5 Sri Lankan players who never played in the IPL but could have done well

The Indian Premier League (IPL) is the biggest T20 tournament on the planet. Players from all over the world take part in the extravaganza, electrifying the fans with their high-octane cricket.

The IPL will enter its 13th edition in 2020, and the cricket universe is eagerly anticipating yet another thrilling tourney.

The league has been one of the most talked about tournaments in the world, not only because of the stars who take part but also because it serves as a platform for young and upcoming cricketers to showcase their talent. Over the years the IPL has produced a plethora of superstars, and sometimes the franchises have even opted to have young stars in their squad ahead of established names.

Several legends of the game have gone unsold in the IPL auction throughout the history of the league. But the following five names from Sri Lanka would have definitely received bids if they had been given the chance:

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#5 Aravinda de Silva

Aravinda de Silva

One of the most aggressive batsmen of the ‘90s, Aravinda de Silva was known for his ability to score runs quickly. And the right-handed batsman did that with a consistency and an elegance that sometimes defied belief.

T20 cricket was not born when the legend announced his retirement. In the 308 ODI matches that he played, De Silva aggregated 9,284 runs at an average of 34.90.

He had a strike rate of 81.13, while also registering 11 hundreds and 64 fifties in limited overs cricket. The fact that he hit 102 sixes in his ODI career shows that he could have done extremely well in the IPL.

Being a sub-continental player, De Silva could tackle the spin bowlers with ease and would have been a viable option for any IPL franchise. The former Sri Lankan player also scalped 106 wickets at an economy rate of 4.30 with his right-arm off-spin bowling.

#4 Arjuna Ranatunga

Arjuna Ranatunga

Another aggressive Sri Lankan batting all-rounder to feature on this list is their former skipper Arjuna Ranatunga. He led the islanders to their maiden World Cup win in 1996, and was a match-winner for the side from 1982 to 2000.

The Colombo-born star played 269 ODIs for his nation where he amassed 7,456 runs at an average of 35.85.

Although Ranatunga was not among the biggest hitters of the ball, he could keep the scoreboard ticking with boundaries and singles. He struck 523 fours and 64 sixes in ODI cricket, and could have played the anchor’s role to perfection in the IPL. He could also bowl a few overs of right-arm medium pace in the middle.

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#3 Romesh Kaluwitharana

Romesh Kaluwitharana

Romesh Kaluwitharana could have played the enforcer role for any IPL franchise. The right-handed batsman featured in 189 ODIs for the islanders where he scored 3,711 runs at an average of 22.22. He did not prefer to take the aerial route but had the ability to keep the scoreboard rattling along with his powerful ground shots.

The Colombo-born player recorded 2 hundreds and 23 fifties in the 181 innings that he batted. Besides, Kaluwitharana also hit 411 fours in his career; the top-order wicketkeeper-batsman certainly had the skills to do well in the world's grandest T20 league.

#2 Russel Arnold

Russel Arnold

Former Sri Lankan all-rounder Russel Arnold had played for the Chennai Superstars in the disbanded Indian Cricket League, but he never got a chance to play in the IPL.

The left-handed batsman was an ODI specialist, as reinforced by his 3,950 runs in 155 ODI innings. He was also a handy bowler, with an economy rate of 4.84 in ODI cricket.

Arnold earned the cricket universe’s respect with his all-round skills. Since several IPL franchises seek a reliable all-rounder who can balance the team combination, Arnold would have been a hot property in any IPL auction.

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#1 Upul Chandana

Upul Chandana

The reason Upul Chandana is placed at the number 1 position in this list is because of his leg-break bowling skills. The Galle-based player made a name for himself with his right-arm leg-spin, and looking at the demand of quality leg-spinners in white-ball cricket, Chandana would likely have achieved a lot of success in the IPL.

Chandana scalped 16 wickets in the 12 T20 games that he played. He conceded runs at a miserly economy rate of 6.45, and had best figures of 4/17.

Chandana had even represented the Capricorn Commanders in the 2016 Masters Champions League, but unfortunately he never earned an IPL contract in his career.