When the concept of Indian Premier League came into existence, it was the first time in Indian cricket that overseas players were going to represent the city-based franchises. Although the name suggested the league was meant for the Indian players but overseas players were supposed to play a big role. Let’s take a look at the most popular overseas players of IPL 2019.
With 4 players allowed in the XI, the overseas players became the essence of every team. And it’s fair to say that the “Indian” Premier League is incomplete without the foreign players. Some of those have gone on to attain massive popularity in India. They get a wild reception from the Indian contingent and at times, much more than their own countrymen.
As the IPL enters its 12th edition, some big overseas names will attract the attention once again. Let’s take a look at the biggest foreign stars of the league who will grab the eyeballs.
Here are the most popular overseas players of IPL 2019
#5 David Warner
The Australian opener is set to make an emotional comeback in the IPL. He had missed out last year due to the year-long suspension for his involvement in ball-tampering. In 2018, Kane Williamson had led the Sunrisers Hyderabad and filled into Warner’s shoes. But Warner is the real torch-bearer of the team.
He has been the best batsman of the team since the franchise came into existence. The left-hander has, at times, carried the side alone on his shoulders. In 2016, SRH had won the IPL for the first time under Warner’s captaincy. Even though he doesn’t lead the Australian national team, yet he has shown his tremendous leadership quality in the IPL.
Warner is extremely popular in Hyderabad. The crowd in the city has given him plenty of love and will be relieved to have him back in the Orange Army. What makes him a crowd-favorite is his superb record. From 114 innings, Warner has accumulated 4014 runs at an average of 40.55 which puts him amongst the best in the competition. He has won the Orange Cap twice and is only one of the two players to do so along with Chris Gayle.