The oldest player in IPL is a strange question to ask given that the Indian Premier League is one of the most professional cricket tournaments in the world and therefore, sights of veteran players way past their prime playing here are not common. In fact, only a countable few cricketers, still well on top of their game, have appeared in the Indian Premier League past the age of 40. Even Indian greats Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid played in only one IPL season in their 40s.
Fitness is a primary requirement for any player that turns up to play an Indian Premier League match. The league is getting faster, more exciting, and adrenaline-filled and as a result, youngsters have started taking over from senior stalwarts. In fact, in the entire history of IPL, only one player has featured at the grand old age of 45.
But who is this player and who is leading the list of the oldest player in IPL history? Let’s find out below:
Oldest player in IPL: Top 5 list
| No. | Player | Age at last IPL match | Teams | Matches played | Stats |
| 1 | Brad Hogg | 45 years and 92 days | Rajasthan Royals, Kolkata Knight Riders | 21 | 23 wickets |
| 2 | Pravin Tambe | 44 years and 219 days | Rajasthan Royals, Gujarat Lions, Sunrisers Hyderabad Kolkata Knight Riders | 33 | 28 wickets |
| 3 | Muttiah Muralitharan | 42 years and 35 days | Chennai Super Kings, Kochi Tuskers Kerala, Royal Challengers Bangalore | 66 | 63 wickets |
| 4 | Imran Tahir | 42 years and 29 days | Delhi Daredevils, Chennai Super Kings | 59 | 82 wickets |
| 5 | Chris Gayle | 42 years and 7 days | Kolkata Knight Riders, Royal Challengers Bangalore, Punjab Kings | 142 | 4965 runs and 18 wickets |
Brad Hogg | 45 years and 92 days
Although Australian spinner Brad Hogg had announced his retirement at the end of the 2007/08 season, he returned to cricket in 2011/12 and stayed for quite a while. Brad Hogg played his last IPL game against Gujarat Lions in May 2016. He scalped a wicket and conceded 19 runs while bowling his two overs for Kolkata Knight Riders.
Hogg was 45 years and 92 days in that match against Gujarat Lions and therefore, tops the list of who is the oldest player in IPL. To this date, nobody else has played past the age of 45 besides the Australian spin bowler.
He also continued to feature in the Big Bash League, playing for Melbourne Renegades for another two years following his IPL retirement. Hogg finally called time on his career one last time during the 2017/18 season, two weeks before his 47th birthday.
Pravin Tambe | 44 years and 219 days
We’re all familiar with the tales of young prodigies like Sachin Tendulkar and Ricky Ponting realizing their insane potential and cementing their place in the rich history of the sport. However, Pravin Tambe’s story is like no other. It is so unique that a film called ‘Kaun Prabin Tambe’ was recently released based on his life and career.
Pravin Tambe was picked from anonymity and he became the oldest ever IPL debutant at the age of 41 without playing a professional List A or first-class match. He received an IPL contract from Rajasthan Royals when he was spotted by scouts during an invitational T20 tournament. In fact, he was the coach of the B team at the invitational tournament held at the DY Patil Stadium and had to step in for the injured Rahul Sharma.
Between 2013 and 2016, he played 33 IPL matches for Rajasthan Royals and Gujarat Lions. His last appearance was against Royal Challengers Bangalore. Tambe was 44 years and 219 days old during that game played at the Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru.
Although he was bought by Kolkata Knight Riders during the IPL 2020 auction, he was not allowed to take part after playing in a T10 league without getting proper permission and was, thus, found guilty of breaching BCCI’s policies.
Muttiah Muralitharan | 42 years and 35 days
One of the greatest bowlers that international cricket has ever seen, Muttiah Muralitharan had a long and extended IPL career where he represented three different teams across seven seasons. Muralitharan was an integral part of Chennai Super Kings for the first few seasons. He joined new IPL entrants Kochi Tuskers Kerala for the 2011 season before spending his last three years in the Indian Premier League with Royal Challengers Bangalore.
