Even though a player may desire to stick with the same IPL franchise, it is not necessarily unfavorable to wear a different team’s jersey.
Some players who appeared average while playing for one IPL franchise have unexpectedly flourished after joining another. The IPL auction has the potential to completely transform a player’s performance. This could be attributed to various factors such as a different team environment or altered team dynamics.
1. Suryakumar Yadav
Suryakumar Yadav was initially a part of the Mumbai Indians team, but he was released before the IPL 2014 auction. Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) purchased him, and he became the core of their team, playing the finisher’s role splendidly. Despite a lackluster performance for KKR in his final season for them, Mumbai Indians bought him back, and he has now become one of the most dangerous T20 players globally, contributing significantly to Mumbai Indians’ recent accomplishments.
2. AB de Villiers
AB de Villiers made his debut in the IPL for the Delhi Daredevils, currently known as the Capitals, and even scored a century for them. Nevertheless, the Delhi-based team chose to release him after three seasons. The Royal Challengers Bangalore then signed him for INR 5 crores, a decision that turned out to be monumental, as De Villiers went on to become one of the critical players for RCB.
3. David Warner
David Warner left the Sunrisers Hyderabad team after the previous season and is no longer a part of the team. Nonetheless, it is undeniable that the left-hander transformed the fortunes of the Orange Army after joining them in 2014. He won the Orange Cap in 2014, 2015, 2017, and 2019. Under his leadership in 2016, the Sunrisers won their maiden IPL title by defeating RCB in the final at the legendary M Chinnaswamy Stadium.
4. Jos Buttler
Jos Buttler did not meet his international standard in the IPL, and as a result, Mumbai Indians did not retain him in 2018. Subsequently, he was purchased by the Rajasthan Royals in the IPL auction. Initially, Rajasthan used him in the middle overs, but later, they elevated him to the opening position, which significantly altered the team’s fortunes.
5. KL Rahul
Virat Kohli, AB De Villiers, and Sarfaraz Khan were the players retained by the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB). Interestingly, KL Rahul was not retained, despite having the potential to replace Sarfaraz. However, he was purchased by the Punjab team for a substantial sum of Rs 11 crore. He rapidly became an essential member of the team and demonstrated his abilities.
6. Chris Gayle
Gayle was widely known as one of the most powerful hitters of a cricket ball, although his performances for the Kolkata Knight Riders were not up to the mark. He failed to secure a contract in the IPL 2011 auction. However, an injury to Dirk Nannes presented Gayle with an opportunity to sign with the Royal Challengers Bangalore, and he never looked back after that. In his first three seasons, Gayle accumulated 608, 733, and 708 runs, respectively, including four centuries.
