Top 10 Players Who Have Played for Most Teams in the IPL
Every year in the Indian Premier League (IPL), franchises aim to recruit fresh and in-form cricketers. Many players wear a new jersey almost every season, so you might have noticed several cricketers playing for multiple teams in the IPL. Let’s take a closer look at these players.
Players Who Played for Most IPL Teams
This article will delve into the top ten cricketers who have represented various IPL teams. However, there are exceptions, as teams like the Chennai Super Kings and the Mumbai Indians have shown remarkable loyalty by keeping a core group of players year after year.
1) Aaron Finch – 8 Teams
The Australian white-ball captain Aaron Finch holds the record for playing with an impressive eight IPL teams. His IPL career kicked off in 2010 when the Rajasthan Royals acquired him.
He has been part of the Delhi Daredevils (now Capitals), Pune Warriors India, Sunrisers Hyderabad, Mumbai Indians, Kings XI Punjab, and Gujarat Lions. Finch’s latest appearance was with Royal Challengers Bangalore in 2020. Although he went unsold in the last two seasons, his IPL journey has seen him score 2005 runs in 87 matches.
2) Thisara Perera – 6 Teams
Thisara Perera, the energetic Sri Lankan all-rounder, has played for six IPL teams. His IPL adventure began in 2010 with the Chennai Super Kings.
Perera has also represented Kochi Tuskers Kerala, Mumbai Indians, Sunrisers Hyderabad, Kings XI Punjab, and the Rising Pune Supergiants. In his 37 IPL matches from 2010 to 2016, Perera demonstrated his all-round abilities, scoring 422 runs and taking 31 wickets.
3) Parthiv Patel – 6 Teams
Parthiv Patel, the former Indian wicketkeeper-batsman, is another player who has played in the IPL six times. He began his career with the Chennai Super Kings, where he enjoyed early success.
His journey led him to play for Kochi Tuskers Kerala, Deccan Chargers, Sunrisers Hyderabad, Mumbai Indians, and Royal Challengers Bangalore. He wrapped up his IPL career with an impressive 2,848 runs from 139 matches.
4) Ishant Sharma – 6 Teams
Ishant Sharma, the experienced Indian pacer, has played for six different IPL franchises. He started his IPL journey with the Kolkata Knight Riders under Sourav Ganguly’s captaincy.
Ishant has also represented Deccan Chargers, Sunrisers Hyderabad, Rising Pune Supergiants, Punjab Kings, and Delhi Capitals in the 2021 season before going unsold in the mega auction.
5) Irfan Pathan – 6 Teams
Irfan Pathan, the former Indian all-rounder, has played for six different IPL franchises. His IPL journey started with Kings XI Punjab (now Punjab Kings) in 2008.
Irfan played for the Delhi Daredevils, Sunrisers Hyderabad, Chennai Super Kings, Rising Pune Supergiant, and the Gujarat Lions. In 103 games, Pathan scored 1,139 runs and took 80 wickets.
6) Yuvraj Singh – 6 Teams
Yuvraj Singh, a former Indian all-rounder, made his mark by playing for six different IPL teams. He kicked off his IPL career as the captain of the Punjab franchise.
Throughout his time in the league, Yuvraj played for Pune Warriors, Royal Challengers Bangalore, Delhi Daredevils, Sunrisers Hyderabad, and Mumbai Indians. Over his extensive IPL career from 2008 to 2019, he participated in 132 matches, scoring 2,750 runs and taking 36 wickets.
7) Dinesh Karthik – 6 Teams
Dinesh Karthik, an experienced wicketkeeper-batsman, has played for six IPL teams. He started his IPL journey with the Delhi Daredevils (now known as Delhi Capitals) before moving on to the Punjab franchise, Mumbai Indians, Royal Challengers Bangalore, and Gujarat Lions.
From 2018 to 2021, he was a key player for the Kolkata Knight Riders, even taking on the captaincy before handing it over to Eoin Morgan.
In IPL 2022, Karthik returned to the Royal Challengers Bangalore. The seasoned cricketer has scored 4,046 runs in 213 matches at a strike rate of 129.72.
8) Robin Uthappa – 6 Teams
Robin Uthappa is a veteran in the IPL, having played for six franchises. His career path included stints with Mumbai Indians, Royal Challengers Bangalore, Pune Warriors India, and Kolkata Knight Riders, with whom he won the title and the Rajasthan Royals.
Uthappa’s unexpected addition to CSK in 2021 proved vital in their championship win, making him one of the few players to claim the IPL trophy with multiple teams.
In his 193 IPL matches, the 36-year-old has scored 4,722 runs at a strike rate of 130.15, including 25 half-centuries. His vast experience led CSK to acquire him again during the IPL 2022 mega auction.
9) Brendon McCullum – 5 Teams
Brendon McCullum, the former captain of New Zealand, will always be remembered for his stunning century in the inaugural IPL match, where he played for KKR against RCB.
Throughout his IPL career, McCullum played for Kochi Tuskers Kerala, Gujarat Lions, Chennai Super Kings, and Royal Challengers Bangalore. The Kiwi great ended his IPL journey with 2880 runs in 109 matches, achieving a strike rate of 131.7, including two centuries.
10) Ashish Nehra – 5
Ashish Nehra, the former left-arm seamer from India, has played for five different teams in the IPL. He began his IPL career with Delhi Daredevils and later represented Mumbai Indians, Pune Warriors, Chennai Super Kings, and Sunrisers Hyderabad.
Nehra created unforgettable memories alongside MS Dhoni at CSK. From 2008 to 2017, he claimed 106 wickets in 88 matches, maintaining an average of 23.54 and a strike rate of 18. His best performance in the IPL was an impressive 4 for 10.
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