Muralitharan played only five matches during the 2014 season of the IPL. His last professional match was also in the IPL against Kolkata Knight Riders at the iconic Eden Gardens stadium. He had conceded 19 runs in his two overs and RCB fell short of the target posted by KKR team by 30 runs. The legendary off-spinner was 42 years and 35 days old at the time of his final appearance in the IPL.
Imran Tahir | 42 years and 29 days
At the age of 43, veteran South African spinner Imran Tahir was the oldest player at the IPL 2022 auction. However, he went unsold. Tahir was part of the Chennai Super Kings setup that recorded a sensational IPL 2021 title win. He was also involved in the final of IPL 2019 against Mumbai Indians where Chennai Super Kings fell short in the final over.
The leg spinner featured in 59 IPL matches across his career. He made his IPL debut with Delhi Daredevils in 2014 against Sunrisers Hyderabad at the Arun Jaitley Stadium. He has represented several franchises, but his years with Chennai Super Kings are the most distinguishable. Imran Tahir has also played in other T20 leagues like Pakistan Super League, Bangladesh Premier League, Caribbean Premier League, and the Big Bash League.
Chris Gayle | 42 years and 7 days
Chris Gayle is credited for being one of the players who made the Indian Premier League what it is today. It was his brazen display of monstrous power-hitting with the bat that showed the world the enthralling nature of the cash-rich league and just how entertaining it can be.
Chris Gayle’s jaw-defying knock of 175* against Pune Warriors India in IPL 2011 continues to be the highest individual score in T20 cricket. Gayle made his debut for Kolkata Knight Riders in the inaugural edition of the IPL before finding his feet with Royal Challengers Bangalore and taking the league by storm.
He joined Punjab Kings in 2018 and his last league match was against Mumbai Indians in IPL 2021. Gayle was 42 years and seven days old when he played that game. The West Indies legend decided to retire from the Indian Premier League following that season and didn’t register for the IPL 2022 mega auction.
Chris Gayle has had an extremely illustrious IPL career. He is one of the most prolific run-scorers in the league’s history with 4965 runs at an average of 39.72. The opening batsman also holds the record for the most centuries in the Indian Premier League, having reached the three-figure-mark on six occasions. He has also slammed 357 sixes – the most for a batsman in IPL history.
Special Mention: Shane Warne | 41 years and 249 days
The late, great Shane Warne had a phenomenal time in the Indian Premier League with Rajasthan Royals. He was the only overseas player to lead a side in the inaugural season of the IPL because of his amazing captaincy skills. Not only that, Warne led a Rajasthan Royals side, comprising of low-profile players compared to the other teams, all the way to the title win, thus becoming the first IPL champions in history.
The legendary leg-spinner took over the side in IPL 2008 at the age of 38 and led for four seasons. He finally called time on his IPL career in 2011. He was 41 years and 249 days old while appearing in his last match against Mumbai Indians and MI captain Rohit Sharma ended up being his last IPL wicket. Shane Warne is also one of two prominent superstars, along with fellow Australia wicketkeeper Adam Gilchrist to play in the IPL in their 40s.
Even following his retirement from the Indian Premier League, the legendary bowler continued to play cricket and featured in two seasons of the Big Bash League along with Melbourne Stars before finally hanging up his boots in January 2013.
FAQs
Who is the oldest player in IPL 2022?
Chennai Super Kings’ Mahendra Singh Dhoni is the oldest player in IPL 2022 at the age of 40. He sensationally handed his captaincy duties to Ravindra Jadeja prior to the beginning of the season before taking over again following a difficult start to life for CSK this season.
Who is the oldest player to debut in the Indian Premier League?
Former Rajasthan Royals player Pravin Tambe made his IPL debut at the age of 41 and is the oldest ever IPL debutant. During the time when he was picked for IPL, he had never played professional cricket.
Who is the oldest player in cricket?
England’s James Anderson who continues to be a regular in the Test team, at the age of 39 years and 279 days, is the oldest player in cricket at the moment.
Who is the youngest cricketer in IPL 2022?
Gujarat Titans’ Noor Ahmad, who is yet to play a match this season, was the youngest player in IPL 2022 mega auction at the age of 17 years and 93 days. He was also present in the 2022 U19 World Cup and waiting to make his IPL debut.
