On May 2, as legendary West Indian cricketer Brian Lara turns 56, one question still lingers among fans of the game: why did one of cricket's greatest batsmen never feature in the Indian Premier League (IPL)? When the IPL was launched in 2008, Lara had already stepped away from international cricket a year earlier, retiring in 2007 after a glittering career that saw him become the only player to score 400* in a Test innings.

Despite his reputation and fan following in India and around the world, Lara was notably absent from the inaugural edition of the league.  Brian Lara West Indian legend Brian Lara turns 56, Photo: ICC Anushka Sharma Birthday Special: Why She Once Changed Virat Kohli’s Name And What Shah Rukh Khan Had to Do With It – Details Inside"Anushka Sharma Birthday Special:

Why She Once Changed Virat Kohli’s Name And What Shah Rukh Khan Had to Do With It – Details Inside" Lara did not enter the first IPL auction in 2008, but he made a surprise move three years later. In 2011, at the age of 41, he threw his hat in the ring for the IPL auction with a base price of $400,000.  However, none of the franchises showed interest in acquiring his services. Several factors contributed to this outcome. For one, Lara had been out of competitive cricket for several years.

His only recent outings came in Zimbabwe's domestic T20 circuit, which offered limited evidence of form or fitness. Moreover, the T20 format had evolved rapidly, and franchises were looking for players who could offer high-impact performances in short bursts - something they weren't sure Lara could still deliver at that stage of his career. Another potential factor was his earlier association with the Indian Cricket League (ICL), an unsanctioned private league that had fallen out with the BCCI.

While there was no formal bar on former ICL players by 2011, the association may have cast a shadow over his IPL prospects.  Rohit Sharma Turns 38: Indian Batting Stars still Good for a Few More Summers"Rohit Sharma Turns 38: Indian Batting Stars still Good for a Few More Summers" Reacting to the snub, Lara said he wasn't disappointed but felt that the franchises had missed the "broader picture."

"I understand that franchisees have their reservations. But I think they may have missed the broader picture, because apart from my abilities, I bring along a lot of experience and knowledge of the game'', he said in an interview. While Lara never played an IPL match, he remained connected to the league. He later served as part of the coaching staff of Sunrisers Hyderabad, contributing his cricketing wisdom from the dugout.

Rohit Sharma Celebrates Birthday With Wife Ritika At Mumbai Indians Team Hotel In Jaipur: WATCH Viral Video"Rohit Sharma Celebrates Birthday With Wife Ritika At Mumbai Indians Team Hotel In Jaipur: WATCH Viral Video" Though fans never got to see Brian Lara wield his willow in the IPL, his legacy as one of the finest batsmen in cricket history remains untouched - and his absence from the league continues to be one of the game's intriguing what-ifs.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan (INP)