List of big names from the international arena who never played in IPL.
One of the most popular T20 cricket competition on the planet - the Indian Premier League (IPL) - is just some days away.
Now with the schedule out, franchises and players are making sure to gear up for the cash-rich event which is taking place in UAE from September 19.
The likes of MS Dhoni, Virat Kohli, Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, Anil Kumble, VVS Laxman, Yuvraj Singh, Virender Sehwag, and other legendary Indian players have participated in the competition.
Players like Shane Warne, Ricky Ponting, AB de Villiers, Jacques Kallis, Chris Gayle, Andre Russell, and many others too raised the bar of the IPL with their excellent performance.
However, there are some famous international players who have not been able to play in the league. This list features those big names from the international arena who never played in IPL.
1. Joe Root
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Always been an integral part of the England squad - the English Test skipper is a good T20 player - Joe Root showed his talent to the world during the 2016 T20 World Cup.
While being such an important player, it is surprising to know that the franchises have neglected him in the auctions. Kings XI Punjab (KXIP) were rumoured to sign him for the IPL 2020 as they were in need of a captain, however, they opted to leave him alone and KL Rahul was chosen to lead the side.
2. Brian Lara
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It was in 2011 when Brian Lara was forced to eat humble pie as there were no takers for the former West Indian great in the 2011 IPL auction at Bangalore.
Lara, who was 41 then, was attempting a comeback and was part of the erstwhile Indian Cricket League way back in 2008. However, the legend did not find any buyers and was never seen playing the tournament.
3. Stuart Broad
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Stuart Broad surely did not play in IPL, however, the England player was part of Kings XI Punjab (KXIP) in 2011. He had attracted a whopping $400,000 (INR 1.8 Crore) bid.
He, however, had to back out due to an injury, but KXIP continued association with him for another season, but unfortunately, Broad once again couldn’t make it because of an injury. The management then released him and after that, he never attracted a bid in the IPL.
4. Inzamam-ul-Haq
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While Pakistani players like Shahid Afridi and Shoaib Akhtar made an appearance in IPL, Inzamam-ul-Haq could not make the cut.
The former Pakistan captain was also cleared by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to sign contracts with the IPL but could play in the cash-rich event.
5. Gary Kirsten
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While Gary Kirsten did not play in the IPL, he was still part of the tournament when he was signed as the head coach of the Bangalore-based team Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) for a three-year contract beginning from the IPL's Eleventh edition.
In January 2018, RCB appointed Kirsten as their batting coach. In August 2018, he was appointed as head coach following the sacking of their previous coach Daniel Vettori for the 2019 IPL.
