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No IPL contract means career over? Former RCB batter reveals struggles of unsold domestic cricketers

No IPL contract means career over? Former RCB batter reveals struggles of unsold domestic cricketers

Mandeep Singh has featured in 14 of the 17 seasons of the IPL, playing for four different teams.

Around 175 Indian cricketers get an opportunity to play in the Indian Premier League (IPL) each year. Of course, around 100 actually get a chance to play while the others warm the bench. Of those 100, a lot of them play for the Indian cricket team across formats. This means the amount of unestablished players that feature is only a handful. Some of them leave a lasting impact, case in point Shashank Singh, Ashutosh Sharma, or Rinku Singh. The others remain nameless.

Age, no IPL contract & retirement

That happens to even established players or those who have played for Team India. Mandeep Singh has played 111 matches in the IPL and 3 T20Is for Team India, yet many won’t know who he is. A big reason is because Mandeep has played 14 matches in the IPL since 2020 and went unsold in the last two auctions.

At 33, he’s seen players being moved from their state associations, and with no IPL contract, they chose to retire rather than continue. This happened with Mandeep as well. The Punjab Cricket Association (PCA) told him last year that he wasn’t in their plans any longer.

This forced him to switch states and join Tripura. Going from a big or small team affects your chances of success. One can’t reach the knockouts as easily. This basically means that Mandeep’s chances of a comeback are virtually ruled out. This is why players aged 30-33 retire and go on to play tournaments all over the world.

“After leaving Punjab, the immediate thought of retiring didn’t cross my mind. But when I saw my former teammates or those with whom I have played cricket retiring, it kind of hit me hard. I was shocked to see fellow cricketers retiring early, and it felt weird. You are just 32, 33, and you are retiring,” Mandeep Singh told Indian Express.

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IPL = success in Indian cricket?

If they had an IPL contract, they might persist and continue to play domestic cricket. But money plays a major factor, as, unlike other professions, cricketers can’t play until 60 or 70. So they opt to retire and play tournaments to earn their retirement money. That is why the importance of IPL has increased in Indian cricket over the last 17 years. As making the national team isn’t guaranteed, IPL money is the next best bet for a good life for cricketers.

“I guess the IPL is a big factor. If you don’t have an IPL contract, your cricket career is virtually over. There are leagues for retired players where you can earn good money for 15-20-day tournaments. If you have played for India, you can easily make Rs 1 crore in a year. Maybe it is one of the reasons, or maybe the fire is not in them anymore,” he added.

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