A pre-2000 XI that would have been a champion IPL team

The Indian Premier League is currently the biggest cricket league in the world and rivals international cricket, as far as importance is concerned. The world's best players battle each other in riveting contests over six weeks and provide compelling viewing for anyone who is even remotely interested in the game. It came into existence in 2008 but it is perfectly normal to wonder how some of the stars of the past would have fared in the tournament had it existed in their heydays.

The cut-off is for players chosen in the list is that they all retired prior to 2000. Also, when selecting the eleven, the IPL rules have been kept in mind and only 4 foreigners have been included. So, here is a look at such an eleven which would have given the best IPL teams a run for their money and would certainly have ended up winning the competition had they played in the tournament.

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#1 Opener 1- Kris Srikkanth (India)

T20 teams need opening batsmen who can take on the opposition from the first delivery and in that regard one need not look further than former opening batsman Kris Srikkanth. He was an audacious batsman, who had the ability to take on the most potent bowling attacks in the world and hit them for boundaries.

Srikkanth could play strokes all around the wicket and in addition to that, he was a savage cutter and hooker, which made the short ball a scoring opportunity for him. Needless to say, his batting style meant that he often did not score big but a career strike rate of 71.74 in ODI cricket in the 1980s is proof that he would have thrived in the IPL.

#2 Opener 2/All-rounder- Ravi Shastri (India)

To complement Srikkanth's savagery, the team would need a smart player who knows exactly what to do in different match situations and in that regard, Ravi Shastri would be the perfect second opener. He is often portrayed as a dour player but on the contrary, he had a good technique and could hit out when necessary. He would have been a superb T20 opening batsman.

On the other hand, Shastri was an excellent fielder and his steady left-arm off-spin would add another dimension to the bowling attack as well. It needs to be remembered that more often than not, teams with excellent bowling attacks dominate T20 cricket.

#3 One down- Vivian Richards (Foreigner- West Indies)

There has hardly ever been a more dominant batsman in international cricket than the former West Indies great Sir Vivian Richards. Throughout the course of his stellar career, he absolutely destroyed some of the best bowling attacks in the world in both Test cricket and ODIs. One of the most important attributes of a T20 batting star is his ability to hit fast bowlers for sixes and in that regard, Richards used to be peerless.

On the other hand, he had not much trouble against the spinners either and he would definitely have been one of the biggest stars in the IPL had he been an active cricketer. A strike rate of 90.20 in ODI cricket, at a time when such strike rates were unheard of is a testament to the sort of mayhem Richards would have unleashed. Batting at number 3, he would also get plenty of overs to tear into the bowling attacks.

#4 Two down/all-rounder- Garfield Sobers (Foreigner- West Indies)

According to many, he was the greatest cricketer to have ever played the game and had the ability to win games both with the bat and the ball. Sir Garry Sobers was the epitome of attacking batsmanship and like many other West Indian greats, he scored quickly. In T20 cricket, he would have been a global star and would have been the biggest story of the auction had he played in a later era.

As a bowler, he was an excellent left arm medium pace bowler who could swing the ball and also extract seam movement. In addition to that, he was a dangerous spin bowler as well and which captain wouldn't want a bowler who can take advantage of the playing conditions by switching roles as required? At number 4, Sobers would make many IPL attacks look a bit ordinary.

#5 Three down/all-rounder/opening bowler- Kapil Dev (India)

He was one of the greatest all-rounders to have ever played the game and for those who have watched Kapil Dev in his pomp, then they would have realised that he would have been a star in the IPL. As a bowler, he was often peerless with the new ball and could make the best batsmen look like novices with his swing, pace and seam movement.

As a batsman, he was the archetypal T20 batsman. He had all the shots in the book and believed in dealing in boundaries. An ODI strike rate of 95.07 in the era (1978-1994) when he played is ample proof of his ability to change the course of a game with his breathtaking hitting. Last but not the least, he was one of the best fielders in the Indian team during his time.

