11 players who have returned to their former IPL teams

The Indian Premier League 2018 is all set to be different in many ways, after a mega auction that saw most teams revamping their rosters to a massive extent.

It is believed that their performance in the auction goes on to decide their fate in the tournament.

Anything can happen in it, and one of the things is one franchise losing out to another, on some players who had performed exceptionally well for them in the past.

But the good news for them and their supporters is that seven out of the eight franchises managed to buy back at least one player, who returned to their roster after spending a season or more with another side.

Here's a look at eleven players who have returned to their former sides and could go on and be the difference maker to their team’s fortunes.

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#1 Gautam Gambhir

Gautam Gambhir playing for the Delhi Daredevils in 2009

Arguably, the biggest change in the IPL 2018 will be to see Gautam Gambhir wearing the Delhi Daredevils colours again after spending seven seasons away from them.

The feisty left-handed opener’s first IPL team was the Daredevils, playing for his home city from 2008-2010. Individually, he saw a good amount of success during that time, scoring 1097 runs across 40 matches at an average of 30.47.

His form and the ability to lead from the front by example impressed the Kolkata Knight Riders, who picked him up at a whopping Rs.11.04 crores in the 2011 auction. That made him the then most expensive player ever in IPL history.

During his reign, KKR won the IPL twice in 2012 and 2014 and made it to the playoffs in 2011, 2016 and 2017. A far better result than their first three years.

Delhi bought him back for Rs. 2.8 crore this season, fulfilling Gambhir’s wish that he wanted to end his career helping his home city win the IPL title for the first time ever.

Surely, the 36-year-old will go all out to ensure that the dream turns into reality this season itself.

#2 Yuvraj Singh

Yuvraj returns to Kings XI Punjab after eight years

Another two-time World Cup winner and Indian veteran makes the list.

When it comes to the IPL, the southpaw has been much sought after by nearly every franchise each season.

That explains why he has the record of being the most expensive player bought in not one, but two auctions. Royal Challengers Bangalore broke the bank in 2014, paying him Rs. 14 crores. And a year later, Delhi Daredevils set the bar higher with Rs. 16 crores.

He has had a turbulent run in the 10 seasons of the competition. In the first three, he turned out for Kings XI Punjab, captaining the side to the playoffs in 2008 and the fifth spot in 2009.

In 2018, after eight years and playing for five teams, Yuvraj was bought back by the Kings XI Punjab at his base price of two crores.

With nothing to lose, no captaincy pressure and easily being the most popular face of the side, the 36-year-old Punjabi is all set to have a gala time with the team that kick-started his IPL career. Can he become an integral part of another championship-winning team?

#3 Glenn Maxwell

Glenn Maxwell played just two games for Delhi in his first IPL season

Maxwell’s name might come as a surprise. Yet, it was at the Delhi Daredevils where the flamboyant Australian all-rounder played for the first time in the IPL back in 2012. He had only featured in two games that season, but his talent didn’t go unnoticed.

The Daredevils tried to pick him up again at the 2013 and 2014 auctions but failed.

In 2013, he made headlines as Mumbai Indians bought him for Rs. 5.3 crores, making him the most expensive player that season.

A year later, Kings XI Punjab topped that with Rs. 6 crores, where Maxwell became a permanent fixture in the team.

Maxwell had a mixed run at Punjab, starring in their run to their first ever IPL final in 2014 with 552 runs in 16 games at an average of 34.50.

However, the next two seasons were below par for him and the team as he failed to average 20.

Leading them in 2017, he averaged 31 but the Kings XI finished fifth, falling slightly short in making the playoffs.

This time, the nine-crore man Maxwell will have the guidance of one of his inspirations, Ricky Ponting who is the coach and will be led by Gambhir. The expectations will be sky high. Can he deliver better?

#4 JP Duminy

JP Duminy made his debut in the IPL with Mumbai Indians

The explosive South African left-hander is all set to return to the Mumbai Indians this season, nine long years after making his IPL debut for the team.

Memories go back to the 2009 season when the 24-year-old Duminy thrived in home conditions in South Africa, scoring 372 runs in 13 games at an average of 41.33. Since then, he hasn’t looked back and became a force to reckon with in white-ball cricket.

He had a fairly successful run with the now-defunct Deccan Chargers side from 2010-12, averaging as much as 81.33 in 2012.

The reason his average is of 39.86 till date is because he maintained his consistency with the Delhi Daredevils from 2014-16, even though the team performed miserably during this period. He also got to captain the team in the 2015 season.

With his vast acumen, versatility and experience in T20 cricket, Duminy’s presence makes the defending champions Mumbai much stronger than the last season.

#5 Parthiv Patel

Parthiv Patel was a part of the RCB side in the IPL 2014

The diminutive wicketkeeper-batsman from Gujarat has had a journeyman-like experience in the IPL so far, featuring in as many as six IPL teams!

Chennai Super Kings, Kochi Tuskers Kerala, Deccan Chargers, Sunrisers Hyderabad, Royal Challengers Bangalore and Mumbai Indians are the teams he has represented so far in his IPL career.

