IPL 2018: 5 oldest players to have played in the tournament

"Where talent meets opportunity"

Over ten seasons, six different champions and numerous headlining matches, the best selling point of the Indian Premier League still remains to be the incredible platform that it provides for cricketing talent that births not only in India but across the world.

However, the general perception of the above statement is that the tournament is an excellent launchpad for young batsmen, bowlers, and all-rounders. However, the IPL does not discriminate talent in terms of its age.

There have been many domestic and international cricketers who have taken to the field in the Indian Premier League over the last decade. Some of them were established international cricketers, while others came from nothing to make a permanent mark in the history of the tournament.

Let us look at five cricketers who defied age and created history with their participation in the on-field action of the IPL:

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#5 Adam Gilchrist - 41 years old

Adam Gilchrist, who is one of the most venerated and adored Australian cricketers across the globe, has his set of admirers in India as well. One of the most explosive batsmen of his time, the left-hander was known for the impeccable timing and power on his shots.

After finishing at the bottom of the table with the Deccan Chargers in the first edition of the IPL, the opening batsman scripted an inspired comeback for the side from Hyderabad in the very next season. He lead them to the trophy in IPL 2009 and did so with some terrific on-field decisions as the captain, combined with a number of exceptional performances from his own willow.

He was later picked up by the Kings XI Punjab, a team he ended his IPL career with. He played his last game of the league against Mumbai Indians and ended on a high with a victory against the three-time champions.

His last match was made memorable by the fact that the then 41-year-old decided to roll his arm in the final over of the innings, where the match was already out of grasp for MI. He dismissed Harbhajan Singh on his very first delivery, and the celebration that followed from the skipper was not only heartwarming but also one of the most special moments in the history of the IPL.

#4 Shane Warne - 41 years old

Warne was a superstar for the Rajasthan Royals

The extravagant leg-spinner's legacy in the IPL is one that cannot be duplicated by anyone ever again. The former Australian cricketer led a team of underdogs to the title in the inaugural season of the Indian Premier League, and did so with his peculiar charm, charisma, and consistency.

He has been one of the biggest players to have played for the otherwise-unassuming Rajasthan Royals and probably is their biggest superstar till date. It is worthy to be noted that he started and ended his IPL career with them.

The then 41-year-old played his last match for the Royals in IPL 2011, when he signed off with a victory against the Mumbai Indians and received a fitting farewell with a victory over the Sachin Tendulkar-led side.

Australia's leading wicket-taker is all set to make a comeback to the IPL this season, this time though, it will be in an off-the-field capacity. Here is his tweet confirming the same:

Looking forward to making an announcement to you guys this week which I’m very excited about & yes it involves the #IPL2018 !

— Shane Warne (@ShaneWarne) February 4, 2018

#3 Muttiah Muralitharan - 42 years old

The legendary Sri Lankan finds himself in another special list!

The zeal to play cricket and win matches did not leave this esteemed cricketer even after crossing 1300 scalps in international cricket.

Muttiah Muralitharan first played the IPL as a member of the Chennai Super Kings and also won the title with them back in 2010. After that, he represented the Kochi Tuskers for a one-off season before moving on to the Royal Challengers Bangalore, where he drew his IPL career to a close.

The Sri Lankan leg-spinner was 42 when he played his last match in the Indian Premier League back in 2014. In his final stint in the tournament, he affected three dismissals over the five games that he played for Virat Kohli's side.

He is now the bowling coach of the Sunrisers Hyderabad and has youngsters like Rashid Khan and Basil Thampi under his valuable tutelage.

#2 Pravin Tambe - 44 years old

Rajasthan Royals are known to unearth special talents from domestic cricket in India and across the world. Numerous cricketers unleashed and promoted by RR have gone on to represent their respective countries after shining in the Indian Premier League.

However, Rajasthan Royals' most successful discovery did not even make it to the national squad and yet, remains to be one of the most stirring stories in the history of the tournament.

Pravin Tambe, who could not even make it to the Mumbai squad before being scouted by the IPL franchise, has a tale that will bring smiles to the staunchest of faces. The man is an inspiration to every struggling cricketer across the globe, and is an epitome of the fact that if you do not give up on your dreams, your dreams will materialize at some point in time.

He made his IPL debut at the age of 41 and played his heart out in the contest for four back-to-back seasons. He is one of the few bowlers to claim a hat-trick in the tournament and boasts of one of its lowest all-time economy rates.

Though he was picked up by the Sunrisers Hyderabad for the 2017 season, the man from Mumbai played his last IPL match for the Gujarat Lions in 2016. He was unsold in the auction for IPL 2018.

His dream-run might've ended, but thanks to his incredible story, the dream lives on in the minds of thousands of young and old cricketers of the world.

#1 Brad Hogg - 44 years old

The dynamic leg-spinner is the oldest player to play in an IPL game

If there was one man who could match Imran Tahir in his extended celebratory runs after dismissals, it would be this ever-energetic spin bowler from Australia. Brad Hogg was drafted as a commentator for the fourth edition of the IPL, but the athlete instead reared to get on to the field.

And he did.

The then 40-year-old made a surprise comeback to professional cricket in 2011 in the Big Bash League. He was then welcomed to the Rajasthan Royals squad in 2012, where he took the field with the ebullience of a youngster and the experience of a veteran in every game that he played.

After a successful stint with the Royals, he moved on to the Kolkata Knight Riders after the auction for the eighth season of the tournament. On 28 April 2015, he became the oldest player ever to find a place in the playing XI of an IPL franchise. At 44 years and 81 days, he took the field for KKR against the MS Dhoni-led Chennai Super Kings.