It is impossible to associate certain players with any other IPL team other than the one they are currently playing for. Virat Kohli for Royal Challengers Bangalore, Glenn Maxwell for Kings XI Punjab and Rohit Sharma for Mumbai Indians are few of those who are on this list, their jerseys and teams etched in any IPL follower's mind.
On the other hand, there have been a few players who have donned various jerseys over the years. With the ingress and egress of certain teams, many players have been shuffled and moved around. They have been surprising their fans with their performances with every changing jersey, but a few of them have been consistently performing regardless of the team they have represented.
Here is a list of a few such cricketers who have been significant for the various teams they have played for. A lot of wicket-keeper batsmen have made it to the list, but no bowler has been impressive enough to join this league.
#1 Parthiv Patel
The wicket-keeper batsman has had a whirlwind of an IPL journey. Playing for six different teams, the opener has never ceased to perform for any of them and has been steady up the order. Parthiv played for the Chennai Super Kings in the first three editions of the IPL, where he opened with the likes of Mike Hussey, Matthew Hayden, and Murali Vijay.
He was signed by Kochi Tuskers Kerala in 2011 before being purchased by Deccan Chargers in the 2012 auctions. In 2014, Royal Challengers Bangalore picked him for $233,000 and he played a number of notable innings for the team. He guided RCB to a victory against Mumbai Indians with his unbeaten 57 off 45 balls in Dubai after Yuvraj Singh and skipper Virat Kohli walked back for a duck.
He was signed by Mumbai Indians in 2015 and seems to have settled in, opening with Lendl Simmons and making significant partnerships. In the ongoing season, the 29-year old scored his highest T20 score, 81 off 58 balls, and constructed a victory for MI against Kings XI Punjab.
2.Dinesh Karthik
After performing consistently for Delhi Daredevils for the first three IPL seasons, Karthik was bought by the Kings XI Punjab in 2011 and then by the Mumbai Indians (MI) in 2012.
He had an incredible run with MI in 2013 when the wicket-keeper batsman accumulated over 500 runs playing 19 matches and was the second highest run-scorer for his team that season. His innings of 86 runs in 48 balls whilst posting a third wicket partnership of 132 runs with Rohit Sharma and crushed the Delhi Daredevils that season.
He was bought back by Delhi in 2014 for Rs. 12.5 crores, the second highest bid that season, where he performed decently. RCB purchased him for Rs. 10.5 crores in 2015 making him the second costliest in successive years.
The nimble-footed wicket-keeper was bought by the new Gujarat Lions franchise in 2016. He guided his new team to a six-wicket victory over RCB on April 24 with his significant 50 off 39 balls.
3.Brendon McCullum
The right-handed opener, bought by KKR in the opening season, kick-started the tournament on a high; making a century in the first match. The Kiwi marvel made 158 in 73 balls and destroyed RCB's bowlers on their home ground to lead his team to a 140-run victory. Playing five matches in the season before leaving for national duty, he averaged 62.66, with a strike rate of 204.34.
He was roped in to play for Kochi Tuskers Kerala in 2011, where he fared decently and made his season highest of 81 in a match against the Mumbai Indians. He was repurchased by KKR in 2012 before he was purchased by the Chennai Super Kings in 2014, where he had his best-ever seasons. In a span of two years, McCullum amassed 841 runs for the two-time champion team, with one century and five half-centuries.
After the successful two-season stint with the team, he was bought by Gujarat Lions in 2016. He was instrumental in the team's victory over Delhi Daredevils by scoring 60 off 36 balls on April 27 at the Feroz Shah Kotla.
4.Robin Uthappa
After being dropped from the national side in 2008 due to poor form, Uthappa regained his lost sheen through IPL.
Playing for four different teams- MI, RCB, PW and KKR in eight years, the Karnataka batsman has proved his mettle in the tournament. He played for the Mumbai Indians in the opening edition of the league, making 320 runs in 14 matches and guiding the team to victory on various occasions.
The Indian opener was roped in by RCB in 2009, where he scaled the then fastest fifty in the tournament in 21 balls. In 2011, Uthappa saw Pune Warriors shell out $2.1 million, the second most expensive figure that season after Gautam Gambhir. Though PW performed poorly in the two seasons the played, the resilient cricketer contributed significantly to the team.
The turning point in Uthappa's IPL career was when he was picked by Kolkata Knight Riders for the seventh season. He had a fabulous run in the season, making a T20 record of having 40 plus scores consecutively in eight matches. He was also the Orange Cap winner as he heaped 660 runs in 16 matches. Opening with skipper Gambhir, the 30-year- old has continued his flamboyant form this season as well.
5.Aaron Finch
The aggressive opening batsman is the only foreign player to have made the list. The Australian right-hander played just one match for the Rajasthan Royals in 2010 and was then picked by the Delhi Daredevils in 2011, where he performed modestly for two seasons.
Finch was bought by Pune Warriors in 2013, where he showed consistency though the team did not fare well both the seasons. Playing 14 innings, he piled up 456 runs which included four half-centuries whilst going on to become one of the top scorers for the team.
The Australian was on the move again next season as Sunrisers Hyderabad came calling. The people from the City of Pearls got to see him at his best in the IPL as finally seemed to make his mark in the IPL with his batting prowess. He was picked by Mumbai Indians in the 2015 auctions for $530,000 but was ruled out after three matches due to injury.
This season, the bludgeoning opener was roped in by the Gujarat Lions. He has orchestrated a couple of match-winning innings so far, with his innings of 74 off 47 against Kings XI Punjab and 67 off 54 against MI clearly etched in out memories.
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