It's becoming customary now to name IPL XIs at the end of each season. I did this last season so I'm going to try and do it again. Remarkably though, choosing an IPL XI seems harder this season than it seemed last year. There were roller coasters in store and surprises everywhere. 2012 table toppers took the wooden spoon and the defending champions didn't even make the playoffs. There are two more games to go in this year's IPL - the Qualifier II and the Final - but I've decided to go in with my XI now anyway. Readers must take note that to condense 9 teams down to 11 players is hard work. And I've also made an exception to the four-foreigners-only rule in order to do justice to those who put their best foot forward irrespective of nationality. So here goes -
1. Christopher Gayle
(Mat: 16, Runs: 708, HS: 175*, SR: 156.29, 100s: 1, 50s: 4)
A no-brainer, for the second time in a row. Only a very adamant hater of Chris Gayle (how can you hate this man?!) can keep this Jamaican bully out of his T20 XI anywhere in the world. For the record though, I'm becoming a greater admirer of Chris Gayle with every passing day! Leave alone his Stick Cricket style 175* that made the Pune Warriors look like a bunch of toddlers trying to have fun in the park; what makes Gayle special to me is the amount of calm he brings to the crease in the adrenaline junkie's world of T20. Being an opening partner to Chris Gayle must be quite some experience, I'm sure!
2. Michael Hussey
(Mat: 16, Runs: 732, HS: 95, SR: 129.78, 50s: 6)
I'd mentioned last season that choosing Chris Gayle's opening partner was a hard one. Mr. Cricket just made that job a whole lot easier for me this time round. Who said old men can't play T20? This recently retired Aussie is 38 years old for all those who thought he's only 25. He's not the bully that Chris Gayle is, nor the grafter that is Rahul Dravid. What makes Mike Hussey special is his ability to adapt and invent to all forms of cricket, anywhere, anytime. After a long drawn battle with Chris Gayle for the orange cap, this Australian legend finally snatched it and for that, I put him in as his opening partner. Meanwhile, some young Australian men are on their flight to England, looking for a man who can win them back the Ashes.
3. Rahul Dravid (c)
(Mat: 17, Runs: 428, HS: 65, SR: 110.30, 50s: 4)
Many were surprised when I included Rahul Dravid as my captain last year. Be prepared to be shell-shocked because I've retained him for the second time in a row. When Twenty20 was invented back in England, the last person they had in mind as a possible exponent of this game was Rahul Dravid. For four years, he struggled in the IPL, facing flak and being written off. But then he bounced back to show the world why he's such a legend. Dravid's captaincy of the Rajasthan Royals has been inspirational to say the least. Inheriting from Shane Warne perhaps the most underwhelming squad in the IPL, Dravid has reinvented his old tentative leadership tendencies to become a more free-wheeling, self-believing captain, taking his side into the playoffs quite comfortably. What Dravid has done particularly well this season is to divide responsibilities equally on all, thereby allowing the big Shane Watson to play more freely. His uninhibited faith in young kids like Sanju Samson, Stuart Binny and James Faulkner has been quite a revelation. He's now officially in charge of my XI!
4. AB de Villiers
(Mat: 14, Runs: 360, HS: 64, SR: 164.38, 50s: 2)
He's been retained for the second time in a row, once again a no-brainer. If there's one man who can do it all on a cricket field, it's AB de Villiers. Want to bat out two days and save a Test match? Call AB de Villiers. Want to tonk Dale Steyn around the park in the dying hours of a T20 match? Call AB de Villiers. Want a safe pair of hands and an athletic live wire at backward point? Call AB de Villiers. Injured your wicketkeeper and want someone to take on the big gloves? Call AB de Villiers. I had a good mind to make AB de Villiers my wicketkeeper for the second season on the trot but then decided that there's another wicketkeeper who deserves that role more. But it's a privilege to have a finisher of the class of ABD in your side and now I can call 17 for all kinds of emergency!
