The 2020 edition of the Indian Premier League [IPL] is in full swing, with almost every team having played at least seven games thus far. The tournament has already witnessed many great performances and even some youngsters who have impressed in the limited opportunities they have got.
However, there have been some big players who haven’t made a single appearance in IPL 2020 so far despite the fact that their performance was pretty good in the last season of the cash-rich league.
Here we take a look at the top five players who had a decent performance in IPL 2019 but are yet to play a game in IPL 2020:
Chris Gayle: ‘Universe Boss’ Chris Gayle has not even a played single game of IPL 2020 so far. Despite the fact that the KXIP opener smashed 490 runs at a whopping average of 40.83 and strike rate of 153.60 in 13 games that he played in IPL 2019, he is yet to make it to the playing XI in the ongoing season. However, Gayle can finally play his first match of IPL 2020 on Wednesday against Royal Challengers Bangalore.
Imran Tahir: Imagine being the leading wicket-taker of the last season and you still have to warm the bench. Well! That has been the case with the South African leg-spinner Imran Tahir. The 2019 IPL’s Purple Cap winner with 26 wickets, Tahir is yet to find a place in Chennai Super Kings‘ playing XI in this season.
CSK is already playing with three spinners – Ravindra Jadeja, Piyush Chawla and Karn Sharma and currently it seems that Sam Curran won’t be dropped meaning that there aren’t many overseas spot available in the team. All these permutations and combinations have made it difficult for 41-year-old Tahir to make it to the playing XI.
Chris Lynn: Mumbai Indians bought opening batsman Lynn for INR 2 crores in the IPL 2020 auction. However, with Quinton de Kock and Rohit Sharma forging a formidable pair at the top, the Australian is nowhere close to find a spot in the playing XI. Lynn played for Kolkata Knight Riders in the last season and scored 405 runs in 13 games at a strike rate of 139.65.
Mitchell Santner: Bought by the CSK for just INR 50 lacs, the Kiwi bowler is yet to make an appearance in the IPL 2020. His fate is somewhat similar to Tahir’s as the pacer has suffered due to the unavailability of the overseas spot in the team. With 4 wickets in 4 games at an economy of 6.71, Santner kept a leash on opposition batsmen in IPL 2019.
Mitchell McClenaghan: Mitchell McClanaghan has proven to be a crucial player for Mumbai Indians over the years but the southpaw is yet to feature for the franchise thus far this season. The New Zealander picked 18, 17, 19 and 14 wickets in his first four seasons at the club and in 2019, the pacer played only five matches, in which he bagged three wickets at 47.
However, with James Pattinson and Trent Boult doing well and Nathan Coulter-Nile waiting next in line, chances are quite hard for McClenaghan to make it to the MI’s playing XI in IPL 2020.
