IPL 2018: 3 retired players who are likely to make a mark in the tournament

A decade since its inception, the Indian Premier League today is the annual highlight of the cricketing calendar.

Cricket, especially Indian cricket, has never been the same since the emergence of the T20 league. Players from all over the world belonging to different cultures come together, keeping aside their national rivalries for two months for this global extravaganza.

On one hand, the IPL serves as a wonderful platform for the relatively unknown players to shoot into the limelight by performing against some of the biggest names in world cricket.

Many players such as Hardik Pandya, Yuzvendra Chahal, Jasprit Bumrah to name a few, have grown by leaps and bounds mainly by playing in the IPL.

On the other hand, the IPL also provides an opportunity for the players at the fag end of their careers to stay in touch with the game.

With huge amounts being pumped in by the Indian corporate houses, these players also earn a hefty paycheck by playing for just two months.

Here is a list of three players who have retired from international cricket but are likely to make a huge impact in the 2018 edition of the IPL.

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#3 Mitchell Johnson (Kolkata Knight Riders)

A fast bowler capable of bowling with express pace, Mitchell Johnson at his best is one of the most terrifying bowlers to face for any batsman. Tall, fast and aggressive, this left-armer from Queensland was once described by the great Dennis Lillee as a 'once in a lifetime prospect.' He is also a clean hitter of the ball and he boasts of a Test century, that came against South Africa in 2009.

He made his ODI debut for the Aussies in 2005 and was awarded a Test cap in 2007 for the series against Sri Lanka. He caught the eye of the cricketing world when he demolished the Indian top order, taking the wickets of Tendulkar, Dravid, Yuvraj and Irfan Pathan in a match-winning spell of 4/11 in the 2006 Tri-Series in Kuala Lumpur. In the longer format, he was at his peak in 2013-14 when picked up 59 wickets across just 8 matches against England and South Africa.

He made a spectacular entry into the IPL as he played a major role in Mumbai's title-winning run in 2013, picking up 24 wickets in just 17 matches. Since then, he has also played for the Kings XI Punjab before making a return to Mumbai in 2017. In total, he has picked up 59 wickets from 48 matches in the IPL so far. He skipped the PSL in order to be fully fit for the IPL after he had a disappointing run in the Big Bash where he could only pick up 7 wickets in 10 matches.

Johnson has a new home for the 2018 IPL season as he will be turning up for the Kolkata Knight Riders.

#2 Brendon McCullum (Royal Challengers Bangalore)

McCullum is one of the most entertaining batsmen

Brash, powerful and extremely entertaining, this superstar from New Zealand is easily one of the best wicket-keepers of his era. Never afraid to take risks, he stunned the cricketing world when he scooped Shaun Tait and Dirk Nannes bowling at 155 kph above the wicket-keeper on the way to his first T20 international century.

He made his debut for New Zealand in the 2002 series against arch-rivals Australia and made his Test debut against South Africa in 2004. Predominantly selected for his batting skills he improved his keeping considerably as time went by. However, injuries continued to take a toll on him and a persistent back injury forced him to relinquish his role behind the stumps and concentrate primarily on his batting. He ended his international career in some style as he smashed the fastest Test century, in his last Test match against Australia.

The IPL will always be grateful to him for lighting up the tournament with an electrifying knock of 158* playing for the Kolkata Knight Riders against the Royal Challengers Bangalore in the inaugural match. Since then, he has turned up for the Kochi Tuskers as well as the Chennai Super Kings in the 2014 and 2015 seasons.

His IPL record is very impressive. In 103 matches so far he has accumulated 2754 runs at a blistering strike rate of 131 studded with 13 half-centuries and two centuries.

McCullum played for the Gujarat Lions for the last two seasons and is now a part of the formidable Royal Challengers Bangalore line up for the 2018 season.

#1 Shane Watson (Chennai Super Kings)

Shane Watson will turn out for CSK this season

Arguably one of the finest fast bowling all-rounders of his generation, Shane Watson never quite realized his true potential as he was consistently bogged down by injuries. A powerful hitter of the ball, Watson could handle both pace and spin with ease when in full flow. His bowling was not too bad either as his clever use of the short ball surprised even the best of batsmen.

He made his ODI debut for Australia in 2002 against South Africa before he finally earned the baggy green cap during Pakistan's tour of Australia in 2005. As a batsman, he played some very destructive knocks for Australia - one of them being his 185 against Bangladesh which till date remains the highest the individual score by an Australian in ODIs and also the highest score by any batsman batting second. In Tests, he had his most productive season in 2010-11 when he won back to back Allan Border medals. However, injuries continued to plague him and he officially retired from all forms of cricket in 2016.

He remains a very popular figure in the IPL and was an integral member of the 2008 title winning Rajasthan Royals side, emerging as the Player of the Tournament. He stayed with them for a number of years before he was picked up by the Royal Challengers Bangalore in 2016 for a whopping INR 9.5 crore.

Watson has been a very consistent performer in the IPL. He has plundered 2622 runs in just 102 matches at a stunning strike rate of 139 with two centuries. His bowling has also been equally effective as he has picked up 86 wickets. His recent form has also been sublime. With 319 runs and 11 wickets in 10 matches, he has been an integral part of the Quetta Gladiators in the PSL this season.

Come April 2018, Watson will be seen donning the yellow jersey of the Chennai Super Kings.