One of the world's greatest finishers, MS Dhoni is almost on the brink of retirement from the marquee tournament. He retired from international cricket on August 14. The ageless ‘Thala’ will turn 42 this coming July. Last year, he made it clear that he wants to play in a full house at the homeground Chepauk for fans for a last time before he draws curtains on his career. With age catching up and the batter looking like a shadow of himself, the time might have come for one of the greatest players to bid adieu to the IPL.
Wriddhiman Saha may not have been a breakthrough player in the IPL, but he is still remembered for several of his crucial knocks for each of the franchises that he has played. Saha played a breathtaking knock of 115 off just 55 balls for Punjab against the Kolkata Knight Riders. Saha slammed 317 runs at an impressive strike rate of 31.70, including three half-centuries for Gujarat Titans last year. He played a pivotal role in helping the Titans lift their first IPL trophy. Saha will turn 38 by the end of this year. Given his age and several fitness issues throughout the years, Saha may decide to retire from the IPL or cricket altogether after the IPL 2023.
Rayudu is one of the IPL’s most successful players, having been a member of the champion teams on five separate occasions (2013, 2015, 2017 with Mumbai Indians and 2018, 2021 with Chennai Super Kings). The middle-order power-hitter from Hyderabad became the tenth Indian to score 4,000 runs in the IPL. Rayudu is 37 and has frequently been observed on the ground battling injury concerns. The underrated batter who bailed Mumbai and Chennai out of trouble on numerous occasions might play his last Indian Premier League in 2023.
It raised several eyebrows when the tall, lanky speedster Ishant Sharma went unsold at the IPL 2022 mega-auction. He represented Delhi Capitals between 2019 and 2021. The same franchise bought the experienced fast bowler at the base price of 50 Lakhs in 2023. Sharma’s struggles with both injuries and form over the past year is no secret. Earlier this year, Indian selectors dropped him from India’s Test line-up, indicating the change in the pace attack. Ishant has grabbed 72 wickets in 93 IPL games.
All of 40, the experienced Amit Mishra will return to the IPL stage after being signed by the Lucknow SuperGiants for a salary of Rs 50 lakhs (Rs 5 million). The seasoned spinner last represented the Delhi Capitals franchise in 2021. In his overall 154 IPL appearances, he boasts of scalping 166 wickets. Mishra has been the unsung hero in the IPL. In his prime, the leg spinner made all the batters dance to his tunes and often outfoxed them. Because he is the only bowler to have taken three hat-tricks in the IPL in the 2008, 2011, and 2012 seasons, Mishra is referred to as the ‘hat-trick man’ in the league.
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