IPL 2016: 5 recently retired cricketers whom fans want to see playing in the IPL

With the ninth edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) right around the corner, fans will be thronging to the stadiums to watch international teammates take on each other and rivals play on the same side.

However, there will be a few players who the fans might miss at the tournament. During the last one year or so, many famous cricketers have bid adieu to the international game, thus leaving a void in their respective national and domestic teams.

Here we take a look at the some of the biggest names that will be missed at this year's IPL, that is scheduled to start on April 9:

#1 – Virender Sehwag

The dashing Indian opener will be one of the biggest names to be missed out at the IPL this season after he announced his retirement from all formats and the IPL late in 2015. If there was any format that suited Sehwag, it was the T20 format as his attacking mindset perfectly fit with the demands of the format.

Sehwag's record in the IPL was quite commendable as he scored 2728 runs in 104 matches at an average of 27.55 and a phenomenal strike rate of 155.44. The opener from Delhi scored 2 hundreds and 16 fifties in the IPL.

Most recently, the 37-year-old had featured for the Gemini Arabians in the Masters Champions League (MCL) where despite being the title-winning captain, he was the second highest run-getter in the tournament. Sehwag had scored 318 runs in 6 innings at an average of 53.00 and an outstanding strike rate of 183.81, scoring 1 hundred and 2 half-centuries.

These numbers underline the impact that Sehwag can have in the shortest format of the game, and fans will definitely miss out on watching the swashbuckling opener in action.

#2 – Kumar Sangakkara

After Kumar Sangakkara retired from international cricket following the 2015 ICC World Cup, most fans were left bemused as to why a batsman in such form would quit from international cricket.

Sangakkara went on to play country cricket and take Surrey to the first division of the County Championship while playing with the same old form that he was in before he retired. In addition to the county cricket form, Sangakkara was also part of the MCL and was in supreme form for champions, Gemini Arabians.

In 7 innings, Sangakkara scored 386 runs at an impressive average of 64.33 and a strike rate of 148.46, also scoring 5 fifties. The 38-year-old finished the tournament as the highest run-getter.

Having played 68 innings in the IPL and scoring 1687 runs at an average of 25.95, Sangakkara could have made it into any of the IPL sides with skills and experience.

#3 – Mahela Jayawardene

Another Sri Lankan stalwart who retired after the 2015 ICC World Cup was Mahela Jayawardene, who was yet another mainstay for his nation in all formats of the game. Although Jayawardene had a bad outing at the World Cup, he most recently performed well at the MCL just like the first two players on this list.

The 38-year-old was the tournament's third highest run-getter with 299 runs scored in 6 innings at an average of 49.83 and at a strike rate of 162.50. His 124 off 60 balls against the Libra Legends was one of the best T20 innings in recent times as he peppered the bowlers all around the park.

It is a surprising fact that none of the IPL teams bid for this seasoned campaigner during the auction as his presence could have made a difference to any side's fortunes.

#4 – Michael Hussey

Although Michael Hussey had retired a few years ago, the veteran Australian batsman did feature in the eighth edition of the IPL for a few games. In the most recently concluded edition of the Big Bash League (BBL), Hussey was quite instrumental in Sydney Thunder's reaching the finals of the tournament. Hussey was the captain of the Thunder, who won the 2015/16 BBL defeating Melbourne Stars who was led by Michael's brother, David.

Hussey was the fourth highest run-getter in the BBL as he scored 306 runs in 9 innings at an average of 43.71 and at a strike rate of 131.33. The 40-year-old's experience in the T20 format is something that could prove vital to any side. In T20s, Hussey has played 150 matches and scored 4404 runs at an average of 38.29, which is quite commendable in the shortest format.

#5 – Johan Botha

Johan Botha is one of the most experienced players in the T20 format with 184 matches under his belt. Botha's skills with both bat and ball makes him a valuable asset to any T20 side.

In the T20 format, Botha has 1747 runs at an average of just under 20 while with the ball he has picked up 146 wickets at an average of 26.92 and an economy rate of 6.42, which is quite impressive in the shortest format.

Most recently, Botha had featured in the BBL as well as the MCL and did fairly well in the MCL. Botha finished in the top ten run-getters scoring 163 runs in 6 innings at an average of 40.75 with one fifty to his name. Botha also picked up 7 wickets in 7 matches at an average of 22 and an economy rate of just 5.70.