Sachin Tendulkar PTI |
Dubai: The Indian Premier League (IPL) may have made millionaires out of cricketers, but it has also seen it’s quota of ‘loyalists’ who had been part of the same franchise through it’s 10-year journey. Leading the elite list is Sachin Tendulkar as a player and later as mentor of the Mumbai Indians team while another player who has never changed his franchise for a decade is Royal Challengers Bangalore’s Virat Kohli.
Harbhajan Singh PTI |
Two-time IPL champions Mumbai Indians will felicitate the legendary Tendulkar who is synonymous with Mumbai cricket and also Harbhajan Singh and Lasith Malinga, who both will mark their 10th appearance for the team. Though Tendulkar retired in 2013 as a player, his presence has motivated this team in every edition.
Mumbai Indians’ team owners have decided to make their presence with the team special through a function titled ‘10 glorious years of Mumbai Indians’. It will be hosted by the team owners Mukesh Ambani and Nita Ambani on April 10 at their residence.
Bangalore saw the Indian captain Kohli evolve from a teenager in the first edition of the IPL in 2008 to one of the world’s finest batsman. Though in 2008 was inducted into the team on a youth contract, he made use of every chance that came his way to prove as a match-winner. Incidentally, he is only player to be retained by Bangalore. Kohli has also rewarded his franchise scoring 4110 runs with four centuries and 26 half centuries.
Bangalore later appointed Kohli as vice-captain to Daniel Vettori and after Vettori retired, the franchise made him their captain. For Mumbai Indians, Tendulkar, Harbhajan and Malinga played huge roles in their team lifting their maiden IPL title in 2013. Harbhajan and Malinga produced spectacular performances for Mumbai when they won the title for a second time in 2015.
Tendulkar played 78 matches for Mumbai and scored 2334 runs with only one century but 13 half centuries. Malinga is the highest wicket-taker in IPL with 143 wickets from the 98 matches while Harbhajan has 119 wickets from 125 matches. Incidentally, Harbhajan, despite being out of the national team time and again, had kept his motivation levels high and performed brilliantly for Mumbai Indians. Bowling at an economical rate of less than seven, he is among the most revered bowlers of the IPL. He also captained the team to Champions League T20 title in 2011.
Malinga has put his toe-crushing yorkers, superb accuracy and variations to full use in the IPL. He also bowls at an economical rate of less than seven though he has missed a few matches due to his injuries. Leg spinner Amit Mishra, the second highest wicket taker in the IPL who will play for Delhi Daredevils, has only 124 wickets.
