The sixth season of the IPL has reached its business end and the big boys are all set to fight it out for the coveted trophy. The likes of Chris Gayle, Shane Watson, Suresh Raina, Rohit Sharma, Michael Hussey, and Shikhar Dhawan ruled the roost in the league stages with others putting up their best supporting acts for their respective teams. But, like everything in life, the exciting of the IPL also has a flip side to it.
While it does not take much to recall Gayle's 175* or Raina's 100 and 99*, we all have effortlessly pushed back the memories of a certain Paul Valthaty and Shadab Jakati. Here is Cricketnext's compilation of a playing XI of those who shot to fame and came into the limelight in previous seasons of the IPL but were accommodated as bench-warmers this season.
1. Paul Valthaty: The only notable cricketing credential the 29-year-old had to his name before the IPL was he being part of India's Under-19 World Cup-winning squad in 2002. Originally drafted in by Rajasthan Royals in 2009, Valthaty turned a few heads in 2011 for Kings XI Punjab when he raced to a 63-ball 120 against a formidable Chennai Super Kings. With minimal foot movement and a hit-and-miss ploy, he was looked at as a one-match wonder. Valthaty, though, put up strong shows by hitting a 47-ball 75, 31-ball 46 and taking 4 for 29. Eventually his purple patch came to an end and Valthaty
08:27 AM, May 22, 2013
Sydney: The recall of two 35-year-old veterans for the Ashes shows the lack of quality coming through the Australian ranks, with the squad the "best of a bad lot", country's media said on Thursday. Selectors picked Brad Haddin and Chris Rogers, with five openers among seven specialist batsmen alongside just one spinner, Nathan Lyon, for the five-match series starting in Nottingham on July 10. Given the sorry state of Australian...
11:14 AM, Apr 25, 2013
Sydney: Veteran wicketkeeper batsman Brad Haddin said on Wednesday he never doubted he would play Test cricket again and vowed to help instil the team spirit needed for Australia to win the Ashes series against arch-rivals England. The 35-year-old has played only one Test since January 2012 but now finds himself vice-captain to Michael Clarke and the preferred wicketkeeper in a team humbled by India 4-0 in March. Selectors hope...
01:17 PM, Apr 24, 2013
Sydney: Veteran wicketkeeper Brad Haddin was recalled to the Australian squad on Wednesday and made vice-captain for their upcoming Ashes tour to England with Chris Rogers and Ryan Harris also making the grade. Haddin, who has only played one Test in the past 14 months and turns 35 next week, replaces Shane Watson as Michael Clarke's deputy in a 16-man squad for the five-Test series starting in England in July....
08:39 AM, Apr 24, 2013
Upcoming Australian pacer Gurinder Sandhu of Indian origin toppled Brad Haddin to win the prestigious Steve Waugh Medal. ...
06:49 PM, Mar 28, 2013
Set a target of 133 after Australia's last wicket frustrated them for 18.1 overs, India won by six wickets to reclaim the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. ...
11:37 AM, Mar 18, 2013
The first day's play of the third Test between India and Australia in Mohali was called off due to rain without a ball being bowled. ...
01:47 PM, Mar 14, 2013
The first day's play of the third Test between India and Australia in Mohali has been called off due to rain without a ball being bowled. ...
09:00 AM, Mar 14, 2013
Wade hurt his ankle while playing basketball with team-mates and support staff on Saturday and is doubtful for third Test. ...
08:44 AM, Mar 11, 2013
If Matthew Wade will be ruled out of the third Test, Brad Haddin is likely to be called from Australia as replacement. ...
08:28 AM, Mar 10, 2013
Australia named a new-look squad for a one-off Twenty20 international against West Indies in Brisbane on Wednesday, picking up Western Australian fast bowler Nathan Coulter-Nile, and New South Wales batsman Ben Rohrer for the first time. ...
08:41 AM, Feb 08, 2013
A key player in the West Indies World T20 title triumph, Gayle has scored just 70 runs in five matches this season for Sydney Thunder. ...
04:14 PM, Dec 31, 2012
Wade has now supplanted Haddin as Australia's wicketkeeper in all three formats. ...
09:35 AM, Oct 29, 2012
"We have been building for the win for two weeks. We were nervous before the semifinals but we played very good cricket as a team today," the Sydney Sixers captain said after the triumph. ...
08:59 AM, Oct 29, 2012
Michael Lumb scored an unbeaten 82 off 42 balls as Sixers won the one-sided contest by ten wickets. ...
07:54 PM, Oct 28, 2012
Sydney Sixers captain Brad Haddin feels that the "two best teams" have made it to the final of the Champions League T20. ...
08:55 AM, Oct 27, 2012
Sydney Sixers pulled off a thrilling victory against Nashua Titans to set a summit clash with Highveld Lions on Sunday. ...
12:36 AM, Oct 27, 2012
MI came into the tournament as one of the favourites with a star-studded squad but they have failed to live up to their reputation. ...
03:52 PM, Oct 21, 2012
The wicketkeeper batsman believes his predecessor may get the selectors’ nod for the Test series against South Africa. ...
02:53 PM, Oct 15, 2012
