5 oldest players to watch in IPL 2026

The Indian Premier League (IPL) has been a perennial stage for young talent, but several veterans continue to leave a mark in the league despite being on the wrong side of 30 or even in their 40s. In IPL 2026, several veterans remain key contributors to their franchises, providing invaluable experience on and off the field.

Here are five oldest players to watch in IPL 2026:

MS Dhoni (44 Years)

MS Dhoni led India to three ICC titles and has been a legendary figure in Chennai Super Kings. The right-handed batter has captained the franchise to ten finals in 14 IPL seasons, winning five titles in 2010, 2011, 2018, 2021, and 2023. He has led CSK to the playoffs in 12 editions, making them the most consistent team in IPL history.

Dhoni was bought by CSK in the inaugural 2008 auction and, except for a few games in 2022, has captained the franchise ever since. His most memorable season came in 2018, scoring 455 runs at an average of 75.83 and a strike rate of 150.66, guiding CSK to the title after their comeback season. Dhoni became the first player to play 250 IPL matches in 2023, four years after retiring from international cricket.

Rohit Sharma (38 Years)

Rohit Sharma has won six IPL titles, one with Deccan Chargers and five as captain of Mumbai Indians, making him the joint-most successful IPL captain. Joining Mumbai in 2011 and taking over as captain in 2013, he led them to their maiden IPL title in his first season.

Rohit remains MI’s top-scorer, with over 6,000 IPL runs, including two centuries in 2012 and 2024. His standout season was 2013, as he amassed 538 runs in MI’s title-winning campaign. Rohit was also Player of the Final in 2015 when MI beat CSK to win their second IPL title. MI went on to lift the IPL trophy in 2017, 2019, and 2020 under his leadership.

Virat Kohli (37 Years)

Virat Kohli has been a rare one-team player, representing Royal Challengers Bengaluru since 2008. IPL’s highest run-scorer, Kohli, has scored over 8,000 runs, with eight centuries and a record 973 runs in a single season in 2016. He also won the Orange Cap twice, in 2016 and 2024.

Kohli captained RCB from 2013 to 2021, leading them to the final in 2016, before finally winning the title in 2025 under Rajat Patidar’s leadership. He holds the record for the most prolific partnerships, including 3123 runs with AB de Villiers and 2787 runs with Chris Gayle.

Sunil Narine (37 Years)

Sunil Narine has been a mainstay for Kolkata Knight Riders since 2012. He played a key role in KKR’s titles in 2012 and 2014, taking 24 and 21 wickets respectively. Narine is the highest wicket-taking overseas spinner in IPL history and one of the first mystery spinners to dominate the league.

He has been used as an opener and a pinch-hitter, holding the record for a 105-run powerplay partnership with Chris Lynn. In IPL 2024, Narine became the first player to score 500 runs and take 15 wickets in a season.

Ravindra Jadeja (37 Years)

Ravindra Jadeja has won the IPL four times, once with Rajasthan Royals and thrice with CSK. He was named Player of the Match in CSK’s dramatic 2023 win, hitting a four off the last ball to take the team to its fifth title in the league’s history.

Jadeja is CSK’s second-highest wicket-taker behind Dwayne Bravo and holds the IPL record for scoring the most runs in an over, 36 off RCB’s Harshal Patel in 2021. Ahead of IPL 2026, CSK traded Jadeja and Sam Curran to RR for Sanju Samson, marking a new chapter in his IPL journey.