Cricket legends, even after retiring from international cricket, have continued playing in the Indian Premier League (IPL). Freed from the pressure of performing for their national teams, these veterans often express themselves freely and excel in this high-paying league. Here are the top five players who have performed well after calling it quits in international cricket.
Top performance in IPL after retirement
Shane Watson
The Australian great Shane Warne, renowned for his stellar cricket career, joined the Indian Premier League post his retirement from international cricket in 2007. Warne, who played 145 Tests and 194 ODIs, passed away at the age of 52 in 2022. He made a significant impact with Rajasthan Royals, serving as both captain and coach, leading them to victory in the inaugural IPL edition. In his 55 IPL matches from 2008-2011, Warne showcased his captaincy skills, capturing 57 wickets with best figures of 4/21.
Ab de Villiers
Ab de Villiers announced retirement from international cricket in 2018. Playing for RCB, he played in IPL till 2021. In these years, he scored 442, 454, and 313 in 2019, 2020 and 2021 respectively.
MS Dhoni
MS Dhoni, has participated in every edition since its inception. He captained CSK from 2008-2015, led Rising Pune Supergiants in 2016, and resumed captaincy for CSK from 2018 onwards. Despite retiring from international cricket in 2020, Dhoni secured IPL titles for CSK in 2021 and 2023.
Faf du Plessis
Faf du Plessis announed his retirement from the South African team but he continued playing for RCB as a captain. In the last three IPL seasons, he has scored 633, 468, and 730 runs, with 17 fifty-score runs under his belt. His highest score, 96, was achieved in IPL 2022.
Shane Warne
Post-retirement from international cricket in 2015, Watson continued playing in T20 leagues like the IPL. He won the IPL title with CSK in 2018 and almost repeated it in 2019. He retired in the 2020 season.