5. MS Dhoni (wk)
(Mat: 17, Runs: 398, HS: 67*, SR: 167.22, 50s: 3, Ct: 13, St: 2)
Here comes the world's finest wicketkeeping genius! Two World Cup wins, five IPL finals, two trophies (the third one will be played out for on Sunday), a Champions League cup - this man has got to be the most prolific captain that India has ever had. In fact, some may say it's criminal for me not to make him my captain! But for Rahul Dravid's brilliance with a little known team, MSD would have made it to the tag. The jury's out on which one of the two is the better captain of IPL-6. All said and done, MSD and ABD are a formidable pair of finishers to have in any side in the world, in any form of the game.
6. David Miller
(Mat: 12, Runs: 418, HS: 101*, SR: 164.56, 100s: 1, 50s: 3)
Surprise, surprise! I had quite some dilemma in my mind taking a call on this one. It was Dinesh Karthik vs David Miller, although not for the same role. If DK were in my side, he'd probably bat higher up the order, pushing ABD and MSD to 5 and 6. Karthik got off to an absolute flyer this season, piling on runs and agony on the opposition. His feats were particularly remarkable given that he managed to rescue the Mumbai Indians each time the legends at the top had let them down. But then Ponting benched himself and almost eerily, the fuse blew out for Dinesh Karthik. Miller, on the other hand, gave the Punjab team some great moments in the season and even poked fun at cricketing logic by snatching away a lost game from the RCB and becoming one of the reasons Chris Gayle couldn't go into the playoffs. For those odd moments of magic, Miller takes the pinch hitter's position.
7. Dwayne Bravo
(Mat: 17, Runs: 106, HS: 23*, SR: 117.77, Wkts: 28, BB: 3/9, Ave: 16.25, Econ: 7.77)
Coming to No. 7, I needed an all-rounder who was equally adept at batting and bowling. Dwayne Bravo wasn't the most natural choice with Thisara Perera competing with him. However, after much thought, I decided that Bravo had the better season, particularly with the ball. Picking up 28 wickets at a remarkable average, Bravo, along with Chris Morris and Mohit Sharma, was one of the reasons Chennai were able to inflict the opposition with some fair amount of shock on the field. His economy rate has been pretty decent as well, considering that he has bowled a fair bit at the death. Add to that Bravo's electric fielding and innovative dancing skills and you have a more than handy all-rounder in your side.
8. James Faulkner
(Mat: 15, Wkts: 27, BB: 5/16, Ave: 14.48, Econ: 6.60, 5w: 2)
When Chris Gayle was tearing apart the Pune Warriors bowling in that miracle of an innings in Bangalore, there was one man who walked off the field with his head held high and his reputation intact - Bhuvneshwar Kumar. Bhuvi was fantastic all through the season for the faltering Warriors but he just ever so narrowly missed out to one of the many gold mines that Rahul Dravid unearthed at the Rajasthan Royals. I remember first watching James Faulkner play as a young rookie for Tasmania in the Aussie domestic circuit. He was zippy off the surface although the ball was almost always off the radar - much like Ashok Dinda now for Pune and India. But something happened to the same old James Faulkner when he joined the Rajasthan Royals. The ball was back in the working zone of the radar and wickets were falling everywhere. Taking five-wicket hauls in a T20 match is hard work with only 4 overs allotted per bowler. But James Faulkner made use of those 24 balls for Rahul Dravid like no one else ever had. Besides, Dravid also said that Faulkner can bat!
9. Amit Mishra
(Mat: 17, Wkts: 21, BB: 4/19, Ave: 18.76, Econ: 6.35, 4w: 1)
One of the unfortunate stories of Indian cricket has been that of Amit Mishra. For most part of his childhood days, it seemed like Amit Mishra would grow to be the replacement that India needed for Anil Kumble. And so it was that when Kumble retired, Mishra was promptly brought into the Indian team in his place. Strangely however, young Amit Mishra disappointed and, with the rise of Ravichandran Ashwin, was dumped from the Indian team altogether. That hasn't stopped Mishra from using his tools at the IPL. With the first man to take all of three hattricks in the league, Mishra has made big news and was one of the engines of the Sunrisers Hyderabad bowling this season. Now that he's back in the Indian team, he's also debuting on my XI.
