10 foreign players who have achieved cult status in IPL

Over the years, the IPL has given birth to the reputations of some legendary T20 players. Those players, the big-bucks purchases, the darlings of their franchises have since acquired cult status, some of them embracing and defining the very fabric of their team’s culture, style of playing and spirit. These players have also been responsible, to a large extent, for the fortunes of their teams.While most of them have played in T20 leagues around the world, given the IPL’s stakes, the crowds, the interest levels and the following in a cricket crazy nation, it would be safe to say that these players will always remain associated with their IPL team’s names. What is interesting is that players like Chris Gayle have failed for other teams while being supremely successful for one particular team, cementing their status at that franchise with distinction.There have been players like Ross Taylor and Sohail Tanvir who lit up one edition of the IPL and missed out narrowly from this list. There were others who have always managed to pack their A Game as they flew for the IPL across seasons.Please note that the order isn’t in any way reflective of the player’s cult status.

#1 AB de Villiers - Royal Challengers Bangalore

395 runs at a strike-rate of 158 in 2014. 360 at 164 in 2013. 319 at 161 in 2012.

That’s AB de Villiers’ stats for RCB in the last three years. He has an almost cult following in India, leave alone RCB. But at RCB, the South African ODI captain has played some of the most outrageous innings and shots the cricket world has ever seen. His strike-rate is astronomical, but his runs tally isn’t as much as it should be simply because he has largely been used as a finisher for RCB, something AB’s fans have never been happy with.

Nevertheless, when it comes to de Villiers, it is not the quantity of runs but the manner in which they were scored that remains in memory. That manner is genius and ruthless at the same time.

#2 Lasith Malinga - Mumbai Indians

The Purple Cap winner of 2011 with 28 wickets has finished at numbers 8, 9, 3, 1, 8 and 4 on the wicket-takers’ list in the six seasons that he has appeared for the Mumbai Indians, the quintessential MI man. More importantly, his economy until the previous season has been legendary, with him being one of the best death bowlers in the last half a decade in the shorter formats of the game.

A big reason for MI’s bad season so far has been Malinga’s poor form, showing how much MI have depended on this wonderful bowler, who has helped them lift the trophy as well!

#3 Chris Gayle - Royal Challengers Bangalore

Chris Gayle who didn’t have a very successful stint with the Kolkata Knight Riders, redefined IPL hitting when he moved to the Royal Challengers Bangalore, owned by the King of Good Times. The King of Good Times in cricket is no doubt Gayle, who made waves with his sensational hitting for RCB, his 175 against Pune Warriors India in 2013 being an example.

Gayle finished 2011 and 2012 as the IPL’s highest run-getter, the only batsman to do it twice, with 608 and 733 runs respectively. He finished 2013 as the second highest run-getter with 708 runs and his lowest season strike-rate in those three years was 156, scoring a total of 4 centuries and 14 half-centuries.

Gayle, who is loved by RCB fans for his moves and grooves, has already played a match-winning 96 this season and will look to revive RCB’s fortunes. He is as cult-est as it gets in the world's biggest T20 league.

#4 Kieron Pollard - Mumbai Indians

Kieron Pollard was bought by MI after his stunning match-winning innings for Trinidad & Tobago against New South Wales when he scored 54 off just 18 balls smashing the likes of Brett Lee and Doug Bollinger. Since then, he has been one of the leading all-rounders for MI with 2012 and 2013 being his best years.

Pollard finished 2012 with 16 wickets, 10th on the wicket-takers’ list. He finished 2013 with 420 runs, 13th on the run-scoring list. He has also been MI’s best fielder taking some scintillating catches in the last few seasons. With back-to-back half-centuries this season, Pollard is back to form and will have to help his team out of their current rut.

#5 Shane Watson - Rajasthan Royals

Shane Watson has never played for another IPL team and the fortunes of RR have in many ways fluctuated with the form and fortunes of Australia’s mercurial all-rounder. In the opening edition, Shane Watson finished 4th on the run-scorers’ chart with 472 runs at a strike-rate of 151.

