3 retired international stars who are expected to play a major role in IPL 2018

The Indian Premier League (IPL) has been a massive and an excellent platform for players to compete and play with the best cricketers in the world. It has helped players improve their game and understand it better as well.

Also, there have been players who retired from international cricket but continue to play T20 leagues around the world and they form an integral part of the IPL. With their availability not an issue for the entire season, they are vital to their respective sides. Hence, here we look at three retired international stars who are expected to play a big role for their respective sides in this edition of the IPL.

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#3 Brendon McCullum

Brendon McCullum surprised everyone when announced his international retirement in February 2016 just a month before the 2016 World T20. However, he continued to play around the world in different T20 leagues. And his flamboyant nature hasn’t faded away. Yes, his hitting prowess has come down a little, but he is still of the best T20 openers going around.

McCullum has played for Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), Kochi Tuskers Kerala (KTK), Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Gujarat Lions (GL). But this year he was picked by Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in the auction for Rs 3.6 crores.

With no Chris Gayle at the top of the order, RCB will be looking at McCullum to provide the blazing start. With so many openers present in the RCB camp, McCullum can also bat in the middle-order like he did in the PSL this year.

However, he hasn’t been in the best of forms of late. In the Big Bash, he scored 248 runs at an average of 24.80 and a strike-rate of 135.51. In the recently concluded PSL, he batted in the middle-order and scored 218 runs at an average of 27.25. Despite that, he can be destructive and with his experience, he is one of the vital cogs for RCB this year.

#2 Mitchell Johnson

Mitchell Johnson will look to continue his good form

Mitchell Johnson is one of those cricketers who can give credit to the IPL for a paving a way for his national comeback. In 2013, playing for Mumbai Indians Johnson took 24 wickets at an average of 19.13 and an economy of 7.17. After his successful stint with MI, Johnson made a comeback to the Australian Test team.

However, he retired from all forms of international cricket in 2015. He has been playing T20 cricket in the IPL and in the Big Bash. In last year’s IPL, he played a crucial part in Mumbai’s title-winning season. He had returns of 3/26 in the final which helped MI defend a modest 129.

He had a decent Big Bash season as well where he took 7 wickets but more importantly has kept the runs down. He bowled with an economy of 6.35 in this year’s BBL. He was bought by KKR for Rs 2 crore and will play a crucial part for them. With Mitchell Starc not playing this year’s IPL, there will be added responsibility on Johnson to deliver and hence he will be a vital member of the KKR set-up.

#1 Shane Watson

Shane Watson will be a key player for CSK this year

Shane Watson is the only player in the history of the IPL to have won the Man of the Tournament (now called the Most Valuable Player) twice (in 2008 and 2013). He was fantastic for Rajasthan Royals for 8 years and was their highest run-getter and the highest wicket-taker for them.

However, he joined the RCB in 2016 and had a decent first year with them. But in 2017 he was dropped mid-way through as his form was dipping. It seemed like his batting was not up to the mark, but he was still bowling well.

But he’s come back to form. Watson has had a fantastic PSL where he scored 319 runs and picked up 11 wickets. He can open the batting or bat in the middle-order and act as the finisher, he can bowl the difficult overs and he is very good in the field. Hence, Chennai Super Kings have got the services of Watson at the right time as he is in fantastic form. He will be one of their key players providing that balance to the side.

It won’t be surprising if he becomes MS Dhoni’s go-to pacer as well. Thus, Shane Watson is one of the players to watch out for in this IPL.