Whether it was Sachin Tendulkar, Chris Gayle, AB de Villiers, Lasith Malinga, Virender Sehwag, Kieron Pollard, Shane Watson or Dwayne Bravo, no amount of fitness and desire can lead a player to resist the natural aging process. All athletes must eventually say goodbye to professional sport, which was made even more spectacular by the presence of these celebrities.
For many outstanding players, whether from India or overseas, the IPL season signifies the end of their career. It will also turn out that the Indian Premier League 2024 is not any different.
Let's look at the five Players who might retire from the league after the upcoming season:
5. Dinesh Karthik
With his involvement in the league from its beginning, Dinesh Karthik is a true IPL icon. Karthik, who had previously played for various teams in the league, came back to RCB in 2022 as a reliable finisher. Karthik, who turns 39 in 2024 is anticipated to be a key member of the Bangalore-based franchise. Nevertheless, Karthik's performance suffered a severe setback in 2023.
In addition, Karthik said that he was reinventing himself to be picked for the national team in the 2022 T20 World Cup. But with no-Indian future in sight, the 2024 edition may be the last for the Chennai native.
4. Piyush Chawla
Surprisingly, Piyush Chawla, only 35, has been involved in the national cricket scene for nearly 20 years. With 179 wickets, he is the third-highest wicket-taker in IPL history and may easily pass Dwayne Bravo for second position. With 22 wickets in his most successful season to date, Piyush Chawla's 2023 campaign with the Mumbai Indians proved to be a fantastic usage for the senior player.
Although this may indicate that Piyush Chawla has a few more years left in him, he is already planning to end his career. The Uttar Pradesh-born cricketer has already adapted to the commentary box, and after the 2024 season, he may even declare his retirement.
3. Amit Mishra
Amit Mishra, who inked a contract with the Lucknow Super Giants for a salary of INR 50 lakh made his IPL comeback at the age of 40 in IPL 2023. The experienced spinner's previous IPL season was in 2021 with the Delhi Capitals. He has 166 wickets in 154 IPL games.
Mishra has been IPL's unsung hero. During his heydays, the wrist spinner frequently outwitted hitters and got them to dance to his music. Referred to as the “Hat-trick Man” in the league, Amit Mishra is the only bowler to have taken three hat-tricks in the IPL in the 2008, 2011, and 2012 seasons.
2. Faf du Plessis
At the age of 39, Faf du Plessis has already retired from Test cricket and might say adieu to the Indian Premier League as well as white-ball cricket in the coming season. There is no match for his fitness levels and athleticism but all good things must come to an end. He has scored close to 9500 runs in T20 matches and is surely one of the legends of the game.
The Bangalore skipper might play IPL 2024 as his last edition. With immense experience and form in hand, the 39-year-old might try to win his team the trophy and end his career on a high.
1. MS Dhoni
MS Dhoni has been surpassing the rules of age and improving his levels of fitness over the last few years. Despite having a knee ailment, he played in the Indian Premier League 2023 and was seen with a bulky knee brace. Nonetheless, there is a prevalent perception that the Indian Premier League 2024 might finally be Dhoni's final hurrah.
After winning his fifth IPL in 2023, many expected him to announce his retirement, seeing he was not the same player throughout the season, but Dhoni made no such announcement. In July 2024, MS Dhoni will be 43. Being a wicket-keeper and one about to reach 43, Dhoni's appearance in the 2025 season looks improbable.
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