5 cricketers who could be playing their last IPL this year

With just a little less than two months to go for the 12th edition of the IPL, there is a lot of excitement in the air especially after the announcement that the entire tournament will happen in India despite the general elections during that time.

However, to avoid the clash with the elections, and to keep players fresh before the 2019 World Cup, the BCCI has decided to prepone the IPL than usual. The IPL will now start on March 23 just days after India's home series against Australia.

IPL has always usually been a launching pad for a lot of cricketers around the globe, and this season will no different. This year will see many of the first timers playing in the IPL, and at the same time, there could be some players who might be playing their last IPL tournament this year.

Here are five such players who might be playing the last IPL of their careers in the 2019 edition.

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#5 Shane Watson- Chennai Super Kings

Watto might be playing his last IPL

Ever since Shane Watson retired from international cricket in 2016, he has been active playing in various T20 tournaments around the world and scoring a lot of runs.

Even in the last IPL, he was in tremendous form playing for CSK scoring two centuries in the tournament including one in the finals and played a helping hand in CSK's success in 2018 but he did all playing at a less than 100%.

But come the 2019 edition, Watson could call curtains on his illustrious career and might be playing his final one this season. He is still at the best of forms in the Big Bash League, but age not in his side, and the fact that he is not fittest cricketers going around, this might be his last IPL after starting his career in 2008.

He has been an IPL legend scoring over 3000 runs with four centuries and taking 92 wickets in 117 IPL games he has played over the years for RR, RCB and now CSK.

#4 Yuvraj Singh- Mumbai Indians

Yuvi may be playing his last IPL

Yuvraj Singh is without any doubt one of the greatest cricketers ever produced by India, and one of the cleanest hitters of the cricket ball ever known. But he is also one of the cricketers who has seen a lot of ups and downs throughout his career.

Yuvi has not been the same person ever since cancer struck him in 2011 just after his Man of the Tournament performance in the 2011 ICC World Cup. He lost his touch and found it difficult to cement his place in the Indian side.

He has not had the best of careers in the IPL even in his prime but he was always one of sought out players in the auctions. But that has not been the case this year as he was bought by the Mumbai Indians at the last moment for his base price and this may prove to be his last season.

#3 Lasith Malinga- Mumbai Indians

Slinga Malinga may hang his boots.

Lasith Malinga had an interesting turn of events for the last one year or so. After being away from the game for some time due to form and fitness, he returned to captain the Sri Lankan team and has been doing what he does best, taking wickets.

A similar thing has happened in his IPL career too as he was not picked in the 2018 IPL auctions and was appointed as the bowling mentor by the Mumbai franchise last year. But this year, he put his name in the auctions and the same Mumbai Indians sprung a surprise by picking him at the 2019 auctions at his base price.

This shows the team's confidence in the veteran who has been part of the team since 2009. Malinga is an IPL legend and is the leading wicket-taker in the IPL's history till date.

Malinga is already 35 and may be playing his final IPL of his storied career.

#2 Chris Gayle- Kings XI Punjab

Chris Gayle

The Universe boss didn't have the best of years in 2018 as far as the T20s are concerned by his own standards and were not part of all the matches that the Kings played last season despite scoring a century in the early part of the tournament.

Chris Gayle relies only on his hand-eye coordination and is certainly not the fittest going around by any means. He has been actively participating in many T20 leagues around the globe but has not been in best of forms in the ongoing Bangladesh Premier League.

With his international appearances for the Windies is sporadic, his last major tournament could be the ICC World Cup 2019. And with the fitness issues constantly troubling him during recent times, IPL 2019 might also be the last time we see him in the tournament.

The all-time highest T20 run-getter has around 4000 runs in his IPL career at an astounding strike rate of 150 in 112 outings.

#1 Mahendra Singh Dhoni- Chennai Super Kings

This may be the last time we see MS Dhoni donning the yellow colours

Mahendra Singh Dhoni may have just hit his form at the right time ahead of the World Cup 2019 and it will keep the Indian fans all over the globe very happy. He had a bad patch last year which was uncharacteristic of MS Dhoni in his tenure as an International player since so rarely he gets into a poor run of form.

IPL 2018 saw him back to being his best but that was not the case while playing for India the said year. With all being said, 2019 could be the last year we may see Dhoni playing in the IPL as he is not expected to be around for the next ICC World T20 either and with age not on his side, he may bid adieu to the Chennai Super Kings, and the IPL after playing this season.

Let us hope he continues for a few more seasons and entertain the fans.