3 Australians who struggled in their first IPL season

The IPL has witnessed some of the greatest T20 players across the globe over the years. The likes of David Warner, Shane Watson, Glenn Maxwell, and Adam Gilchrist have been some of the most impactful players in the tournament. Five-time winners Mumbai Indians signed all-rounder Cameron Green for a record-breaking ₹17.5 crores at the IPL auction.

However, Green has not had a great start to the season. He scored 17 runs in two innings as a number 3 batter and conceded 50 runs in five overs, picking up just one wicket. While the sample space is too low to judge any player on, his overall T20 record isn't very promising yet either.

On that note, we talk about 3 Australians who struggled in their first season in the Indian Premier League.

#1 David Warner

David Warner is arguably one of the greatest players in IPL history. The southpaw has scored over 6000 runs, becoming the only overseas player to reach the milestone. He has done it consistently and at a very high strike rate. Warner also led SRH to the title in 2016, defeating RCB in the final.

However, Warner did not have a great debut season for the Delhi Capitals in 2009. He only scored 163 runs in seven innings at an average of 23.29 and a strike rate of 123.48, with only one half-century in the tournament.

Warner showed glimpses of his attacking batting in a couple of matches - most notably his cameos against KKR. He scored 36 off 23 balls in both innings and displayed his range against pacers.

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#2 Daniel Christian

Daniel Christian is one of the most experienced players on the global T20 circuit. He has played franchise cricket across the world and has a decent individual career record. However, he has won several trophies and tasted a lot of success with different teams.

As a finisher, he never really had much glory in the IPL. While he contributed with the ball in his first season for the Deccan Chargers, his batting was pretty mediocre. He scored 190 runs in 13 innings at an average of 17.27 and a strike rate of 119.50.

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#3 Shaun Tait

Right-arm fast bowler Shaun Tait holds the record for bowling one of the fastest deliveries in cricket history. He had an injury-ridden career, which meant he did not play as many international and IPL matches as some of his other countrymen.

Tait played for the Rajasthan Royals in 2010, taking 10 wickets in eight matches. However, his economy rate was pretty high - 8.47. He was extremely volatile - he would either destroy the opponent or go for 40 runs or more in his four-over spells. While he did not have a bad season, he clearly struggled to bowl to the best of his abilities.