IPL 2017: Players in the auction list who have played for most number of teams

Like vagabonds tracing new routes, the Indian Premier League has seen ‘travellers’ who end up being stationed in new franchises with every passing season. While the likes of Virat Kohli and Harbhajan Singh have sworn allegiance to one side since 2008, there are others who keep shuffling from one team to another in the hope of getting more opportunities in the playing XI.

The 2017 IPL has 351 players ready to be purchased by the eight IPL teams. Some of them fell out of favour with their previous IPL sides, while others are dipping their feet in the T20 league’s waters for the first time.

Here is a list of players who have played for the most number of IPL sides, and find themselves in the auction list yet again:

Ishant Sharma (4)

Back into the Indian side after battling injuries and illnesses, Ishant Sharma will be looking for a new side after having been released by Rising Pune Supergiants. Never really a limited overs bowler, Sharma has been more of a containing bowler than a wicket taking one.

He’s played 70 games in the IPL, picking up 59 wickets. He played just four matches for the Rising Pune Supergiants, picking up three wickets, before being released for the tenth edition.

Teams played: Kolkata Knight Riders, Deccan Chargers, Sunrisers Hyderabad, Rising Pune Supergiants

Abhishek Nayar (4)

Once an integral part of the Mumbai Indians franchise, Nayar is an IPL veteran who was snapped up by the Kings XI Punjab in the 2011 auctions. The bits and pieces cricketer could never live up to the hype, failing to manage a single 50+ score across seven seasons. He went for big money to the Pune Warriors India in 2013, and was swooped up by Rajasthan Royals in the very next edition.

Teams played: Mumbai Indians, Kings XI Punjab, Pune Warriors India and Rajasthan Royals.

Ross Taylor (4)

The hard-hitting batsman from New Zealand was a bumper hit with the Royal Challengers, especially because of his lethal leg side play that saw multiple deliveries sail over the stands.

Despite a poor tour of India, Taylor can really turn the tables around with his strokeplay: a talent that saw him play for four IPL sides, the last of which was Delhi Daredevils. In 55 games, he has to his credit over a 1000 runs, including three fifties.

Teams played: Royal Challengers Bangalore, Rajasthan Royals, Delhi Daredevils, Pune Warriors India, Delhi Daredevils

Saurabh Tiwary (4)

The burly left-hander from Jharkhand was one of the brightest talents on offer in the first edition of the IPL, snapped up by the Mumbai Indians after being part of the World Cup winning U-19 side in 2008 under the leadership of Virat Kohli.

In the 2016 season, he was with the Rising Pune Supergiants, where he played 10 games and scored two fifties. Looking for a new franchise in the 2017 edition, Tiwary has set his base price as Rs. 30 Lakhs.

Teams played: Mumbai Indians, Royal Challengers Bangalore, Delhi Daredevils, Rising Pune Supergiants

RP Singh (5)

Once in the limelight for his banana swing that helped win India matches in South Africa, Australia and England, RP Singh just walked away from all the razzmatazz, suddenly finding himself out of favour once the new set of pacers came in.

Having last played for India in 2011, and being on the wrong side of 30, RP Singh isn’t exactly a hot buy, but given that he has loads of experience, he can do what a certain Ashish Nehra is doing for India.

Teams played: Deccan Chargers, Kochi Tuskers Kerala, Mumbai Indians, Royal Challengers Bangalore, Rising Pune Supergiants

Irfan Pathan (5)

A sparkling gem of a talent that lost his touch and his way, Irfan Pathan burst onto the international scene with such promise that it was difficult to keep him away from the side.

When he was selected for the Kings XI Punjab in the first season of the IPL, he had already started losing his sheen. Lacklustre performances saw him being tossed up from one side to another: he’s been part of five IPL teams till now.

With a base price of Rs. 50 Lakhs, Pathan is back in the reckoning to gain an IPL side in the 2017 auctions.

Teams played: Kings XI Punjab, Delhi Daredevils, Sunrisers Hyderabad, Chennai Super Kings, Rising Pune Supergiants.

Thisara Perera (6)

The Sri Lankan explosive all-rounder, known to be a T20 specialist, has in his arsenal the ability to hit maximums at will, and take crucial wickets with his tricky pace bowling. Still 27, he has been playing at the international level since 2009, and has enough experience to be a valuable asset to any side. He last played for the Rising Pune Supergiants, and was eventually released after the 2016 IPL.

Teams played: Chennai Super Kings, Kochi Tuskers Kerala, Mumbai Indians, Sunrisers Hyderabad, Kings XI Punjab and Rising Pune Supergiants.