#6 Four down/all-rounder/opening bowler/Captain- Imran Khan (Foreigner- Pakistan)

The 1980s was dominated by some of the world's greatest all-rounders and former Pakistan captain Imran Khan was probably the best of the quartet. During his peak, Imran could bowl at a scorching pace, swing the ball either way and move the ball off the seam. An economy rate of 3.89 and strike rate of 40.9 is enough evidence to show that along with Kapil Dev, Imran would have formed a deadly (dream) opening combination in the IPL.

However, what should not be forgotten is his prowess as a batsman as well and in fact, when his powers as a bowler had waned towards the end of his career, he used to bat at number 3 for Pakistan (most notably in the 1992 World Cup). Last but not the least, there has rarely been a better leader in modern cricket history than Imran and it would be a shame if he does not captain this side.

#7 Wicketkeeper-batsman- Farokh Engineer (India)

Prior to MS Dhoni, the only Indian wicketkeeper, who proved to be a genuinely good batsman was Farokh Engineer, who played for India in 46 Test matches from 1961 to 1975. While his credentials as a wicketkeeper remain unquestioned, it is his flamboyant and powerful batting that makes him an ideal T20 player. Had he played in this era, then he would almost certainly have been a star of the tournament.

He was equally at ease against both spin and pace and in fact, made it to the Rest of the World side that visited Australia back in 1971-71. Engineer had opened the innings for India plenty of times as well and could work as a floater in this particular batting line up. He had once made 94 in one session in a Test match against the West Indies against a bowling attack that included the likes of Wes Hall, Garry Sobers and Charlie Griffith.

#8 1st change bowler/all-rounder- Manoj Prabhakar (India)

Now, he is the quintessential forgotten man of Indian cricket, but if there is a player a captain would want in the side due to his grit, then he is Manoj Prabhakar. If someone needs to take the new ball, he will put his hand up. If there is a batting crisis and someone needs to open the batting, then Prabhakar is the man for the job. He could swing the ball either way and could also generate reverse swing with the old ball.

As a batsman, he was not the most gifted but he made the most of his talent and opened the batting for India on several occasions in both Tests and ODIs. As a number 8, he would also provide the lower order with a sort of batting depth that would definitely make this one of the toughest teams to beat in the IPL.

#9 Middle overs/death bowler- Joel Garner (Foreigner- West Indies)

He was part of one of the greatest fast bowling attacks of all time and in ODIs, Joel Garner remained one of the most feared fast bowlers during the late 1970s and 1980s. Known as the 'Big Bird' for his 6 feet 8 inches frame, he was an extremely awkward bowler to face for most batsmen. Most of his deliveries were quick and usually at the batsmen's throats.

On the other hand, he was an absolute demon when it came to death bowling and Garner displayed his prowess in the 1979 World Cup Final when he triggered England's collapse from 183 for 2 to 194 all out in an exhibition of bowling yorkers. In this team, he would be responsible for throttling the batting side in the middle overs and the death.

#10 Spinner- Laxman Sivaramakrishnan (India)

The former Indian leg-spinner might be better known these days as a commentator but he remains one of the most gifted bowlers to have played for India and his career remains a case of unfulfilled promise. Sivaramakrishnan had all the deliveries that one could hope a top class leg-spinner would have and in this day and age, when wrist spinners are so important for a good limited overs side, he would be an excellent addition to the team.

Even on tracks which might not offer much turn, his accuracy, his variation and the ability to bowl a variety of deliveries would make him an indispensable part of the squad. He played only 16 ODIs for India but an economy rate of 4.26 is a clear indication of his prowess as a bowler.

#11 Spinner- Bhagwat Chandrasekhar (India)

Among India's famed spin quartet of the 1960s and 1970s, Bhagwat Chandrasekhar was probably the most dangerous bowler and had the ability to run through batting line-ups with his special brand of bowling. He was afflicted with polio as a child and that affected his right arm. However, he turned it into a weapon of sorts with the help of a quick arm action and bowling fast leg-spin. He was sometimes as quick as a medium pacer and even bowled bouncers.

However, Chandrasekhar could bowl googlies, flippers, the top-spin and the leg break at good pace. He was an extremely awkward bowler to face for most batsmen and in a T20 game, with batsmen trying to hit everything out of the park, he would be able to pick up wickets quite easily. It would add a different dimension to this already strong bowling attack.