IPL has become the number one T20 league in the world thanks to the intense competition level and high monetary rewards in the tournament. Many cricket boards do not conduct international games when IPL is happening because their players want to be available for the entire season.
The growth of IPL has been such that the franchises need to think out of box regularly. Sometimes, they ignore the capped international stars and bid on the uncapped overseas players to surprise their opponents. At IPL Auction 2021, the Mumbai Indians raised many eyebrows when they signed uncapped South Africa star Marco Jansen.
While Jansen has not made his T20I debut yet, several overseas players like him made it to the IPL and then they also received their first IPL cap before they represented their country in T20I cricket.
Openers – Shaun Marsh and Aaron Finch
Aaron Finch’s name might surprise many cricket fans because the swashbuckling Australian opener is one of the top T20 batsmen in the world right now. However, the truth is the current Australian T20I captain played for the Rajasthan Royals in 2010 before he received his first T20I cap in January 2011.
Shaun Marsh was the first player in IPL history to win the Orange Cap title. Although some big names like Virender Sehwag, Suresh Raina, Kumar Sangakkara, and others played in the first IPL season, it was the uncapped Aussie Shaun Marsh who took the Orange Cap home. Marsh played his first T20I game soon after IPL 2008.
Middle Order – Faf du Plessis (C), George Bailey, and Matthew Wade (WK)
South Africa star Faf du Plessis will captain this strong XI of foreign players. The Chennai Super Kings roped in Faf for the 2012 season before he made his T20I debut for South Africa. He played his first IPL match versus Mumbai Indians on April 4, 2012 and made his T20I debut five months later.
George Bailey made his IPL debut three years before he played for the Australian T20I side. Bailey played for CSK in 2009, and in February 2012, he made T20I debut versus India.
Another Aussie to feature on this list is the wicket-keeper batsman Matthew Wade. The left-handed wicket-keeper batsman played his only IPL season in 2011 for the Delhi Capitals. He played three matches for Delhi and all of them came before his T20I debut against South Africa in October 2011.
All-rounders – Glenn Maxwell, Thisara Perera, and Jason Holder
Glenn Maxwell is considered one of the best hitters in T20 cricket. A few fans might be amazed after knowing that the Delhi Capitals gave him a chance to play before the Australian T20I team. Maxwell played his first IPL game for Delhi against the Kolkata Knight Riders on April 5, 2012 which was five months before T20I debut on September 5, 2012.
Jason Holder is the leading pace-bowling all-rounder of this playing XI. The Caribbean Test captain earned a spot in the Chennai Super Kings playing XI for the first time against the Rajasthan Royals on April 22, 2013. The West Indies cricket team handed him his maiden T20I cap on January 15, 2014. Thus, CSK trusted Holder’s T20 skills before West Indies.
Bowlers – Dirk Nannes, Rusty Theron, and Ryan Harris
Dirk Nannes earned his maiden IPL contract from the Delhi Capitals for the 2009 season. He made his IPL debut versus the Punjab Kings in the pace-friendly conditions of South Africa. A few months later, Nannes represented the Netherlands in the ICC T20 World Cup, thereby making his T20I debut.
American fast bowler Rusty Theron was born in South Africa. The right-arm pacer made a name for himself with his excellent bowling performances in the slog overs of the opposition innings. Theron has quit South Africa team and is now a part of USA. However, long time ago, the Punjab Kings gave him his maiden IPL cap against the Chennai Super Kings at Chepauk in IPL 2010. A few months after that game, Theron played his first T20 international game for the Proteas.
The last name on this team is of the former Deccan Chargers star Ryan Harris. The right-arm fast bowler won the IPL championship with the Deccan Chargers even before he made his T20I debut. Harris played his first T20I game versus the West Indies in 2010.
