started playing IPL. Here are six such players who have stayed with one team and are considered the heart and soul of that team.(Note: Even though you can also call Sachin Tendulkar a one-club player, I have decided to include only those who are still playing and not retired).

#6 Harbhajan Singh

Harbhajan Singh, the off-spinner from Jalandhar, has been with the Mumbai outfit since the tournament’s inception. Even though he endured a difficult start to his IPL career, he has become a key figure in the Mumbai Indians line-up.

Harbhajan was the stand-in captain of the depleted Mumbai side in the 2011 edition of CLT20, and it was his inspiring captaincy that helped Mumbai win the trophy. In addition, Harbhajan has always been a big game performer for the Mumbai Indians – he was adjudged man of the match in the finals of both the CLT20 victories in 2011 and 2013. He took two important wickets in the final of the 2013 final which helped Mumbai beat CSK and win the trophy for the first time.

Just like his career with Team India, Harbhajan has had his own controversial moments while playing for Mumbai Indians too. He was banned in the first season for slapping his ex-Indian team mate S Sreesanth. But the best part about him is that he has always fought past the controversies and performed well for both India and for Mumbai Indians.