8 Players we bet you didn’t know played for these franchises

Over the 15 years of the Indian Premier League, we’ve grown usual to seeing our favorite players playing for our favorite franchises. Even though the auction shuffles the players every few years, our love for them continues to grow. Player shuffle is a normal process in the league. However, we bet that you didn’t know that these 8 players played for these franchises: 

Steve Smith: Royal Challengers Bangalore

If we tell you today that Steve Smith and Virat Kohli were once teammates, you might not believe us. However, it is actually true. Steve Smith, who is now a top-order batsman had started his professional career as a leg-spinner. He was initially picked by Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) as a replacement player for Jesse Ryder in the 2010 edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL). 

However, Smith did not get a chance to feature in any of the matches for RCB and was released by the franchise ahead of the IPL 2011 mega-auction. Smith had to wait till 2012 to make his IPL debut when he was bought by Pune Warriors India. Smith scored 362 runs for them in 15 games that season. 

Bhuvneshwar Kumar: Royal Challengers Bangalore

Bhuvneshwar Kumar, who is known for his impeccable swing bowling, had a remarkable 2008/09 Ranji Trophy season, where he was the highest wicket-taker for Uttar Pradesh. After impressing in the domestic circuit, he was picked by RCB in the 2009 IPL auction. Despite being on the team for two years, he couldn’t make his debut in the tournament. However, he played a fixture in the 2009 Champions League for RCB, where he managed to take two wickets.

Just like Steve Smith, Bhuvneshwar Kumar later made his IPL debut in 2011 for Pune Warriors, where he played a crucial role in their bowling attack. Since then, he has been one of the most consistent performers in the IPL, having taken 154 wickets in 146 matches at an impressive economy rate of 7.30.

Cheteshwar Pujara: Kolkata Knight Riders

Cheteshwar Pujara had a brief stint in the Indian Premier League (IPL), representing Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in the first three seasons of the tournament. However, his performances in the IPL were not up to his usual standards, resulting in his release from the franchise. Despite this setback, Cheteshwar Pujara continued his IPL journey with Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) and Kings XI Punjab (KXIP).

Throughout his IPL career, Pujara has featured in a total of 30 matches, where he has managed to accumulate 390 runs at an underwhelming average of 20.5 and a strike rate of 99.7. Despite his struggles in the IPL, Pujara remains a highly respected and successful test player for India. Although he may not be a regular face in the IPL anymore, his contributions to Indian cricket cannot be denied.

Chris Lynn: Sunrisers Hyderabad

Chris Lynn is widely regarded as one of the most dynamic T20 players in the world. With his explosive batting and exceptional fielding skills, Lynn has become a valuable asset for any T20 side across the globe. However, despite his impressive credentials, Lynn’s journey in the Indian Premier League (IPL) has been somewhat tumultuous.

In the 2013 season of the IPL, he was signed by Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), who were making their debut that season, but was surprisingly benched for the entire season. Undeterred, he was subsequently picked up by Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in the 2014 edition of the tournament, where he managed to showcase his talent and make a significant impact. 

Vijay Shankar: Chennai Super Kings

The 2014 auctions shuffled the entire roster of the Chennai Super Kings. Once a powerhouse packed with all-rounders, CSK had to opt for the services of Vijay Shankar after losing Albie Morkel and Chris Morris at the auction. However, Shankar played just one game for the franchise that season. 

Shankar was brought in as a regulatory replacement for lower-order batsman Mithun Manhas, and his debut for the franchise came in a match against Rajasthan Royals. However, things did not go as planned, as he was smashed for runs by the hard-hitting Shane Watson in the only over he bowled. Shankar didn’t get an opportunity to bat in that match, as captain MS Dhoni finished off the chase with two balls to spare. Unfortunately, this proved to be the only match that Shankar would play for CSK, as he was subsequently released from the franchise.

Sanju Samson: Kolkata Knight Riders

Sanju Samson’s first entry into the IPL was through Kolkata Knight Riders. In the 2012 edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL), young wicketkeeper-batsman Sanju Samson was part of the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) squad. Despite being a talented player, Samson was unfortunately left on the bench for the entire season, as KKR decided to stick with a winning combination that eventually saw them lift the trophy for the first time under the captaincy of Gautam Gambhir. 

However, Gambhir recognized the potential in Samson’s talent and decided to retain him for the following season. This decision turned out to be a wise one, as the youngster had already shown his mettle by consistently performing for the India Under-19 team, despite being just 18 years old at the time. KKR’s middle order was already packed with the likes of Manoj Tiwari, Yusuf Pathan, and Suryakumar Yadav, and hence he didn’t get a chance to play the next season as well. After this, he was released ahead of the 2014 auction where he was bought by Rajasthan Royals. 

Mitchell Marsh: Deccan Chargers

Deccan Chargers may be a defunct franchise now, but they were home to some very big names in cricket. The team was rebranded to Sunrisers Hyderabad in 2012. Mitchell Marsh made his IPL debut with Deccan Chargers way back in 2010, even before he made his international debut. 

However, Marsh played only 3 games for the franchise that season where he failed to ignite a spark in the team’s management. In those 3 games, Marsh failed to fire with the bat and scored just 28 runs at an average of 14. His performance with the ball was not much different as he picked just 2 wickets in 3 games. After this disappointing season, Deccan Chargers released him and he was bought by Pune Warriors India in 2011.  

Yuzvendra Chahal: Mumbai Indians

Before he was a match-winner for RCB, Yuzvendra Chahal warmed the bench for Mumbai Indians. Yuzvendra Chahal started his IPL journey with the Mumbai Indians in 2011 and stayed there for three years. However, he was given very limited opportunities and only managed to feature in one IPL game over the course of three seasons. His sole appearance came against the Kolkata Knight Riders in 2013. 

In 2014, at the IPL players’ auction, the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) signed Chahal for his base price of ₹10 lakh. This turned out to be a shrewd investment for the franchise, as Chahal quickly established himself as a vital cog in the RCB lineup. Even though he didn’t get many opportunities to play at MI, there was one incident that was the highlight of his time with the franchise. 

In 2022, Chahal revealed that a Mumbai player had manhandled him after drinking too much. The drunk player called Yuzi and hung him out on the balcony of the 15th floor. Nonetheless, Chahal didn’t let this incident affect him and emerged as a match winner later on. 

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