10. Sunil Narine
(Mat: 16, Wkts: 22, BB: 4/13, Ave: 15.90, Econ: 5.46, 4w: 2)
The mohawk was the only thing that was saving face for the Kolkata Knight Riders this season with the defending champions quickly falling into oblivion. Perhaps the only reason he doesn't have the purple cap on his head is because most batsmen were too wary of giving away their wicket to the wily Trinidadian. For the record, Sunil Narine has never given away more than 5.50 runs per over in an IPL season yet, and this is Twenty20 cricket that we're talking about - a place where spinners were thought to be sitting ducks. With Amit Mishra at one end and Sunil Narine at the other, I wish batsmen the very best at posting anything more than a humiliating total. Mohawk's second season in my XI on the trot.
11. Dale Steyn
(Mat: 17, Wkts: 19, BB: 3/11, Ave: 20.21, Econ: 5.66)
I started with the Gayle storm and will now end with the Dale storm. Sunrisers Hyderabad are extremely happy with their run this season and they can't be more grateful to anyone than they are to Dale Steyn. Running in like a bullet and delivering cannon balls at opposing batsmen, Steyn Gun has held his side in good stead wherever they've gone and whomever they've played. In fact, having Dale Steyn in their side pampered the Sunrisers' batsmen so much that they didn't need to score more than 140 on most occasions!
12th Man: Virat Kohli
(Mat: 16, Runs: 634, HS: 99, SR: 138.73, 50s: 6)
I didn't have a twelfth man in my XI last season but I thought it imperative this time around because Virat Kohli would be a terribly notable miss to the team. It was difficult to make room for him in the starting eleven, it being a bit too batting heavy to start with anyway. Putting in Virat Kohli as the 12th man doesn't mean he's the Glenn Maxwell of the team. Kohli's role here would be more than to carry drinks to the players on the field. Undoubtedly, he's one of Indian cricket's young sensations and has had a fruitful season, perhaps overshadowed by Chris Gayle's pyrotechnics at the opposite end. So maybe I should have drafted him in place of David Miller up there? Well, I'll leave that call to Rahul Dravid. After all, why should I have such a legendary captain if I make all the decisions myself?
1. Christopher Gayle
 |
| Hail the Pirate: Chris Gayle after his 33-ball 100 |
(Mat: 16, Runs: 708, HS: 175*, SR: 156.29, 100s: 1, 50s: 4)
A no-brainer, for the second time in a row. Only a very adamant hater of Chris Gayle (how can you hate this man?!) can keep this Jamaican bully out of his T20 XI anywhere in the world. For the record though, I'm becoming a greater admirer of Chris Gayle with every passing day! Leave alone his Stick Cricket style 175* that made the Pune Warriors look like a bunch of toddlers trying to have fun in the park; what makes Gayle special to me is the amount of calm he brings to the crease in the adrenaline junkie's world of T20. Being an opening partner to Chris Gayle must be quite some experience, I'm sure!
2. Michael Hussey
(Mat: 16, Runs: 732, HS: 95, SR: 129.78, 50s: 6)
I'd mentioned last season that choosing Chris Gayle's opening partner was a hard one. Mr. Cricket just made that job a whole lot easier for me this time round. Who said old men can't play T20? This recently retired Aussie is 38 years old for all those who thought he's only 25. He's not the bully that Chris Gayle is, nor the grafter that is Rahul Dravid. What makes Mike Hussey special is his ability to adapt and invent to all forms of cricket, anywhere, anytime. After a long drawn battle with Chris Gayle for the orange cap, this Australian legend finally snatched it and for that, I put him in as his opening partner. Meanwhile, some young Australian men are on their flight to England, looking for a man who can win them back the Ashes.
