5 IPL veterans who haven’t played a single match yet

It has been two weeks since the 11th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) got underway. Year after year, many players have emerged from this platform and have gone on to become household names.

Some of them have even gone on to play for the national team after proving their mettle. While few teams are focusing on youngsters such as Mayank Markande, Shubman Gill, and Shivam Mavi, here are few veterans who have been warming the bench so far.

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#5 Karn Sharma

From vital contributions in back to back IPL titles for his franchises Sunrisers Hyderabad (2016) and Mumbai Indians (2017), Sharma is yet to feature in a game this season. The 30-year-old leg spinner was picked up by Chennai Super Kings for Rs 5 crore after an intense bidding war with his former franchise MI.

Sharma has taken 49 wickets at an economy of 7.67 in his 55 IPL appearances. CSK has Harbhajan Singh and Imran Tahir in their spin department because of which Sharma hasn't gotten a chance yet. Maybe later in the tournament, Sharma will get his opportunity when Tahir is replaced by a batsman or an all-rounder.

#4 Saurabh Tiwary

The 28-year-old left-handed hard-hitting batsman has 81 IPL appearances to his name. Tiwary has scored 1276 runs in 64 innings at an average of 28.35. The middle-order batsman has been consistent throughout the tournament but just doesn’t seem to make it in the playing XI.

In the previous season, he played a solitary game for MI but scored 52 runs. Mumbai retained his services for Rs. 80 lakh through the auctions this year. It looks unlikely that he will get a chance this season unless someone gets injured.

#3 Manoj Tiwary

Tiwary had an impressive season with RPS last year (Image: FB/Manoj Tiwary)

Manoj Tiwary had an amazing season for Rising Pune Supergiant (RPS) last year. He scored 324 runs in 13 innings at an average of 32.40. Not only he provided stability to the team when the wickets fell early but also played the role of a dasher in the death overs.

The right-handed middle-order batsman is vastly experienced as he has played 93 matches in the IPL. Tiwary was picked by Kings XI Punjab (KXIP) for Rs 1 crore at this year’s auctions. KXIP has several Indian batsmen who can play in the middle-order because of which Tiwary hasn't got his chance yet.

#2 Naman Ojha

Naman Ojha can strengthen Delhi's middle-order (Image: FB/Delhi Daredevils)

Wicket-keeper-batsman Naman Ojha has played 112 games in the IPL. From opening the innings for few franchises to playing cameos late in the order, Ojha has been used at various positions by his previous teams.

However, the 34-year-old’s experience and expertise behind the stumps has not helped him secure a place in the playing XI. Ojha, who was bought by Delhi Daredevils for Rs 1.40 crore, is a backup for Rishabh Pant and won’t get a game unless Pant is unfit.

#1 Parthiv Patel

Parthiv has represented six franchises so far in the league (Image: FB/Parthiv Patel)

The pocket-sized dynamo has played for as many as six teams in the league. His ability to contribute with the bat and keep wickets makes him a useful addition to the team. Patel, who was a part of MI last year, made 395 runs in 16 games at an average of 24.68. By the end of the season, he was at the eight position in the top 10 highest run scorers in IPL 2017.

Having played 119 IPL matches in the past, he must be eager to play a game this season. RCB has the services of Brendon McCullum, Quinton de Kock and Virat Kohli for the opening slot. Patel might get a chance when any overseas opener is dropped.