In 2008, the Indian Premier League’s inaugural season began. The marquee tournament has been around for 15 years and has brought together some of the biggest names in the cricketing world. Fans will once again witness a fierce battle between the ten star-studded franchises when IPL 2023 is played next year. However, some of the players who have repeatedly demonstrated their worth on the T20 circuit will not be participating in the 16th edition of the T20 extravaganza.

Here are five players who will miss IPL 2023:

Sam Billings

In the T20 league, Sam Billings has demonstrated his ability to perform. The 31-year-old has featured in 242 games in the most brief organization and totaled 4654 runs at a strike pace of 130.40. He has also demonstrated his ability to bat on the international stage, scoring 478 runs in 37 T20Is at a strike rate of 129.89.

To strengthen their batting lineup for the 2022 season, the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) selected Billings for INR 2 CR. The wicketkeeper batter, on the other hand, was unable to ignite the stage with his performances. In eight games, he only managed to score 169 runs at a strike rate of 122.46.

In order to concentrate on the game’s longer format, Billings has made the decision to withdraw from the upcoming IPL season. Through his Twitter handle, the England batter announced the news.

Have taken the tough decision that I won’t be taking part in the next IPL @KKRiders

Looking to focus on longer format cricket at the start of the English summer with @kentcricket pic.twitter.com/7yeqcf9yi8

— Sam Billings (@sambillings) November 14, 2022

Hence, the Kolkata franchise did not retain Billings for the next season of the T20 extravaganza.

Alex Hales

Alex Hales is a fierce cricket ball striker who can launch an attack on the opposition from ball one. The 33-year-old has demonstrated his strength numerous times in international Twenty20 leagues. In the shortest format, he has played in 374 games and scored 10534 runs at a strike rate of 147.49.

At the mega auction in 2022, Kolkata Knight Riders selected Hales to strengthen their batting lineup. However, the flamboyant batter withdrew from the tournament due to bubble fatigue prior to the 15th edition’s start.

The Middlesex native performed admirably at the T20 World Cup 2022, scoring 212 runs in six matches at a fantastic strike rate of 147.22. Following his endeavors in the T20 spectacle in Australia, fans were eager to see him at the forthcoming IPL.

However, this will not be the case because Hales has chosen not to participate in the subsequent season of the lucrative league due to workload issues.In contrast, KKR have released the England batsman ahead of the upcoming IPL auction.

Pat Cummins

In the game’s longest format, Pat Cummins is one of the best seamers. The 29-year-old has taken 199 wickets for Australia and appeared in 43 Test matches. He has done a decent job for his national team, despite not having the same success in the shorter format. At an economy of 7.37, the master seamer has picked off 55 opponents in 50 matches.

For the 2022 season, Kolkata Knight Riders selected Cummins for a hefty INR 7.25 CR and decided to reinvest in him. The all-round bowler lost runs at an economy of 10.69 in five games while taking seven wickets. The Sydney native led his team to victory in match 14 against Mumbai Indians with a blistering batting performance of 56 runs in 15 deliveries.

Due to the balance he brings to the team through his versatility on the field, Cummins has been an integral part of the KKR setup. The seasoned all-rounder, however, has decided not to participate in the upcoming edition of the lucrative Twenty20 tournament. He cited a full international schedule, including the Ashes series and the 2023 ODI World Cup, as the reason for his absence.

I’ve made the difficult decision to miss next years IPL. The international schedule is packed with Tests and ODI’s for the next 12 months, so will take some rest ahead of an Ashes series and World Cup. pic.twitter.com/Iu0dF73zOW

— Pat Cummins (@patcummins30) November 14, 2022

Therefore, Kolkata decided to part ways with Cummins and released him ahead of the 2023 IPL auction.

Mitchell Starc

At the moment, Mitchell Starc is one of the best left-arm seamers in international cricket. The 32-year-old has been a strike force for Australia in all formats and has made a name for himself by tearing down elite batting lineups with his fiery pace. When it comes to Twenty20 Internationals, he has taken 73 wickets in 58 matches at an economy of 7.63.

In the IPL, Starc has demonstrated his ability to bowl, taking 34 wickets in 27 matches at an economy of 7.17. The veteran pacer has not participated in the marquee tournament since his 2015 appearance for Royal Challengers Bangalore in the cash-rich league.

The left-arm pacer provided his name for the player auction in 2018, during which Kolkata Knight Riders paid an astonishing INR 9.4 CR to acquire him. Starc, on the other hand, was ruled out of the competition prior to the season due to an injury to his right leg. 

The Australian seamer is unlikely to play in the upcoming edition of the Indian Premier League, so his IPL return has been further delayed. There were rumors that the ace seamer would participate in the player auction in 2023.

Kieron Pollard 

In the T20 league, Kieron Pollard has been a formidable competitor. In the shortest format, the 35-year-old has played in 614 games and scored 11915 runs at a stunning strike rate of 150.25. 

Additionally, he has been a wily customer with the ball, netting 309 scalps at an economy of 8.22. The T20 legend has established himself as an authority figure even in the Indian Premier League. With his power hitting prowess, he has decimated top-tier bowling teams. The veteran all-rounder has scored 3412 runs at a strike rate of 147.32 in the 189 IPL matches he has played.

He has also helped Mumbai Indians make important breakthroughs and picked 69 wickets at an economy of 8.79. The Mumbai Indians’ success in the cash-rich league is largely attributable to the Trinidadian-born player.

However, due to Pollard’s announcement of his retirement from the league, fans will not be able to witness his batting prowess at the IPL stage in the future. On November 15, just a few hours before the IPL 2023 retention deadline was about to expire, the West Indies all-rounder made this announcement. He will now serve as the Mumbai Indians’ batting coach in the lucrative T20 tournament.

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“It hasn’t been the easiest decision to make as I will keep playing for a few more years, but I understand that this incredible franchise which has achieved so much needs to transition and if I’m no longer to play for MI then I cannot see myself playing against MI either, Once an MI always an MI.”

An excerpt from Pollard’s statement read