The 2020 edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) season culminated last week with the Mumbai Indians beating the Delhi Capitals by five wickets in the summit clash. With this victory, MI captain Rohit Sharma became the first skipper to guide his team to five IPL trophies.
Apart from that, Aditya Tare also became the first uncapped player to win five IPL championships. Talking about the other teams, there were many players who impressed the fans with their performances. The likes of Kagiso Rabada, KL Rahul, and Jofra Archer made a huge impact in IPL 2020.
However, there were also a few experienced names who could not live up to the expectations. Since the age factor is not in their favor, there is a high probability that they would have played their last IPL season.
In this article, we will glance at those four names.
#1. Shane Watson (Confirmed)
Starting with the only player who has confirmed his retirement after IPL 2020, Shane Watson will no longer don the Chennai Super Kings jersey. It is likely that he may get an offer of a batting coach’s job from any franchise, but Watto has played his final IPL match this year.
The Aussie all-rounder had also represented the Royal Challengers Bangalore and the Rajasthan Royals in the league. He had won the MVP award in the 2008 and 2013 seasons. The cricket universe will definitely miss the Australian veteran a lot.
#2. Murali Vijay
Another opening batsman from the Chennai Super Kings to feature on this list is Murali Vijay. The former Kings XI Punjab captain had a chance to revive his career in IPL 2020. However, he could score only 32 runs in three games at a strike rate of 74.41. There was a time when Vijay was known to be a big-match player, who would score hundreds in high-pressure situations.
Since CSK have got Ruturaj Gaikwad now, they might not wish to retain Vijay. Looking at his numbers and given that he will turn 37 next year, the other franchises might also refrain from signing the right-handed opener. Thus, it is likely that Vijay might have played his last IPL season.
#3. Kedar Jadhav
Kedar Jadhav will celebrate his 36th birthday in March next year. The Indian all-rounder received many opportunities to his prove his talent at the Chennai Super Kings. However, he could manage mere 62 runs in eight matches.
Captain MS Dhoni did not use him in the bowling department. Since Jadhav’s batting strike rate has been below 100 in the last two seasons, the probability that CSK retains him is very low. Also, the Super Kings had signed him for an expensive amount.
The likes of Yusuf Pathan have struggled to get an IPL contract, and thus, it is likely that none of the teams might look to Kedar Jadhav him in the auction next year.
#4. Dale Steyn
It was disappointing to see Dale Steyn getting bashed the way he got in IPL 2020. Steyn’s career economy rate is 6.91, while in the last two seasons, he has conceded runs at the rate of 8.62 and 11.40 runs per over.
The fans should remember that Steyn was one of the most feared fast bowlers in world cricket at one point of time. When he played for the Deccan Chargers and the Royal Challengers Bangalore in the first few seasons, the batsmen struggled to hit big shots off his deliveries.
In case the Royal Challengers Bangalore do not retain him, Steyn himself might think of skipping IPL 2021. The reason behind it is that the T20 World Cup will happen next year, and the 37-year-old will aim to end his career on a high with a great performance for his national team.
