Due to the intense competitiveness and high octane action, the shortest format of the game is deemed suited for the younger generation, and ageing legs are thought to be more of a liability on the field. However, there are a few gentlemen, who even after having retired from the rigours of international cricket, managed to conjure instances of magic with bat or ball. Here’s a list of ten such players:
Michael Hussey
Michael Hussey, or Mr.Cricket, had a reassuring presence at the crease, guarding his wicket with aplomb, and at the same time, playing awe inspiring strokes of all kinds throughout the ground.
He started his international career in his late 20s, but quickly stacked up a remarkable career with a rare gift of the game and a relentless pursuit for improvement.
He played his last Test in early 2013, and by that time, had played four seasons of IPL sides with Chennai. In the 2013 season, he accumulated a massive 733 runs in 17 matches, and was the Orange Cap holder. He hit as many as six half-centuries, with a best score of 95. He played a further two seasons for the Mumbai Indians, but featured in comparatively less number of matches.
Matthew Hayden
The burly left-hander, who was a late blossomer in his international career, made amends for the late start by scoring runs in abundance when his chance finally came. Part of two successful World Cup campaigns, he scored over 1600 T20 runs in 50 matches.
Starring in the Chennai Superkings franchise for four years, he made a quiet start in 2010, before cutting loose against the Delhi Daredevils. Sporting a mongoose bat which he was endorsing, he smote his way to a 43 ball 93 against the Delhi Daredevils in IPL 2010, which was also his highest score in the IPL.In the preceding season, due to his consistent exploits at the top, he was the Orange Cap holder with 572 runs in 12 matches.
In all matches for the now defunct franchise, he scored 1117 runs at an average of 35 and a strike rate of 135.55, with 8 fifties.
Shaun Pollock
Shaun Pollock was the bowling mainstay for the Proteas in the 90s, bowling tight lines at a nagging pace, enough to disconcert the best of batsmen. He was more than able with the bat too, providing crucial contributions down the order on many occasions.
He was given a contract with the Mumbai Indians in the first season, and bowled admirably with the new ball, as well as foxed batsmen with his variations, especially the slow bouncer, in the latter overs.
He picked up 11 wickets from 13 matches, bowling at an economy of just 6.54.He didn’t play the subsequent editions, and quietly stepped in the role of a mentor and coach.
Anil Kumble
“Jumbo” as he was affectionately called, retired from international cricket in 2008, yet was a star player for the Royal Challengers the very next year. Captaining the team in South Africa, he led from the front and captured as many as 21 wickets in 16 matches, and in a remarkable turnaround, led the Bangalore franchise, who were second from last in the previous season, to runners-up that year. Against the Rajasthan Royals in a group match, he cleaned up the batting order with a stunning spell of 3.1-1-5-5.
He bowled at an economy of 5.86, which was the best in the top ten highest wicket takers in the 2009 season.
Shane Warne
The connoisseur of leg spin weaved his way through the defences of batsmen half his age when he decided to don the captain’s hat for the Rajasthan Royals in 2008. He continued to deliver for four seasons, playing 55 matches, bowling at an impressive economy of 7.27, and snaring 57 wickets.
In the inaugural edition in 2008, he picked up 19 wickets in 15 matches, leading a relatively young team to the title. He picked a further 14 in the next one, and 24 in the subsequent two.
He last played for Australia in early 2007.
Adam Gilchrist
The dashing left-handed wicketkeeper revolutionized batting in the middle order in Tests and at the top in limited overs. However, even after retiring from the Australian national team, his magic with the bat and behind the stumps refused to subside.
His IPL career is demarcated into two phases, part one with the Deccan Chargers, and the next one with the Kings XI Punjab.
In the 2008 season, he hit 10 sixes in an innings, overtaken by only Brendon McCullum and Sanath Jayasuriya. In that particular innings, he scored a ton, a 42-ball savagery that made a mockery of Mumbai Indians’ target of 155.
For the Chargers, he amassed 1289 runs at a strike rate of 147.82, which was 7 units higher than his overall T20 figure.
However, he is remembered best for taking the Chargers, placed last in the 2008 edition, to the title the very next year.
He switched to the Punjab franchise in 2011 and played till 2013, scoring two more tons. He capped off his IPL with a wicket off the last and only ball that he bowled throughout.
Muttiah Muralitharan
The spin wizard retired from the game in 2011, but continued to play the IPL till 2014. The most successful bowler in international cricket was contracted by the Royal Challengers Bangalore in the auction that preceded the edition, and he responded with two wickets in five matches. However, he took wickets aplenty next season, snaring 15 victims in just 10 matches, at a miserly economy of 6.5 and an average of 17.
Before retiring, he had played for the Chennai Superkings and Kochi Tuskers Kerala.
Shane Watson
Watson hasn’t been able to set the stage on fire with the bat this season, but trust his golden arm to get breakthroughs whenever the team needs him. He was part of the Rajasthan Royals till the last season, before being roped in by the Royal Challengers Bangalore for this edition.
Having retired from the game post the World T20 last earlier this year, he has starred with the ball for his franchise, picking up 14 wickets from 11 matches. He has been pushed down the order due to firepower at the top of the batting order.
The Bangalore bowling attack has been one-dimensional and insipid, and Watson’s wicket-taking abilities have been the only bright spot.
Glenn McGrath
The Australian paceman was a constant in Australia’s bowling attack through most of the 90s and 2000s, disrupting batsmen with his unnerving accuracy and bounce. He retired from international cricket in early 2007, but came back to represent the Delhi Daredevils in the IPL.
He took 14 wickets in 16 matches for the Daredevils, bowling at a remarkable economy of 6.70.
He came back to play just two more matches in the next season, and declared that he won't be part of subsequent editions.
The Daredevils ended the campaign placed fourth, with seven wins and six losses.
Sourav Ganguly
He might divide opinion, but no can undermine Ganguly’s ability to galvanize a side with his captaincy, and his prowess on the off side.
The Dada from Bengal did things in his own uninhibited style, forging a comeback to the national side when few gave him a chance. He led the KKR side for the first three seasons, before changing sides to become a player-cum-mentor for the Pune Warriors.
The 2010 edition was his best, when he scored 493 runs in 14 matches, at an average of 38. He scored four fifties, and was the third highest run getter overall in that season.
This was two years after he had formally retired from international cricket.
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