IPL has become the most popular cricket tournament in the domestic arena thanks to the BCCI’s unique idea of having an eight-city franchise-based event. The IPL is the only competition where the active Indian cricketers play in the same team as the foreign cricketers.
The domestic stars get an opportunity to play with the big names of the international world. All teams prefer to have a few uncapped players in their squad, but it is not always guaranteed that the player present in the squad will feature in the playing XI of even one game. There is a possibility that the unused players return to the auction, join the other franchise, and make a name for themselves by playing well for them.
Because of this reason, there have been a few players who won the IPL title before playing their first game in the competition.
1.Manvinder Bisla
Manvinder Bisla is best remembered for his match-winning knock against the Chennai Super Kings in IPL 2012. The right-handed batsman hit a half-century that powered the Kolkata Knight Riders to their first IPL title win.
Two years later, Bisla won the trophy again with the Shahrukh Khan-owned franchise. However, it is a lesser-known fact that Bisla was a part of the Deccan Chargers team in IPL 2009 that seized the trophy. Bisla did not play a game in that season but earned his maiden IPL cap for KXIP in 2010.
2.Sanju Samson
Sanju Samson has been an integral part of the Rajasthan Royals team over the last few years. When RR got a temporary suspension from the IPL, Samson played for Delhi and achieved much success with the bat. However, he could not win the IPL trophy with DD or RR.
His only IPL triumph had taken place in the year 2012. Samson was a part of the Kolkata Knight Riders squad in that season, but he made his IPL debut for RR in 2013.
3.Axar Patel
Axar Patel was a part of the Indian World Cup squad in 2015. Although he did not play a single World Cup game, Patel had become a big name in Indian cricket by then.
The reason behind his rise was the emphatic season that he had with KXIP in 2014. However, Patel had actually won the IPL title with MI in 2013 before getting released. Axar played his first IPL game against CSK in 2014.
4.Mohammed Shami
Regarded as one of the best fast bowlers in the Indian cricket team right now, Mohammed Shami had played his first IPL match in 2013. Shami returned with figures of 0/26 in that match against RR.
However, it is worth noting that Shami had won the IPL with the Kolkata Knight Riders in 2012. The next year, KKR gave him his debut match.
5.Krishnappa Gowtham
Current Kings XI Punjab all-rounder Krishnappa Gowtham had a breakthrough IPL season in 2018. He emerged as a match-winner for the Rajasthan Royals.
Gowtham had made his IPL debut in the match between RR and SRH. The all-rounder had won the IPL in 2017 with the Mumbai Indians team.
