Every year, some great stories are written in the IPL. One such story is about cricketers who came in as replacements and became famous. Let’s take a look at some of these players who started as replacements but went on to become superstars.
Umran Malik – From Replacement to Fastest Bowler
Umran Malik is one of the fastest bowlers in IPL history. You might be surprised to know that he joined Sunrisers Hyderabad as a replacement. In 2022, he was brought in to replace of T Natarajan. On his debut, he bowled at a speed of 150 kmph and took 22 wickets that season.
Rajat Patidar – From Replacement to RCB Captain
Rajat Patidar is now leading Royal Challengers Bangalore, but he started his journey as a replacement. In IPL 2022, he replaced Lavneet Sisodia. That season, he impressed everyone by scoring 333 runs.
Sandeep Sharma – Rajasthan’s Reliable Bowler
In IPL 2023, the Rajasthan Royals brought in Sandeep Sharma as a replacement for injured Prasidh Krishna. Sandeep became a dependable bowler for the team. He took 10 wickets in 2023 and 13 wickets in 2024.
Jack Fraser-McGurk – Explosive Find for Delhi
Jack Fraser-McGurk grabbed attention with his aggressive batting in IPL 2024. He joined Delhi Capitals as a replacement for fast bowler Lungi Ngidi. McGurk played powerful innings as an opener, scoring 330 runs with a strike rate of 234.04. His highest score was 84.
Phil Salt – KKR’s Power-Hitter
Phil Salt was one of the standout batters in the last IPL season. He joined Kolkata Knight Riders as a replacement for Jason Roy. Salt scored 435 runs at a strike rate of 182. His highest score was an unbeaten 89. Currently he is associated with Royal Challengers Bangalore
Shardul Thakur – Unsold to Match-Winner
Shardul Thakur went unsold in the IPL mega auction. But later, Lucknow Super Giants picked him as a replacement for injured Mohsin Khan. Shardul made the most of this chance, taking 7 wickets in 4 matches. His best performance was 4 wickets for 34 runs.