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Since its inception in 2008, the IPL has become one of the biggest tournaments in world cricket. Youngsters get to play with and against some of the best T20 cricketers across the globe.
Some of the best players in world cricket have gone on record to thank the Indian Premier League for their success not just in the T20 format, but in their overall growth as cricketers. We will talk about five such greats in this piece.
#1 Virat Kohli
Former India captain Virat Kohli has always acknowledged the role that the IPL has played in shaping his career. After the 2008 Under-19 World Cup win, he was picked by Royal Challengers Bangalore in the draft.
On the RCB podcast, he talked about how he couldn't believe it when he first heard the news. Kohli had a forgettable outing in 2008. However, RCB saw the potential in him as a youngster and continued backing him.
He had average returns in the next couple of seasons, but he was the only player to be retained for the IPL mega auction in 2011. The benefits were reaped for the next decade as King Kohli transformed himself into one of the finest players in the format.
#2 Rohit Sharma
2013 was the turning point in Rohit Sharma's cricketing career. Ricky Ponting opted to bench himself mid-way through the tournament and appointed Rohit Sharma as the captain of the Mumbai Indians. Sharma went on to lead MI to their first title in the Indian Premier League.
Rohit Sharma particularly addressed Ponting's role in IPL 2013. Ponting wanted to understand the mindset of every player in the team and motivate them to play to their potential. He conducted bonding sessions to ensure that the group was motivated throughout the tournament.
Sharma also stated that Ponting always helped him, even after he stepped down from the captaincy. He acted as a player-cum-coach for the Mumbai Indians. Guidance from one of the finest captains in the history of the sport has definitely helped Rohit in becoming a tactically sound captain.
#3 Shane Watson
Australian all-rounder Shane Watson has been one of the greatest players in the history of the IPL. He has represented the Rajasthan Royals, Royal Challengers Bangalore and Chennai Super Kings in his decorated career in the league.
Watson credited the IPL after his match-winning performance in the 2009 Champions Trophy final. He said that the first edition of the tournament was a massive turning point in his career, where he played under the leadership of Shane Warne. It also helped him in dealing with pressure situations in big games.
#4 Kevin Pietersen
Star cricketer Kevin Pietersen was one of the first few English players to not only participate in the IPL, but also actively advocate for it. Pietersen has always believed that such a high-intensity league brings the best out of cricketers across the globe.
However, back then the ECB weren't entirely sold on the IPL. They considered it a hit and giggle tournament and their summer schedule clashed with it. This meant that the regulars would often have to come back mid-season.
Pietersen said that interacting with some of the best players around the globe helped him enhance his game. He established quite a few friendships with them. Rahul Dravid's famous email to Pietersen on how to play spin is well known among cricket fans.
#5 Eoin Morgan
Former England white-ball captain Eoin Morgan recently retired from international cricket. He was the captain of the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) team in the 2021 edition, as they went on to play the final.
Morgan has stated on record that the Indian Premier League helped England in winning the 2019 World Cup - his biggest achievement as captain of the England cricket team.
On a personal level, Morgan explained how playing with and against the best players in the world helped him become a better cricketer. The development process in the IPL is huge, according to the former England cricketer.