This season, he will be back his team of the 2014 season, Royal Challengers Bangalore. Even though he didn’t perform exceptionally well that season, Parthiv gives teams the option of an opener who can keep wickets, making their balance stronger.

This can also make RCB rotate amongst their foreign players, who make a formidable bunch this season.

In the last three seasons, Parthiv showed tremendous improvement while playing for the Mumbai Indians.

The only question remains – Where and how permanently would he fit into the scheme of RCB’s plans eventually?

#6 Murali Vijay

Murali Vijay was the Man Of The Match in the 2011 IPL final

Before Virat Kohli in the IPL 2016, it was Murali Vijay who was the first Indian batsman ever to score two hundreds in the history of the competition.

It might be hard to believe that now, considering that he plays for India in Test matches only.

Vijay gained popularity while playing at the Chennai Super Kings. He was the Man of the Match in the 2011 IPL final against Royal Challengers Bangalore, courtesy of his 52-ball 95.

After a two-season stint between 2015 and 2016 with Kings XI Punjab which didn’t bear much fruit, the Tamil Nadu opener will seen in the yellow jersey again and in all probability, opening the batting.

#7 R Vinay Kumar

R Vinay Kumar has played for four IPL teams so far

R Vinay Kumar has had a solid reputation at the domestic level, captaining Karnataka to many top honours in tournaments such as the Ranji Trophy.

Yet, the IPL is a different ball game altogether and Vinay’s experience is a prime example of it.

Having played for four teams so far, Vinay Kumar has a knack of picking up wickets against the run of play even though he tends to leak runs easily as well.

It is his wily skill and experience that might have propelled Kolkata Knight Riders to pick him up again at the 2018 auction, four years after he featured in their IPL-winning side.

The fast bowler is expected to have a bigger role this year in Kolkata, with the absence of an experienced Indian pacer such as Umesh Yadav. Can Vinay make it count this time?

#8 Stuart Binny

Stuart Binny got his chance to shine at Rajasthan

All-rounder Stuart Binny may have begun his career with the Mumbai Indians in 2010, yet it was Rajasthan Royals that gave him the opportunity to explore his talent and come into the national limelight from 2011-2015.

Unfortunately for him, the Royals were banned for two years and as a result, he plied his trade with the Royal Challengers Bangalore in 2016 and 2017.

This season, he is back with his adopted home, Rajasthan and is expected to figure majorly in their plans.

This might also be the perfect opportunity for him to showcase his skills and win back his place in India’s T20I and ODI sides.

#9 Sanju Samson

Sanju Samson is back with the Rajasthan Royals after two seasons

At just 23, Sanju Samson became the third most expensive Indian player at the 2018 IPL auction.

The Rajasthan Royals bought him back at a hefty price of eight crores. He played for them between 2013-2015 and gained the recognition that he desired and many must have envied.

It paved the way for him not being one of the most exciting Indian talents in the tournament, but also a chance to play for India in a T20I in Zimbabwe in 2015.

Last season, his strike rate of 142 at the top of the order was impressive despite the Delhi Daredevils failing to make it to the playoffs again.

The interesting question is – With Jos Buttler in the squad this time, will Samson keep wickets on a regular basis and have to fight for a permanent place in the team?

#10 Naman Ojha

Naman Ojha returns Delhi Daredevils with a point to prove

The Madhya Pradesh wicketkeeper-batsman might be the most underrated in his skill in the country.

Initially, it was his batting that made him keep his place in the teams he played in. However, he seemed to work so much on his wicketkeeping skills that batting took a backseat.

This is why Ojha has not been able to make as strong an impression in the IPL as he has with his domestic teams and India A for example.

Playing for the Rajasthan Royals, the 2010 season was his first productive one, with 377 runs at an average of 31.41.

In 2014, his strike rate of 144 made him one of the fearsome hitters of the Delhi Daredevils outfit. While in 2016, his catching behind the stumps was instrumental in the Sunrisers Hyderabad going on to win their first ever IPL title.

Perhaps still seeing the 33-year-old as a complete package, Ojha was sought after by the Royals and the Daredevils this season. Yet, it was the Daredevils that succeeded in winning him back for Rs. 1.4 crore. He has a wonderful opportunity to prove himself again.

#11 Aditya Tare

Aditya Tare has played some crucial knocks for Mumbai Indians in the past

He has led Mumbai’s Ranji Trophy side in the past. And the Mumbai Indians was his first IPL home as well.

He will return to it this season, having made his debut way back in 2010. Some of his knocks in pressure situations helped Mumbai tremendously in their 2013 and 2014 campaigns.

However, he was often kept as a fringe player in a side filled with star power. Stints at Sunrisers Hyderabad and Delhi Daredevils in the last two seasons didn’t help his cause either.

This time, Tare has an opportunity to play all the games if he remains 100 percent fit since he is the only wicket-keeper batsman in the Mumbai side.