5 players who might be playing their last IPL season

The beauty of the IPL is that it does not take a call on players' performances based on their age. If you are doing well and still have the hunger in you, you are basically good to go. But that having been said, there comes a time when the biological clock of an athlete winds down and he finds it difficult to cope with the physical challenges that the game throws up.Once a player has retired or is out of the national scheme of things, every season is crucial, as franchises might otherwise believe that the time has set in to dump their aged star. Let us look at 5 players who might be playing their last IPL season. 4 Indian players make it to the list.

#5 Ashish Nehra

Ashish Nehra defied all odds to make a comeback to the Indian T20 team

At 36, it has to be said that Ashish Nehra has defied the odds. Just when everyone has written him off as just another Indian bowler who was slated to fade away into oblivion, he has turned around his career dramatically.

Nehra who recorded his personal career-best T20 figures of 4-0-10-4 against the RCB in this year's IPL has been in sublime form in the tournament. His performance in IPL 8 was nothing less than extraordinary as he finished as the third highest wicket-taker in the tournament after Malinga and Chahal.

Nehra was called back to the Indian T20 squad and now that he is in the national scheme of things again, his stakes are high. He was snapped up by the Sunrisers Hyderabad for a price of INR 5.5 crores in this year's auction.

But with age not on his side, Nehra might find it tough to keep performing at the highest level. A bad IPL season might see him out of favour next year.

#4 RP Singh

RP Singh was bought by the Rising Pune Supergiants for INR 30 Lakhs

RP Singh was bought by the Rising Pune Supergiants for his base price of INR 30 lakhs. Some would call that a bargain buy as Singh, with his loads of experience, has been roped in for a considerably meagre sum of money. But others would just call him lucky, considering the facts that quite a few ageing and retired players found no takers this time.

There are two things that might have worked in his favour at the auctions. First of all, at 30, he is not too old and some like to believe that he has quite a few years of cricket left in him still. His good performances in the domestic circuit must have also been duly noted by the franchises.

But Singh has faded out of the national scheme of things for a long time now. And many believe that he has lost his biggest strength -- his ability to swing the ball. He will be dying to perform well this season. If he his released by Pune after an unimpressive season, it might be curtains for RP Singh's IPL career.

#3 Zaheer Khan

Zaheer has been retained by the Delhi Daredevils this season

In the post-Kapil Dev era, it was Zaheer Khan who led the Indian pace attack with aplomb for close to a decade. It was his pace and swing upfront and his deadly yorkers in the slog overs that made him such an efficient bowler. And there always was his ability to pick wickets.

Towards the end, his services to the national side became even more important as he became a de facto leader of the pace attack, mentoring young bowlers in crunch situations. But a career riddled by injuries and an ageing body ultimately made it difficult for him to cope up with the pressures of international cricket.

Despite his ability, Zaheer Khan has never quite lit up the IPL with his devastating bowling spells as he had done for India in the past. He was retained by the Delhi Daredevils this year. But should he struggle again for form and fitness, the DD might let him go next year and it will be difficult for him to find any takers.

#2 Pravin Tambe

Tambe made his IPL debut at the age of 41

Pravin Tambe might well be a story of missed opportunity for Indian cricket. As batsmen failed to read him and he ran through their defences, the cricketing world sat up and took notice. At 41, the Rajasthan Royals chose to invest in him though he had no India cap to this name.

Legend has it that Tambe had wanted to become a fast bowler but was asked to take up leg-spin by the Orient Shipping skipper Ajay Kadam. He finished as the leading wicket-taker in the Champions League T20 in 2013 and followed it up with a brilliant IPL season in 2014.

Among the RR players and management which had a penchant for digging up and backing unknown talents, Tambe felt at home. But now, at 44, and among a new breed of young players in the Gujarat Lions team - he was purchased by them for INR 20 lakhs in this auction - it might well be a different story.

This might well be a perform or perish season for the aged Tambe this year. Without a good season, the Gujarat Lions might not want to retain him.

#1 Brad Hogg

Hogg was the oldest player to play an IPL game last year

"It is amazing to be back playing in the IPL. I am just fortunate to be still playing at my age. I have had a stop-start career and it has been a bit of a fairytale to still keep going," said Brad Hogg while speaking to the IPL website last year.

At 44, Hogg was the oldest player last year to play an IPL match. He played quite a few matches last year and bowled with exceeding guile as batsmen found it tough to score runs off him. With all his experience, Hogg is a prized asset in the KKR squad especially when they play on their spin-friendly home ground.

45 this year, Hogg might find it tough to adapt to the rigours of the physically challenging format. It would be interesting to see if he still remains in the scheme of things. Given his experience, he might choose to call it a day soon and be an integral part of the KKR coaching staff.