IPL has begun and all the attention from the cricketing fraternity shifts to India to witness the richest league take place. IPL provides something which no other league can ever imagine for. It has the biggest names from all around the world and its action is matched by no other.
In its fifth year, the league has grown in all terms. IPL this time will see some more inclusions from different teams but will miss some big names who have been an integral part of IPL’s four year journey.
So, let’s have a look at some of the players whose magic we will not witness in this season.
Shane Warne: The legendary leg-spinner from Australia will not show his magic this year. Warne took the mediocre Rajasthan Royals to the title win in the inaugural season. A lot of players evolved under his guidance. Shane Watson became one of the best all-rounders in the world. Ravindra Jadeja and Yusuf Pathan bagged some handsome IPL contract and all the credit goes to this legend. Warne not only showed his magic with the ball, but it was his captaincy that impressed one and all. His captaincy in IPL showed that he was the best captain that Australia never had. The world will miss seeing him as he brings a lot of excitement in the game, both by his in-filed and off-field activities.
Yuvraj Singh: The other ‘Hunk’ on the pitch who would be missed profusely is Yuvraj Singh. Yuvi who earlier played for Kings XI and later for Pune Warriors is fighting Cancer and would miss this tournament. Though he is recovering, we are sure to miss his ‘hot wheels’ attitude on field. Yuvraj has a dynamic character and always looks to make the difference. Pune, who finished ninth in the previous edition, would have loved to see the best player of the World Cup perform for them. Yuvraj is also loved by the crowd in India and the fans will miss him severely.
Ishant Sharma: The Deccan Chargers fast bowler is suffering from an ankle injury and would be giving the tourney a miss. Apparently, Ishant had postponed the surgery despite being advised to go under the knife during India’s tour of England last years. Ishant was apparently keen to travel to Australia and thus chose to delay the surgery. It is a treat to watch him bowl when he is in full flow and the fans would have loved to see him hunt with Dale Steyn. Ishant will be missed dearly by Decan as his wicket taking ability is hard to replace.
VVS Laxman: The elegant batsman from Hyderabad, Laxman remained unsold in this years’ auction. Between all the hitting and slogging, his elegant touches are a treat to watch in itself. Laxman started his IPL stint as Deccan Chargers captain in 2008 but at 37 right now, age and reputation of being a Test specialist could also have been factors for the franchises' snub.
Ross Taylor: Taylor moved to Delhi Darevils from Rajasthan Royals in this years’ auction. Taylor is an explosive batsman and Delhi would have been very happy to have him in their team. But Taylor has got an injury and will not play in this season. His famous slog sweeps that have made him popular all over the world will elude this IPL.
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