IPL 2019: Top 5 Indian players who might not feature in the next season

With the ICC cricket World Cup slated to start just after the IPL, most international teams might not let their players feature in IPL 2019. It is most likely that teams like England and Australia might not send in their key players to the IPL to minimize the risk of injury to those players and have them in optimal shape for the big World Cup. This might affect the revenue of the biggest T20 league in the world, as some big names might be missed.

Apart from the English and the Aussies, there might be a few Indians too, who might not be seen in IPL 2019. The following is a list of 5 well-known Indian names in the world of cricket who have been a regular in the IPL but might not feature in the upcoming season of the Indian Premier League.

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#5: Yuvraj Singh

Yuvraj Singh is a known face that we might miss in the upcoming IPL

Yuvraj Singh has been a part of the IPL since its inception. He has been a part of various teams like the Kings XI Punjab, Pune Warriors, Royal Challengers Bangalore, Delhi Daredevils and the Sunrisers Hyderabad. He has been one of the finest all-rounders India has ever seen, without any doubt. He had played a vital role in the 2011 World Cup victory for India, before he was diagnosed with cancer. He went through his treatment and returned to cricket in 2013-14 season.

However, this disease has changed him as a player. Yuvraj Singh is not the live-wire in the field that he once was. He has also been struggling with the bat ever since. Owing to the qualities he once possessed, he was picked for a considerable amount by RCB and SRH in IPL 2015 and 2016 respectively.

In the auction for the 2018 IPL season, he was bought by his home team Punjab for his base price of 2Cr. However, 2018 was a disastrous season for Yuvraj as he could get only 65 runs in 8 outings. As of now, Yuvraj will again be going under the hammer for the next season.

Yuvraj has not been picked for the 2018-19 season of domestic cricket by his home team, because of his poor form. So there is a high probability of him going unsold in the upcoming auction. This might well be the very last stage of one of the most prolific all-rounders for the Indian cricket team.

#4. Gautam Gambhir

Gambhir is another big name which will potentially miss the next IPL

Gautam Gambhir has been a part of the IPL right from the inaugural season, very much like any other veteran stars of the Indian cricket team. He has led the Kolkata Knight Riders to 2 titles.

In the last 11 years, he has represented Delhi and Kolkata. He made the shift to his home, Delhi Daredevils for the 2018 season of the IPL after having spent 7 years in Kolkata. However, he failed and failed miserably. He was made the captain of the Delhi Daredevils in this IPL and he quit his job after just 6 matches.

In 6 matches, he managed to score just above 80 runs. Out of these 6 matches, Delhi could not have the results they would have desired. So, after 6 games, Gambhir stepped down as the captain and did not take the field after that match.

With that poor run of form, Delhi have released Gambhir from their roster. Now, there is a serious doubt over Gambhir's future in the IPL. There are chances that no team would bid for him at the auction.

#3. Hardik Pandya

One or both Pandya of the brothers will possibly miss the action in the next IPL

Hardik Pandya has gained a lot of fame because of the IPL, and had become a household name, before he had made his international debut in 2016. The Baroda lad is a batting all-rounder who represents India in all 3 formats of the game.

He is a clean hitter of the ball, and very handy with his medium pace bowling as well. He fills in the void of a fast-bowling all-rounder that India was willing to fill for a very long time. He is the younger one of the Pandya brothers, the other one being Krunal Pandya, who too recently made his debut for the national side in the shortest format. Both Hardik and Krunal were a find of the Mumbai Indians, and have been representing the franchise together for the last 3 years now.

But, based on the wish that Kohli has expressed of resting the bowlers, Hardik might not be available for selection in the latter half of the IPL, much like Bhuvneshwar Kumar. There are also some remote chances of Krunal getting selected in the World Cup squad, which will restrict him too, from wearing the blue-and-gold outfit for Mumbai in 2019.

#2. Bhuvneshwar Kumar

The most prolific pacer for SRH might not feature in the next IPL

Bhuvneshwar Kumar is a right arm medium pacer, who will pick himself up, come the World Cup in 2019. He has been exceptional with the ball in all 3 formats for Team India, and when Bhuvi and Bumrah bowl against a team together, the opposition batsmen are always asked plenty of questions. The 28-year-old, who made his international debut in 2012, has been playing the IPL right from 2011 with Bangalore. He has played for the Pune Warriors before entering Sunrisers Hyderabad, his current team.

He was among the players SRH retained ahead of the auction for the 11th edition, and is retained again for the 12th one. However, he might be playing only a few matches in the initial stage of the league or might not play at all in the IPL this year, to get that rest for the World Cup, again courtesy to the wish that the national side's captain, Virat Kohli has expressed. Whether Bhuvneshwar obeys his captain's wish or gets on the field with the Orange Army is something we will be able to find out only once the IPL starts.

#1. Jasprit Bumrah

The loss of Jasprit Bumrah could cause big troubles for MI

Jasprit Bumrah has been around for more than 5 years now. He made his IPL debut in 2013, for Mumbai Indians and has been with the same dug-out for 6 years.This will be his 7th year at the franchise, and with the impact he is making, Mumbai would like to keep him for many more years.

He made his international debut in 2016 and since the 2016 season of the IPL, he has been the front-line pacer for the Mumbai Indians. Much like the Pandya brothers, Bumrah too is a find of the Mumbai team. The team management and owners have played a massive part in getting him into the limelight.

However, now things have changed for Bumrah. Now, he is the front-line pacer of the Indian national cricket team too. And hence, he might not be allowed to play the IPL. He is a bowler who can pick wickets, both upfront and at the death. So, the Indian team's bowling performance at the World Cup might take a hit if Bumrah has questions over his fitness. So to give him adequate rest before gearing up for the biggest event in 4 years, Bumrah might not be seen in the Mumbai dugout this season.