Who is the Oldest Player in IPL Season?

Oldest Player in IPL Season: As a matter of fact, it is not often the Indian Premier League franchises entertain the inclusion of a veteran player, either an Indian or an overseas player. In recent times, it has become quite rare for players in the league to have played after turning 40, but there were still a few to be found.

It is unusual to ask about the oldest player in the Indian Premier League (IPL) because the IPL is a highly professional cricket tournament and it is rare to see players who are past their prime participating in it. In fact, only a small number of cricketers who are still in top form have played in the IPL after the age of 40.

In the 40s, even the biggest names like Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid were only able to play in one season of the IPL. so see Who is the Oldest Player in IPL Season.

There is a big role that old players and seniors have to play in any team, particularly in teams that are playing in the IPL, where they can help in times of pressure with their experience. In the past, there have been franchises that have leaned heavily on the talents of older players. An example of such a franchise would be the Chennai Super Kings franchise.

THE OLDEST CRICKETERS IN THE HISTORY OF THE IPL

Oldest Players to Play in IPL History

Rank	Player	Age	Date	Match
1️⃣	Brad Hogg	45 years, 92 days	May 8, 2016	KKR vs GL
2️⃣	Pravin Tambe	44 years, 219 days	May 14, 2016	GL vs DD
3️⃣	MS Dhoni	43 years, 259 days	March 23, 2025	CSK vs MI
4️⃣	Muttiah Muralidaran	42 years, 35 days	May 22, 2014	RCB vs CSK
5️⃣	Imran Tahir	42 years, 29 days	April 25, 2021	CSK vs RCB

1. Brad Hogg – 45 years 92 days

Australian spinner Brad Hogg is the oldest player ever to play in the Indian Premier League (IPL). After initially retiring at the end of the 2007/08 domestic season, Hogg made a remarkable comeback in 2011/12. He first returned to cricket by representing the Perth Scorchers in the inaugural edition of the Big Bash League (BBL).

In 2012, at the age of 41, Hogg was offered a contract with the Rajasthan Royals in the IPL due to his impressive performances in the BBL. He later joined the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and played for them in the 2013, 2015, and 2016 seasons.

Hogg played a total of 21 IPL matches, taking 23 wickets, including a notable 4-wicket haul. His last IPL match was on May 8, 2016, against the Gujarat Lions, where he recorded figures of 2-0-19-1. At that time, Hogg was 45 years and 92 days old, making him the oldest player in IPL history.

After his IPL stint, Hogg continued to play in the BBL for two more seasons with the Melbourne Renegades. He finally retired from professional cricket in the 2017/18 season, just two weeks before his 47th birthday.

2. Pravin Tambe – 44 years 219 days

Pravin Tambe is the only Indian among the top five oldest players in the history of the Indian Premier League and has a realistic chance of becoming the top player in the next season. 

When the Kolkata Knight Riders bought the 48-year-old Tambe at his base price during the auction held for the 2020 Indian Premier League, the player had crossed the 48-year-old mark in age. He will become the oldest player in the IPL if he gets into playing XI in at least one game; he will be 48 years old.

In view of the fact that the limited-overs tournaments in the 2019/20 domestic season have now concluded, Tambe is likely not to play any matches in the 2019/20 domestic season ahead of the IPL 2020.

In fact, Tambe is nothing new to this field, as he came into the IPL in 2013 at the age of 41, without having played in a first-class match or list A match of Twenty20. 

In the time period between 2013 and 2016, the leg-spinner played 33 matches in the Indian Premier League (IPL), including the last one for the Gujarat Lions against the Royal Challengers Bangalore. At the time of the game played in Bangalore, Tambe was 44 years and 219 days old.

3. MS Dhoni 43 years, 259 days (March 23, 2025)

Former Indian captain MS Dhoni kicked off the IPL 2025 season after Chennai Super Kings (CSK) retained him under the ‘uncapped player’ category. Since he played his last international match for India in mid-2019—over five years ago—he no longer holds an active international status.

Despite endless retirement speculations from fans and cricket experts, Dhoni remains deeply connected to the Indian T20 carnival, continuing to entertain his devoted supporters. With 265 IPL matches under his belt across 18 seasons, including the ongoing one, he etched his name in history once again. On March 23, 2025, against his longtime rivals Mumbai Indians, he became the third-oldest cricketer to take the field in IPL history at 43 years and 259 days.

4. Muttiah Muralidharan – 42 years 35 days

Muttiah Muralitharan had a long and illustrious career in the Indian Premier League (IPL), playing for three different teams over seven seasons.

In the first three seasons, Muralitharan played for the Chennai Super Kings (CSK). In 2011, he joined the newly formed Kochi Tuskers Kerala. For the last three seasons of his IPL career, he was part of the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB).

Despite not taking a five-wicket or four-wicket haul in his 66 IPL games, Muralitharan managed to take 63 wickets. His impressive economy rate of 6.67 stands out as a highlight of his performance. In the 2014 IPL season, he played only five matches.

His final IPL game was against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) at Eden Gardens, where RCB fell short by 30 runs. Muralitharan conceded 19 runs in two overs in that match, marking a tough end to his IPL career.

At the time of his last IPL appearance, Muralitharan was 42 years and 35 days old. This match also marked the end of his professional cricket career.

5. Imran Tahir 42 years, 29 days (April 25, 2021)

 South Africa’s veteran spinner Imran Tahir last appeared in the IPL on April 25, 2021, at Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium. At 42 years and 29 days old, he delivered a match-winning spell for CSK against RCB, conceding just 16 runs while taking two crucial wickets. Despite his impressive performance, the franchise overlooked him for the rest of the season and released him ahead of the next edition.

Now nearing 46, the crafty leg-spinner continues to defy age, recently representing Joburg Super Kings in the SA20 2025 season.