Making a comeback in cricket is tough, once you have been discarded for being not good enough for the team. More so in the toughest T20 league in the world. Some players however didn’t give up, worked hard on their skillset and have made a successful return to the IPL after showing much improved performances in either domestic circuit, for their national side and in other T20 leagues.
Here are 4 players who made their IPL returns in 2022 after being away from the tournament for four or more years:
Tymal Mills
Tymal Mills had played 5 T20I for England between 2016 and 2018 and 5 IPL matches in 2017 for RCB before he was dropped from both the teams.
Almost time! @mipaltan pic.twitter.com/uHwKAKdQII
— Tymal Mills (@tmills15) March 26, 2022
Mills worked on his fitness, gave up longer formats of the game, and stormed into England’s 2021 T20 World Cup side as one of the best T20 seamers in English cricket. He was brilliant in the four matches in the World Cup, specifically in the death overs before getting injured; England dearly missed him in their semi-final loss to New Zealand.
Impressed by the left-armer Mumbai Indians got him for 1.5 crores at the IPL 2022 mega-auction. He started the season well taking 6 wickets in 3 matches but was dropped after two wicketless and expensive outings.
Matthew Wade
Australia’s T20 World Cup semi-final hero vs Pakistan, Matthew Wade was roped in by Gujarat Titans for 2.4 crores and started off for them ahead of Wriddhiman Saha. It is jaw-dropping fact that this is Wade’s first IPL season since 2011!!
Mia and I are ready for our hot vax summer (she had her third puppy vaccination yesterday and I had my Moderna booster today)
pic.twitter.com/JK5vefvCdf
— Matthew Wade (@MatthewRWade) January 18, 2022
11 years ago, in his debut IPL season, then a youngster Wade represented the Delhi Daredevils in 3 matches and was ignored for more than a decade before returning with good form for Australia.
Now, after 5 matches, wherein he managed 68 runs at a strike rate of 107, Gujarat have dropped the left-hander.
Rishi Dhawan
One of the more inspiring stories of hard work in domestic cricket paying off is that of Rishi Dhawan. Before the IPL 2022, Dhawan’s last game in the IPL came in 2016, when he was with Punjab.
Rishi Dhawan strikes and gets the big wicket of #GT Skipper, Hardik Pandya.
Live – https://t.co/LcfJL3lO5i #GTvPBKS #TATAIPL pic.twitter.com/ctGRgrtii6
— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) May 3, 2022
Now he’s back in the Punjab eleven and has made an impact in both the games so far with either bat or ball. Rishi Dhawan led Himachal Pradesh to their maiden Vijay Hazare title last year and was the tournament’s best all-rounder before Punjab got him for 55 lakh in the mega-auction.
Rovman Powell
Rovman Powell had been renowned on the T20 circuit and in the West Indies short format team for the past few years but didn’t get attention from IPL franchises; he was part of KKR’s squad in 2017 but didn’t get a game.
Always good to contribute to a team win! pic.twitter.com/acTKEWZ6mk
— Rovman Powell (@Ravipowell26) April 28, 2022
But, his blockbuster century earlier this year against England in a T20I and then a mauling fifty against India forced Delhi to splurge out 2.8 crore for the powerful hitter. Powell has rapid DC’s faith and has won them a game and has been their trusted bank in the death overs.