It was only 5 years later that he repeated that performance, when in 2013, he finished as the 5th top scorer with 543 runs at an average of 39 and a strike-rate of 143. Watson managed to take 13 wickets in that season as well contributing with both bat and ball in a season where RR finished third winning 10 of their 16 games.

#6 Sunil Narine - Kolkata Knight Riders

One of the reasons behind KKR’s dominance in recent years apart from Gautam Gambhir’s innovative captaincy has been Sunil Narine’s bowling. Narine is calm, composed, almost bereft of emotions and has won the Kolkata-based side many games, some by taking wickets, some by stifling runs. His mystery is yet to be decoded by the batsmen.

In fact, when KKR won the IPL in 2012, Narine had ended as the second highest wicket-taker with 24 wickets and more importantly with an economy of 5.47, the lowest amongst the top 10 wicket-takers that year by quite a margin. Narine was 6th with 22 wickets in 2013 and second again in 2014 with 21 wickets when KKR won the IPL for a second time by beating an all-marauding Kings XI Punjab in the final.

#7 Glenn Maxwell - Kings XI Punjab

Kings XI Punjab aren’t going to let go of Glenn Maxwell in any hurry and why should they? They owe it to Maxwell who partly owes his reputation to them. Languishing on the benches for an entire season while playing for the Mumbai Indians, Maxwell became the star player for KXIP in their best performance in the IPL so far in 2014.

‘Glenndeep Singh Maxwell’, as Punjab fans call him, ended as the third highest run-getter with 552 runs at a strike-rate of 187.75. One season’s performances do not make cult figures but Maxwell’s stock went so high because the next highest strike-rate amongst the top 10 run-getters was David Miller’s 149, also from KXIP, explaining why KXIP was one of the most admired teams of the year.

Their fearless and fresh cricket under George Bailey was entertaining and admirable and Maxwell was at the heart of it all.

#8 Jacques Kallis - Kolkata Knight Riders

Jacques Kallis, the pivot of the great South African teams over the years, was also crucial for KKR as they rebuilt their team under Gambhir and eventually won the coveted trophy, not once but twice.

In the all-important season of 2012 when KKR finished second in the group and won the trophy eventually, Kallis had 409 runs, 11th on the run-scorers’ chart. That is not all. He also had 15 wickets making him one of the best all-rounders of that season and one of the architects of KKR’s victory. He even managed a wicket and a crucial 49-ball 69 in the final when KKR chased down a humongous total against CSK.

Kallis scored 424 runs in 2011 while in 2013 he had 311 runs to his name. He also managed 16 wickets in 2013, contributing consistently to KKR’s cause.

#9 Michael Hussey - Chennai Super Kings

Much loved and admired for his work ethic, Michael Hussey was the quintessential CSK man waiting patiently for his turn and making it count. He was the Orange Cap winner in 2013 with 733 runs. CSK finished top of the table that year with 11 wins. Competing with Faf du Plessis , he got 8 games in 2012 when he contributed 261 runs.

In 2011, when CSK finished second in the league stage, it was Michael Hussey who was their best run-scorer with 492 runs. Hussey is much respected not just for his contribution with the bat but also for his strategic thinking and leadership qualities, ensuring a greater role for him within the team even after he stops active cricket.

#10 Dwayne Bravo - Chennai Super Kings

There is a reason why CSK win so often. They have a lot of players who are calm and composed under pressure. And Dwayne Bravo is one of them.

Bravo filled a major requirement of MS Dhoni, that of an all-rounder who can pick up wickets and score runs. Over the years, Bravo has played several scintillating innings and has contributed with the ball too. 2012 was one of Bravo’s best years as he scored 371 runs and picked 15 wickets as CSK finished runners-up.

In 2013, when CSK finished top of the table, Bravo became the Purple Cap winner with 32 wickets sealing his place as one of CSK’s best foreign players. That he is an excellent fielder and breaks into a dancing zig after most outfield catches adds to his charm.