Ranking top 10 Unluckiest Indian Cricketers in IPL History

The Indian Premier League (IPL) has indeed worked as a dream platform for many talented cricket players. However, these desires went unfulfilled for many cricketers who did not get enough chances to shine in the marquee event.

Here are the 10 Indian cricketers on the list who were unlucky in the IPL:

10. Mohammad Kaif

Mohammad Kaif did not have much luck in the Indian Premier League (IPL). He played for three IPL teams: Rajasthan Royals, Royal Challengers Bangalore, and Kings XI Punjab, but he never won the IPL trophy as a player. He was the highest-paid cricketer for Rajasthan Royals in the inaugural edition of the IPL in 2008, but he had a very poor run throughout the tournament. He scored only 176 runs at an average of 16 and failed to score a single fifty. He was overshadowed by other batters and fielders, who performed better or had more impact in the IPL. He had to compete with the likes of Yuvraj Singh, Suresh Raina, Rohit Sharma, and AB de Villiers, who were more consistent and explosive in the IPL.

 9. Praveen Kumar

Praveen Kumar was a successful bowler for India, but he did not have much luck in the Indian Premier League (IPL). He played for three IPL teams: Royal Challengers Bangalore, Kings XI Punjab, and Gujarat Lions, but he never won the IPL trophy as a player. He faced constant changes in the captaincy and the team management, which disrupted his role and confidence.

8. Pragyan Ojha

Pragyan Ojha was a successful bowler in domestic cricket and for India, but he did not have much luck in the Indian Premier League (IPL). He played for three IPL teams: the Deccan Chargers, Mumbai Indians, and Delhi Daredevils, but he never won the IPL trophy as a player. The star cricketer missed out on the chance to lift the trophy with the Mumbai Indians in 2013 and 2015, as he did not play a single match in either of those seasons due to injuries.

7. Manoj Tiwary

India's star cricketer Manoj Tiwary is also known as one of the unluckiest players in IPL history due to his inconsistent performances as well as injuries that kept him out for a longer period of time. Notably, the star cricketer has played for KKR, Rising Super Giants, Delhi Daredevils, and Kings XI Punjab; however, his incoherency and injuries during the game make him the unluckiest one. Speaking about the stats, the great batter has played 98 matches and amassed 1695 runs, scoring seven fifties with a top score of 75 runs.

6. Zaheer Khan

Former India cricketer Zaheer Khan was one of the most successful left-arm fast bowlers in Indian cricket history, but he has not been very fortunate in the Indian Premier League (IPL). He has played for three IPL teams, namely Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB), Mumbai Indians (MI), and Delhi Daredevils (DD), but he has never won the IPL trophy as a player. He had to compete with the likes of Lasith Malinga, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Jasprit Bumrah, and Mitchell Starc, who were more consistent and lethal in the IPL.

5. Sourav Ganguly

Former India skipper Sourav Ganguly was known as one of the most successful captains and batters in Indian cricket history, but he has not been very fortunate in the Indian Premier League (IPL). The star cricketer has played for two teams, the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and Pune Warriors India (PWI), but he has never won the IPL trophy.

4. Rahul Dravid 

Team India's head coach, Rahul Dravid, is one of the greatest batters of all time, and he has played for various IPL teams, such as Royal Challengers Bangalore, Rajasthan Royals, and Delhi Daredevils. The former India skipper has scored 2174 runs in 89 IPL matches, with the highest score of 75. He was part of the RCB team that lost the IPL final in 2009 by six runs to the Deccan Chargers, despite scoring a crucial 48 off 27 balls. He also captained RCB in 2008 and 2010, but could not take them to the playoffs. He also captained RR in 2012 and 2013, but could not win the trophy for them.

3. Naman Ojha 

Former India cricketer Naman Ojha was one of the best wicketkeeper batters who has played for various IPL teams, such as the Rajasthan Royals, Sunrisers Hyderabad, and Delhi Daredevils. He has scored 1554 runs in 113 IPL matches, with the highest score of 94. However, he has been unlucky in the IPL. Notably, he was overshadowed by other wicketkeeper batsmen who performed better or had more impact in the IPL. He had to compete with the likes of KL Rahul, Sanju Samson, Rishabh Pant, and Ishan Kishan, who were more consistent and explosive in the IPL.

2. Irfan Pathan 

Former India cricketer Irfan Pathan was a talented all-rounder who could swing the ball and score quick runs. The star cricketer played for various IPL teams, such as Kings XI Punjab, Delhi Daredevils, Sunrisers Hyderabad, Chennai Super Kings, and Gujarat Lions. However, Pathan was unlucky in the IPL for several reasons: He suffered from injuries and loss of form, which affected his bowling and batting performances. He had missed the entire 2010–11 domestic season due to a back injury and was sidelined for eight months after the 2010 IPL. Moreover, he was either made to bat lower down the order or bowl at the wrong stages of the match.

1. Virat Kohli

India's star cricketer, Virat Kohli, is widely regarded as one of the best batters in the world, and has led India to many victories across all formats. However, the 35-year-old cricketer has not been as lucky in the Indian Premier League (IPL), where he is able to lead the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) franchise. Despite being the highest run scorer in IPL history, Virat Kohli has not been able to win the coveted trophy for his team. However, the star cricketer has stepped down from the captaincy in 2022, but the side is still seeking their first win since 2008.