Players Who Haven’t Represented Their Home City Yet

The IPL, India’s premier sporting event, has become more than just a cricket tournament and is celebrated as a festival by many Indians. Over the last 15 years, 15 franchises have participated in the league, with 10 currently active. The tournament has given 12 cities the opportunity to be part of the competition.

In the early years, star players like Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly, Virender Sehwag, and Yuvraj Singh represented their home cities in a bid to increase their franchise’s fanbase. However, after the third season, many players started moving to different franchises outside of their cities.

Currently, Rohit Sharma and Rishabh Pant represent their home city-based franchises, Mumbai Indians (MI) and Delhi Capitals, respectively. However, there are still players who have yet to play for their cities despite 15 IPL editions having passed.

Here are the 4 players who haven’t represented their home city yet

1. Dinesh Karthik

During the first IPL season, Dinesh Karthik joined Delhi Capitals (DC) as a lower-middle-order batter, scoring 145 runs in 13 matches. DC continued to support him for the next couple of seasons until they released him after the third season. Karthik then joined five other franchises over the years until 2021.

In 2011, Punjab Kings (PBKS) signed Karthik but later ended their association with him. Similarly, Mumbai Indians (MI) bought Karthik in the fifth and sixth seasons to strengthen their batting line-up but eventually parted ways. In 2018, Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) signed Karthik and appointed him as their captain due to his experience and skills.

After playing for different franchises for 14 seasons, Karthik returned to Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) for the second time in 2022, having played for them previously in 2015. Despite his exceptional keeping and batting abilities, his home team Chennai Super Kings (CSK) never gave him the chance to play due to the presence of star-batter MS Dhoni. However, it will be intriguing to see if Karthik joins CSK after Dhoni’s retirement, as he too can be an excellent match-finisher and wicket-keeper for the team, just like the former India captain.

2. Shreyas Iyer

Having made his IPL debut in 2015 for Delhi Capitals (DC), Shreyas Iyer has established himself as a dependable batsman in the league. Over the course of his IPL career, he has amassed 2,776 runs in 101 matches, with a strike rate of 125.38. In his first season with DC, he impressed with 439 runs and four fifties in 14 games, at a strike rate of 128.36.

In February 2016, Mumbai Indians (MI) expressed interest in trading for Iyer, but DC declined the offer. However, in the 2022 mega auction, MI had the opportunity to acquire him, as he had been released by the Delhi-based franchise after playing for them in seven IPL seasons from 2015 to 2021. Despite this, Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) secured his services for a hefty sum of 12.25 crore. Currently, Iyer is the captain of KKR and will lead the team in the sixteenth edition of the tournament.

3. Shubman Gill

Shubman Gill’s IPL journey began in 2018 following his impressive batting display for India in the 2018 U-19 World Cup. He served as an opener for Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) from 2018 to 2021, scoring 1,417 runs in 58 matches with 10 half-centuries at a strike rate of 123.00. His performances make him the eighth-highest run-scorer for the franchise.

Had he been given the opportunity, Gill could have played for his city-based franchise Punjab Kings (PBKS) in the 2022 season, following his release from Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). Given his extensive experience playing cricket for Punjab in domestic cricket since 2017, he would have been a valuable asset to the PBKS team if the franchise had expressed interest in him. Gill’s T20 record for his local team is outstanding, having amassed 2,779 runs with two centuries and 17 half-centuries in 101 matches, with a strike rate of 130.83.

Recognizing his potential to win matches, Gujarat Titans (GT) picked him up to play for them in their debut IPL season. Gill made significant contributions to his new team, with his bat scoring 483 runs in 16 matches, including four half-centuries, at a strike rate of 132.32, helping the team secure victories.

4. Virat Kohli

Having demonstrated his skills across all three formats of the sport, Virat Kohli stands out as the most successful batter in the international arena. His impressive track record includes a remarkable performance in the Indian Premier League (IPL), where he has emerged as the leading run-scorer with 6,624 runs, including five centuries and 44 half-centuries, across 223 matches, with an impressive strike rate of 129.14.

Kohli’s remarkable journey in the IPL began in 2008 when he was picked by the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) after showcasing his exceptional talent as a batter and captain in the 2008 U-19 World Cup. Interestingly, Kohli could have been part of the Delhi Capitals squad too, as he was offered the opportunity to join them before the inaugural season. However, the Capitals decided to go with Pradeep Sangwan, a bowler, instead of Kohli, as they already had enough batters in their squad.

From 2013 to 2021, Kohli led RCB and proved to be a valuable asset to the franchise with his exceptional leadership skills. He delivered some memorable performances that left an indelible mark on the team’s fans. In 2016, Kohli produced his best-ever IPL performance, amassing 973 runs in just 16 games and guiding RCB to the final of the competition with his remarkable captaincy skills.

Conclusion

There are several players in the IPL who have not played for their home city yet, including Virat kohli, Shreyas Iyer, shubmann gill, Dinesh Karthik. Despite not playing for their home cities, these players have made significant contributions to their respective IPL teams and have become fan favorites over the years.