3. Rahul Dravid (c)
(Mat: 17, Runs: 428, HS: 65, SR: 110.30, 50s: 4)
Many were surprised when I included Rahul Dravid as my captain last year. Be prepared to be shell-shocked because I've retained him for the second time in a row. When Twenty20 was invented back in England, the last person they had in mind as a possible exponent of this game was Rahul Dravid. For four years, he struggled in the IPL, facing flak and being written off. But then he bounced back to show the world why he's such a legend. Dravid's captaincy of the Rajasthan Royals has been inspirational to say the least. Inheriting from Shane Warne perhaps the most underwhelming squad in the IPL, Dravid has reinvented his old tentative leadership tendencies to become a more free-wheeling, self-believing captain, taking his side into the playoffs quite comfortably. What Dravid has done particularly well this season is to divide responsibilities equally on all, thereby allowing the big Shane Watson to play more freely. His uninhibited faith in young kids like Sanju Samson, Stuart Binny and James Faulkner has been quite a revelation. He's now officially in charge of my XI!
 |
| Devil's Food: de Villiers feeding on some bowling |
(Mat: 14, Runs: 360, HS: 64, SR: 164.38, 50s: 2)
He's been retained for the second time in a row, once again a no-brainer. If there's one man who can do it all on a cricket field, it's AB de Villiers. Want to bat out two days and save a Test match? Call AB de Villiers. Want to tonk Dale Steyn around the park in the dying hours of a T20 match? Call AB de Villiers. Want a safe pair of hands and an athletic live wire at backward point? Call AB de Villiers. Injured your wicketkeeper and want someone to take on the big gloves? Call AB de Villiers. I had a good mind to make AB de Villiers my wicketkeeper for the second season on the trot but then decided that there's another wicketkeeper who deserves that role more. But it's a privilege to have a finisher of the class of ABD in your side and now I can call 17 for all kinds of emergency!
5. MS Dhoni (wk)
(Mat: 17, Runs: 398, HS: 67*, SR: 167.22, 50s: 3, Ct: 13, St: 2)
Here comes the world's finest wicketkeeping genius! Two World Cup wins, five IPL finals, two trophies (the third one will be played out for on Sunday), a Champions League cup - this man has got to be the most prolific captain that India has ever had. In fact, some may say it's criminal for me not to make him my captain! But for Rahul Dravid's brilliance with a little known team, MSD would have made it to the tag. The jury's out on which one of the two is the better captain of IPL-6. All said and done, MSD and ABD are a formidable pair of finishers to have in any side in the world, in any form of the game.
6. David Miller
(Mat: 12, Runs: 418, HS: 101*, SR: 164.56, 100s: 1, 50s: 3)
Surprise, surprise! I had quite some dilemma in my mind taking a call on this one. It was Dinesh Karthik vs David Miller, although not for the same role. If DK were in my side, he'd probably bat higher up the order, pushing ABD and MSD to 5 and 6. Karthik got off to an absolute flyer this season, piling on runs and agony on the opposition. His feats were particularly remarkable given that he managed to rescue the Mumbai Indians each time the legends at the top had let them down. But then Ponting benched himself and almost eerily, the fuse blew out for Dinesh Karthik. Miller, on the other hand, gave the Punjab team some great moments in the season and even poked fun at cricketing logic by snatching away a lost game from the RCB and becoming one of the reasons Chris Gayle couldn't go into the playoffs. For those odd moments of magic, Miller takes the pinch hitter's position.
7. Dwayne Bravo
(Mat: 17, Runs: 106, HS: 23*, SR: 117.77, Wkts: 28, BB: 3/9, Ave: 16.25, Econ: 7.77)
Coming to No. 7, I needed an all-rounder who was equally adept at batting and bowling. Dwayne Bravo wasn't the most natural choice with Thisara Perera competing with him. However, after much thought, I decided that Bravo had the better season, particularly with the ball. Picking up 28 wickets at a remarkable average, Bravo, along with Chris Morris and Mohit Sharma, was one of the reasons Chennai were able to inflict the opposition with some fair amount of shock on the field. His economy rate has been pretty decent as well, considering that he has bowled a fair bit at the death. Add to that Bravo's electric fielding and innovative dancing skills and you have a more than handy all-rounder in your side.
