5 international stars who failed in IPL

The Indian Premier League has been an amalgamation of Indian and International stars and the performances in this tournament is watched closely by selectors from all over the cricketing globe.

While there have been instances when IPL performances have dictated National selection, players have been plucked out of IPL straight into International cricket. Also, there have been instances where sterling performances in the IPL have resurrected international careers.

However, there have been well established international stars who did not live up to their reputation and did not put in performances in the IPL worth any mention.

Angelo Mathews

The Sri Lankan Test and ODI skipper is one of the most influential players to have emerged from the island nation after Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene.

An all-rounder, who bowls penetrative medium pace and a hard-hitting lower-order batsman, Mathews was best suited for the Twenty20 format. However, he has underwhelmed in the Indian Premier League with both bat and ball. He is also an astute thinker of the game, and hence teams have taken him on board also for his leadership skills.

He started his career for the Kolkata Knight Riders and then was picked up the now defunct Pune Warriors India, where he was also the captain. However, his form was not inspiring and the team too struggled, hence he was stripped of captaincy mid-way through the tournament. He was later drafted in by the Delhi Daredevils, and also captained them, but he never quite set the stage on fire.

In 46 matches, Mathews has scored 692 runs at an average of 23.86 and with a strike rate of 126.27.

With the ball too, he did not leave any impact. In the 46 matches, he picked up only 27 wickets with an economy of 8.06 and average of 37.88.

Andrew Flintoff

There was little doubt over the potential of Andrew Flintoff, the batsman, the bowler, the all-rounder and the match winner. He has been enshrined in English cricket for his heroics in the 2005 and 2009 Ashes.

A match winner on his day, Freddie could change the course of the match with both bat and ball. Hence, it was no surprise that he was a hot property during the 2009 auctions and was snapped up Chennai Super Kings for a whopping $1.55 million.

Much was expected of the burly all-rounder, but he only underperformed, and never quite lived up to his billing.

He was plagued with injuries, and hence could play only 3 matches. Even in those 3 matches, Flintoff did not set the stage on fire. With the bat he scored only 62 runs with a mediocre strike rate of 116.98. With the ball too, Flintoff could only pick up 2 wickets and was taken for plenty as his economy rate was 9.55.

A massive let down indeed!

Ravi Bopara

According to the English establishment, Ravi Bopara was always a talent worth investing in. A pristine timer of the cricket ball, a more than handy medium pace bowler, and a sharp fielder, Bopara was almost cut-out for Twenty20 cricket.

He was picked up by Kings XI Punjab during the 2009 season, but like his international career, was nowhere close to what people expected of him.

Later, he moved to Sunrisers Hyderabad, but his inconsistency followed him, and was never a permanent starter for any of his teams.

For all the talent and ability, it has to be said that Bopara did not carve out a niche for himself in the Indian Premier League.

As a batsman, in 24 matches, he scored only 531 runs, at an average of 29.50, and with a strike rate of 117.21.

With the ball, he picked up only 11 wickets, and gave away runs at an economy of 8.50.

Cameron White

From the early stages of his career, Cameron White was earmarked for great things. A hard-hitting batsman, a canny leg-break bowler and an astute thinker of the game, everything was all going for White.

But much like his international career, in the IPL too, White was brilliant and breathtaking one moment and ridiculously poor the very next moment. He played for Deccan Chargers and then for the Royal Challengers Bangalore and Sunrisers Hyderabad, and was also a natural leader for the respective teams, but then he never did stamp his authority over the tournament.

In 47 matches, White scored 954 runs, with a strike rate of 126.35 and at an average of 26.50.

While the numbers might not be atrocious, but considering White and his potential, they are in many ways just underwhelming to say the least. Another case of what if!

Mashrafe Mortaza

Mortaza has a frail body, but a very strong mind. The limited overs skipper for Bangladesh was perhaps the first ever superstar to emerge from his country. He even impressed great Andy Roberts, and was picked up by the Kolkata Knight Riders in the 2009 auctions for $600,000.

However, Mortaza never got a long run and in the only match he played against the now defunct Deccan Chargers, he was at the receiving end of a rampaging Rohit Sharma who smashed him for 21 runs in the final over and KKR lost the match. He was never given another go, and his IPL career lasted for only a solitary match.

In the 4 overs he bowled, Mortaza was looted for 58 runs and did not pick up any wickets. A nightmare indeed.