Who are the biggest stars to return to the Indian Premier League in 2024?

The Indian Premier League, the world's biggest T20 cricket tournament, returned on March 22nd, with the Royal Challengers Bengaluru losing by six wickets to the Chennai Super Kings.

The return of the Indian Premier League has also seen the return of some of cricket's biggest stars, who missed the tournament in 2023.

Indian wicketkeeper Rishabh Plant returned to the IPL in 2024 after 14 months away due to suffering severe injuries from a car accident in December 2022, according to BBC Sport.

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After three ligament reconstructions, multiple skin grafts, and surgeries, Pant scored 18 runs off 13 balls for the Delhi Capitals in his return. However, the Capitals lost to the Punjab Kings by four wickets.

As reported by ESPN Cricinfo, Australian captain Pat Cummins missed the 2023 IPL season due to international duties, leading Australia to the World Test Championship title, retaining the Ashes in England, and winning the ODI World Cup in India.

Cummins began his captaincy with the Sunrisers Hyderabad in a less successful fashion, losing by four runs to Kolkata Knight Riders. The IPL website reported that Cummins got one wicket in four overs and scored one run.

Cummins' Australian compatriot and bowling partner, Mitchell Starc, has also returned to the IPL this season, having missed the past eight seasons to focus on international cricket, according to the Deccan Herald.

Starc was part of the team that beat Cummins' Sunrisers in the opening IPL match. The premiere Australian bowler produced no wickets on his highly anticipated return ,but scored six runs to help the Knight Riders win by four runs.

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England wicketkeeper Jonny Bairstow was unavailable for the Punjab Kings in the 2023 IPL, having suffered a fractured leg in September 2022. He returns to the IPL after securing his 100^th Test appearance for England against India earlier this year.

Bairstow had a poor start to life back in the IPL, scoring nine runs before being out after three balls for the Kings. According to ESPN, his side did secure the victory, but he will be hoping to recreate his 2022 form in which he averaged 23 runs.

According to Sportskeeda, New Zealand cricketer Kane Williamson's 2023 IPL only lasted an hour after leaping at the boundary to attempt a catch and tearing his anterior cruciate ligament.

Williamson didn't feature in the Gujarat Titans' opening-day victory against the Mumbai Indians this season. Still, New Zealand's all-time Test-scoring leader will play a big part in the future.

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