8. James Faulkner
(Mat: 15, Wkts: 27, BB: 5/16, Ave: 14.48, Econ: 6.60, 5w: 2)
When Chris Gayle was tearing apart the Pune Warriors bowling in that miracle of an innings in Bangalore, there was one man who walked off the field with his head held high and his reputation intact - Bhuvneshwar Kumar. Bhuvi was fantastic all through the season for the faltering Warriors but he just ever so narrowly missed out to one of the many gold mines that Rahul Dravid unearthed at the Rajasthan Royals. I remember first watching James Faulkner play as a young rookie for Tasmania in the Aussie domestic circuit. He was zippy off the surface although the ball was almost always off the radar - much like Ashok Dinda now for Pune and India. But something happened to the same old James Faulkner when he joined the Rajasthan Royals. The ball was back in the working zone of the radar and wickets were falling everywhere. Taking five-wicket hauls in a T20 match is hard work with only 4 overs allotted per bowler. But James Faulkner made use of those 24 balls for Rahul Dravid like no one else ever had. Besides, Dravid also said that Faulkner can bat!
 |
| Game Turner: Amit Mishra |
(Mat: 17, Wkts: 21, BB: 4/19, Ave: 18.76, Econ: 6.35, 4w: 1)
One of the unfortunate stories of Indian cricket has been that of Amit Mishra. For most part of his childhood days, it seemed like Amit Mishra would grow to be the replacement that India needed for Anil Kumble. And so it was that when Kumble retired, Mishra was promptly brought into the Indian team in his place. Strangely however, young Amit Mishra disappointed and, with the rise of Ravichandran Ashwin, was dumped from the Indian team altogether. That hasn't stopped Mishra from using his tools at the IPL. With the first man to take all of three hattricks in the league, Mishra has made big news and was one of the engines of the Sunrisers Hyderabad bowling this season. Now that he's back in the Indian team, he's also debuting on my XI.
10. Sunil Narine
(Mat: 16, Wkts: 22, BB: 4/13, Ave: 15.90, Econ: 5.46, 4w: 2)
The mohawk was the only thing that was saving face for the Kolkata Knight Riders this season with the defending champions quickly falling into oblivion. Perhaps the only reason he doesn't have the purple cap on his head is because most batsmen were too wary of giving away their wicket to the wily Trinidadian. For the record, Sunil Narine has never given away more than 5.50 runs per over in an IPL season yet, and this is Twenty20 cricket that we're talking about - a place where spinners were thought to be sitting ducks. With Amit Mishra at one end and Sunil Narine at the other, I wish batsmen the very best at posting anything more than a humiliating total. Mohawk's second season in my XI on the trot.
11. Dale Steyn
(Mat: 17, Wkts: 19, BB: 3/11, Ave: 20.21, Econ: 5.66)
I started with the Gayle storm and will now end with the Dale storm. Sunrisers Hyderabad are extremely happy with their run this season and they can't be more grateful to anyone than they are to Dale Steyn. Running in like a bullet and delivering cannon balls at opposing batsmen, Steyn Gun has held his side in good stead wherever they've gone and whomever they've played. In fact, having Dale Steyn in their side pampered the Sunrisers' batsmen so much that they didn't need to score more than 140 on most occasions!
12th Man: Virat Kohli
(Mat: 16, Runs: 634, HS: 99, SR: 138.73, 50s: 6)
I didn't have a twelfth man in my XI last season but I thought it imperative this time around because Virat Kohli would be a terribly notable miss to the team. It was difficult to make room for him in the starting eleven, it being a bit too batting heavy to start with anyway. Putting in Virat Kohli as the 12th man doesn't mean he's the Glenn Maxwell of the team. Kohli's role here would be more than to carry drinks to the players on the field. Undoubtedly, he's one of Indian cricket's young sensations and has had a fruitful season, perhaps overshadowed by Chris Gayle's pyrotechnics at the opposite end. So maybe I should have drafted him in place of David Miller up there? Well, I'll leave that call to Rahul Dravid. After all, why should I have such a legendary captain if I make all the decisions myself?
send the list to Vijay Mallya, if any of the teams can manage to get even half the guys on this list, they could jolly well waltz into the tournament and take the next 3 IPL trophies...
ReplyDeleteI'll soon post an India XI consisting of only domestic talent soon after the finals. That's on demand. Keep watching!
Delete