Time and time again, it has been established in cricket that age is nothing but a number and there have always been cricketers with scintillating performances who have been validating this adage like a boss. As the IPL 2020 auctions are less than 24 hours away from being convened in Chennai, a lot of speculations have already been doing the rounds.
T20 cricket has always been an experiment and the fact that who can hit the right chord earlier are the ones who will emerge victoriously. One of the major ingredients of this experiment is the convergence of youth and experience. Like the way young players bring agility and excitement to the side, veteran cricketers bring a boatload of expertise that helps the team to eke themselves out in tough situations.
In this story, we will be sneaking a peek at five cricketers who are aged more than 35 and yet may notch themselves up a contract in tomorrow’s auction.
Kedar Jadhav – 36 years old
Despite his pedestrian show in the preceding edition of the tournament where he was nothing but an expletive in the Chennai colours, he can still make a strong appeal for himself given his expertise in the Indian conditions. He is also a handy all-rounder who can chip in with a few crucial overs in the middle and this can be an asset to the middle-order batsman. Though he failed to impress in 2020, he still houses the capability of striking those massive hits which will make him a contender for earning a call-up.
Harbhajan Singh – 40 years old
Though it is pretty obvious that this will be the last cricket that Harbhajan Singh will be playing, he can still spark a war in the auction. Despite his ripe age of 40, his spinning skills were always worth mentioning and his experience in India will be of great value to any side that picks him up. He has also led Mumbai Indians previously which will bring in leadership material to the team that would want him in their colours. Imran Tahir may act as his inspiration at the age of 41 years.
B Arun Karthick – 35 years old
He has been an exceptional name in the domestic T20 circuit but yet IPL franchises couldn’t really fall for this 35-year-old campaigner. This time he created a significant impact in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy where he was a part of the championship squad of Tamil Nadu. Being a good wicket-keeper batsman, Arun can file a strong case for himself in tomorrow’s auction.
Dan Christian – 37 years old
This man has been defying age like a boss and he is still going strong in the shortest format of the game. He is one of the most active all-rounders and brings in a boatload of excellence to the squad that he plays for. With a decent showdown in the recently-concluded BBL, he can very well be in the queue of finding a suitor for himself in the IPL. He is not someone who is known for turning the tables upside down but he is known for getting the job done and what else do you need from a cricketer?
Fidel Edwards – 39 years old
This Caribbean fast bowler has aged like a fine wine with more of his scintillating performances coming with age. He has almost reached the end of his Kolpak deal and is raring to explore franchise cricket across the globe. Despite being 40 years old, he could still manage to bowl at 150 clicks almost regularly. Despite his age is a worrying factor, the figures on the speed-gun might act in Edward’s favour.
