SRH playing 11 from Trent Boult's IPL debut in 2015

Few bowlers in recent times have managed to switch between the three different formats as effortlessly and as effectively as Trent Boult. The left-arm pacer was always earmarked to do great things and while he has been at his most effective with the red ball in the longest format, he has become one of the most sought-after bowlers in T20s.

Boult, who might have played his final match for his national side, is still going strong and continues to be a high-profile signing for sides all across the globe.

The New Zealand pacer has also been a regular feature in the Indian Premier League - he started his career back in 2015 for the SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) and continues to go strong for the Rajasthan Royals - his current team. What also makes him a prized possession is his agility in the field and his safe pair of hands.

On Trent Boult's 35th birthday, we take a look at the players who were part of the playing XI when he made his debut for the SunRisers Hyderabad back in 2015.

#1 Top Order - David Warner, Shikhar Dhawan, and KL Rahul

The left-hander announced his retirement from Test cricket after the series against Pakistan earlier this year. He also walked away from international cricket after the 2024 T20 World Cup held in the USA and the West Indies. However, David Warner will still ply his trade for different T20 franchises across the world.

He was with the Delhi Capitals for the last season of the IPL and will be interesting to see which team snaps him up at the mega auction slated to be held later this year. One of the best openers from Australia, Warner ended his international career with 8,786 runs in 112 Tests, 6,932 runs from 161 ODI matches, and 3.277 runs in 110 T20Is.

Shikhar Dhawan formed arguably the best opening combination with Rohit Sharma in ODIs, but has fallen out of favor with the national selectors. However, he led Punjab Kings in the last two editions and could well find a new side come the next season.

Dhawan had a prolific ODI career where he scored 6,793 runs in 167 matches with an average of 44.11 and a strike rate of 91.35. He was one of India’s most prolific performers in ICC tournaments, where he played 10 World Cup matches and scored 537 runs at an average of 53.70, including three centuries.

KL Rahul is currently one of India’s leading batters - in both Tests and ODIs. He played a key role as a wicketkeeper-batter in the 2023 Cricket World Cup, but injury kept him away from the Test series against England. The selectors seem to have moved on from him in T20Is, and we could well see a new team pick him at the mega auction.

The selectors look at Rahul as one of the leaders in the group and he will be an important member of the Indian team heading into this new season.

#2 Middle Order - Naman Ojha, Ravi Bopara, Kane Williamson, and Karn Sharma

Kane Williamson was a former captain of SRH

One of the stalwarts of domestic cricket, Naman Ojha announced his retirement after playing in the domestic circuit for two decades. Ojha, who had a brief India career in all three formats, holds the record for the most dismissals by a wicketkeeper in the Ranji Trophy.

Ojha made his debut for Madhya Pradesh as a 17-year-old in the 2000-01 season and was a consistent performer. He played for India in a Test match in Sri Lanka in 2015, one ODI, and two T20Is in Zimbabwe in 2010. He is now part of different ‘retired leagues’ across the globe.

Ravi Bopara last played professional cricket for Sussex in 2023 and has since bid goodbye to the game across all formats. Starting his career as a top-order batter, he also bowled effective medium pace and became an important member of England in limited-overs cricket.

He was also part of different T20 leagues across the globe including Karachi Kings in the Pakistan Super League, Kings XI Punjab in the Indian Premier League, Sydney Sixers in the Big Bash League, and Chittagong Vikings in the Bangladesh Premier League. He played a crucial role in England winning the 2010 ICC World Twenty20.

Kane Williamson is considered to be the greatest batter from New Zealand and one of the best in the current generation. He became the leading run-scorer in Test cricket for New Zealand on February 27, 2023, and is also one of their most successful captains.

He led New Zealand to victory in the 2021 ICC World Test Championship final and also to the finals of the 2019 Cricket World Cup and the 2021 T20 World Cup. He was also part of the squad that ended as runners-up in the 2015 Cricket World Cup. \Williamson has been part of different IPL sides over the years and there are speculations over his T20I future after New Zealand’s shocking ouster from the league stage at this year’s T20 World Cup.

Another domestic cricket veteran, Karn Sharma has been a key member of the Railways cricket team. He is a handy all-rounder, who is an effective leggie and more than a decent left-hand batter. He made his Twenty20 International debut against England in 2014 and then, went on to make his ODI debut against Sri Lanka on 13 November 2014. He also played a solitary Test against Australia in Adelaide on 9 December 2014.

Karn Sharma has played for several sides in the IPL over the years and he played a couple of excellent knocks for Royal Challengers Bangalore last year. He has been a consistent performer even in domestic tournaments.

#3 Lower Order - Parvez Rasool, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, and Ishant Sharma

Ishant Sharma is still going strong in the IPL

Parvez Rasool made history when he became the first cricketer from Jammu and Kashmir to play in the IPL after he was picked up by the SunRisers Hyderabad in 2014. A right-hand batsman and an off-break bowler, Rassol was also the captain of the Jammu and Kashmir team and became a regular member of India A. He also became the first player to play for the Indian national team in ODIs and T20Is, with one appearance in each format.

However, he faded away after a few years of controversies and mediocre performances. He also went unsold in the IPL auctions in the last couple of years. In 2023, he played for Baduraliya Cricket Club in the SLC Major Clubs 3, Parvez scored 124 runs, hitting 11 fours and 3 sixes, and also took 6 wickets.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar is one of the best bowlers to have played all three formats for India. He has also been a consistent performer in the IPL and has been with the SunRisers Hyderabad for close to a decade now and continues to get the job done with the new ball. He is no longer part of the national team but was quite the performer across all three formats.

He has played 21, 121, and 87 Tests, ODI, and T20I cricket where he picked up 63, 141, and 90 wickets, respectively. It will be interesting to see where he ends up in the next year of the IPL.

Team India pacer Ishant Sharma has not been with the national side since his last Test series against New Zealand in 2021. The 35-year-old ranks as India's joint-fifth highest wicket-taker in Tests with 311 wickets at an average of 32.40 in 105 matches. He has also featured 80 ODIs and 14 T20Is, taking a total of 123 wickets.

Currently, he is engaged as a broadcast professional and was also part of the Delhi Capitals side until last year.