IPL 9: These 30-Plus Bowlers Are Proving That They're Definitely Not Ageing

The slam-bang version of Twenty20 cricket is considered a youngsters' game. New kids on the block emerge with every Indian Premier League season, some fade away while some have it in them to survive at the top. But there are some veterans who manage to hold on to their places, even though they don't instill the same fear in the batsmen they used to in their heydays, who have 'been there, done that', albeit sometimes changing their teams. Some are still calling the shots while some are being taken to the cleaners.

Here's how some of the veteran bowlers are faring in the Indian Premier League.

Zaheer Khan (Delhi Daredevils)

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At the age of 37, arguably the best left-arm quick to play for India, Zaheer Khan is the captain of the Delhi Daredevils that is coached by the great Rahul Dravid. Zaheer retired from international cricket recently, having taken 311 wickets in 92 Tests and 282 scalps in 200 ODIs. The instability in the Daredevils squad and their performances can be gauged from the fact that Zaheer is their third captain in the last three years.

Zaheer, who was troubled by injuries throughout his career, appeared in just 15 games in the last three seasons of the IPL. But when fit, Zaheer can make the ball talk at will and can still give any youngster a run for his money. In the five matches he has played so far in this edition, Zaheer has taken only three wickets but against Kings XI Punjab at the Kotla, the left-armer bowled with superb control conceding only 14 runs in his 4 overs, while taking a wicket. In Wednesday's match against Gujarat Lions, Zaheer was expensive leaking 48 runs in his 4 overs.

Ashish Nehra (Sunrisers Hyderabad)

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If ever a story about longevity about a fast bowler will be written, Ashish Nehra will surprisingly but definitely find a place in that. For a bowler who has battled injuries throughout his career, Nehra keeps surprising one and all by resurfacing again and again after successfully battling a breakdown one after the other. At the age of 37, Nehra has been the Indian bowling spearhead of late and has played for Chennai Super Kings, Delhi Daredevils, Mumbai Indians, Pune Warriors in the IPL.

In the ninth edition of the tournament, Nehra adds an edge to the Sunrisers Hyderabad bowling arsenal. Nehra's IPL 9 campaign was hit by a minor groin strain he sustained in the first match against Royal Challengers Bangalore. Nehra bowled 2.1 overs in that match conceding 21 runs without taking a wicket. Returning from injury, Nehra took one wicket against Rising Pune Supergiants in the three overs that he bowled.

Harbhajan Singh (Mumbai Indians)

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A Mumbai Indians regular, 35-year-old Harbhajan Singh has been warming the bench when it comes to making the Indian playing XI. The fiery off-spinner has been around since 1998 and is well past his prime. Harbhajan played his last T20I last month against minnows United Arab Emirates in an inconsequential Asia Cup match. Harbhajan has been very impressive with the Mumbai Indians and took 16 wickets in 14 matches in the last season leading the franchise to their second IPL title. But Harbhajan is yet to hit the straps this season and in the eight matches so far, the feisty offspinner has taken four wickets and his off-colour performance has hurt the defending champions who would be hoping that he would be back among wickets again before it's too late.

Irfan Pathan (Rising Pune Supergiants)

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After being around for so long, Irfan Pathan is still only 31 years old. Pathan is no longer the bowler he used to be and his decline has been talked about a lot. The left-arm pacer last played for India in the 2012 World Twenty20. Having struggled more than his bit with form and injuries, Pathan has been a sought-after name at the IPL that can gauged from his stints at Kings XI Punjab, Daredevils and Sunrisers Hyderabad. In the Chennai Super Kings squad last year, Pathan could not play a single game due to injury. Having acquired by MS Dhoni-led debutants Rising Pune Supergiants for his base price of one crore rupees, Pathan has played only one game till now against Kings XI Punjab leaking 7 runs in the one over that he bowled.

Amit Mishra (Delhi Daredevils)

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Known for his Test credentials, 33-year-old Amit Mishra has held on to his place in the Indian squad for the longer format. The legspinner's 4/11 in 3 overs was instrumental in Delhi Daredevils notching up a comfortable eight-wicket win over Kings XI Punjab at the Kotla on April 15. After Delhi won the toss and opted to field, Mishra, coming in to bowl in the seventh over, struck with his first delivery to remove Shaun Marsh and went on to dismiss David Miller, Glenn Maxwell and Manan Vohra. Punjab were 37/1 in 6 overs when Zaheer Khan handed over the ball to Mishra and at the end of his three-over spell, the visitors were 59/5 in 11 overs. Marsh danced down the track, only to miss the line before being stumped by Quinton de Kock. Miller was trapped in front of the wickets, Maxwell holed out to Carlos Brathwaite at long-off and Vohra was clean bowled while fending off a sharp googly.

Mitchell Johnson (Kings XI Punjab)

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It was not long ago that the very sight of Mitchell Johnson sent shivers down the spine of English batsmen. The left-arm tearaway pacer was instrumental in Australia whitewashing their traditional rivals 5-0 in the 2013-14 Ashes series Down Under, in which he destroyed England's batting. After decimating South Africa in the following Test series, Johnson played a key role in Australia's successful World Cup campaign before calling it a day. But in this IPL, Johnson has looked rusty. The 34-year-old was smashed for 63 runs in just the seven overs that he bowled in the couple of games he played for Kings XI. Against Mumbai Indians at Mohali, Johnson accounted for 43 runs in the four overs that he bowled.

Brad Hogg (Kolkata Knight Riders)

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Brad Hogg made his Test debut against India way back in 1996 and could never cement his place in the Australian side despite some good performances here and there. Having spent much time in the shadow of the legendary Shane Warne, Hogg had called it quits in 2008 after just seven Tests and 123 ODIs. Playing for Kolkata Knight Riders in this edition, Hogg was the pick of bowlers with figures of 3/19 as Delhi Daredevils succumbed to 98 to suffer a nine-wicket defeat in their IPL opener. The Australian chinaman bowler, with his tongue-out action, teased Pawan Negi and Sanju Samson with flight before dismissing both and went on to deceive Amit Mishra with a googly. Samson was not even born when Hogg made his first class debut in early 1994, while Negi was just a toddler. But surprisingly, the Knight Riders have not persisted with the Aussie.