Now that the IPL-8 has ended, here is the best XI chosen considering the stats and positions in which they play at.
1. DAVID WARNER, one of the most destructive openers of the game. The Australian left-handed opener, also the Sunrisers Hyderabad skipper stood as a sole warrior for his team, leading from the front.
The dashing left-hander managed to amuse us with his spectacular fielding and sensible batting despite failing to make his team reach the knockouts.
Every time when SRH reaches 50 runs, you might make a strong guess that Warner scored 40 out of them. In fact, the second highest run-getter in SRH who is Shikhar Dhawan lags around 200 runs behind Warner. No wonder the ‘orange army’ leader was awarded the IPL8 ‘orange cap’ for his 562 runs in 14 innings with a brilliant strike rate of 156.54, averaging 43.23.
2. AJINKYA RAHANE, the modern day Rahul Dravid never failed to impress us with his classic, stylish and ‘Sachin’ish cover drives. The Rajasthan Royals opener was a key man for the team all throughout the competition with 540 runs in only 13 innings with a fantabulous average of 49.09, just 22 runs behind the orange cap holder. Rahane has done full justice for the RR management’s faith in retaining him.
When every batsman goes for swashbuckling, thunderous shots in T20 format, here is the man who gives us a feast keeping in touch with his pleasant shots and consistency.
3. ROHIT SHARMA (captain), the Mr.IPL except for the first season has joined the elite club of MS Dhoni and Gautam Gambhir by winning the IPL trophy twice. He has lead the Mumbai Indians team to win the last 9 out of 10 games with his marvellous captaincy despite the collapse in early games. Not only captaincy, but he also did a decent contribution to the team total as a batsman with 482 runs coming from 16 innings.
This 28-year-old Indian opener and the Mumbai ‘Indian’ skipper now has won 2 IPL trophies in the last 3 seasons which he lead.
4. AB DE VILLIERS, the most versatile batsman of the current age. In other terms, Mr.360 degree has made this sport look too easy with his timing and impeccable shots. When de Villiers bats, the skippers got no other go than to just watch him play. Only a superman effort catch or throw can remove him off the field. Despite a ladder full of brilliant batsmen in the Royal challengers Bangalore team, this man steals the show many a time.
He has scored 513 runs in 14 innings averaging 46.63 with a ferocious strike rate of 175.08. Apart from the batting contributions, de Villiers has taken some mindblowing catches which helped RCB turn the game towards their side.
5. YUSUF PATHAN, the Knight riders’ big man has brought his team so close to victory in many matches, this season. Pathan often tagged as the Indian Gayle, can make us go wonders with his effortless sixes and has the capability to turn matches around at any point of time.
Despite blessed with big hitting skills, he also does some useful part-time bowling which helps to control the run rate. He has scored 312 runs and got 2 wickets in 13 innings.
6. DWAYNE BRAVO, the Chennai Super King has never missed to entertain us. Either with the bat or the ball or stupendous catches or with his dance, he keeps us engaged to the game. This time, in IPL 8 season, he has come up with some tactful bowling and has earned the purple cap.
Bravo had put CSK in a commendable position with his all-round efforts grabbing 26 wickets and contributing 195 runs with the bat.
7. MS DHONI (wicket-keeper), the super king of the Super Kings has lead CSK 6 times to the finals in the 8 seasons of IPL. He is not here in the IPL XI team for that record, but for his tremendous wicketkeeping skills and a decent contribution with the bat. A batsman can never relax when he got Dhoni behind the stumps. Such is his lightening speed wicketkeeping.
He has made 372 runs in 17 innings. Being a finisher, he has also made many close finishes and some misses, this season. The post league matches are where MSD’s tactics didn’t work out for sticking up to the same XI every time. Otherwise, the man has lead CSK very beautifully in this season too.
8. HARBHAJAN SINGH, the Mumbai Indians’ off-spinner has been splendid with the ball throughout the season grabbing 18 wickets in 15 innings with a decent economy of 7.84. That helped him to knock team India door in the Test format again.
Alongside the controlled bowling, Harbhajan is capable of making wonderful cameos with the bat too. His quick 64 runs with the bat versus KXIP is something why you call ‘OLD IS GOLD’.
9. YUZVENDRA CHAHAL, the RCB right-handed legbreak bowler from Haryana has been a terrific find of last year. He carried on the momentum in this year too. He has picked 23 wickets in 14 innings. Though he has a high economy rate of 8.86, his contribution appeared the key to RCB as he grabs most of the top order and important wickets.
Chahal who was earlier warming the bench in MI team, has made it big in the recent two seasons for RCB.
10. ASHISH NEHRA, the 36-year-old gem of a fast bowler for most of his career was prone to injury. In this season, he has shown to everyone what he can do, once if he is fit. Nehra was one among the two Indian bowlers who made it to top five in IPL-8. The bowler was earlier trolled as a run-machine, but has now emerged as a very economical bowler with an economy rate of just 7.24.
Also, Nehra has the best bowling figures of this season, 4-1-10-4.
If the proverb ‘OLD IS GOLD’ can be re-written as ‘OLD IS DIAMOND’, it suits Nehra so well.
11. LASITH MALINGA, the Srilankan pacer has stood as a pillar of Mumbai Indians team ever since the day he was signed. He was splendid like usual in this season too with 24 wickets from 15 innings and an economy rate of 7.40. He is the most devasting bowler, the T20 history has ever seen.
Thus obvious why MI management retains him every year.
12th man: ANDRE RUSSELL
You know it is tough for your team to steal the victory when the knight rider Andre Russell walks in. Be it bowling or batting, he excels it with top notch. A man, no one dared to remove from their IPL fantasy team. This MOST VALUABLE PLAYER of IPL-8, jointly holds the record of the fastest 50 in this season with a very massive strike rate of 192.89.
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