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The Indian Premier League (IPL) is the most prestigious T20 franchise league in the world, and sees legendary players from all over the world participate every year.
However, winning the tournament is easier said than done. With all teams having stacked rosters, the IPL involves a lot of luck and good fortune. Moreover, many IPLs are won in the auction and not on the ground.
Greatest all-time XI of players who have never won the IPL
In the 12 seasons of the IPL, the likes of Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB), Delhi Capitals (DC) and Kings XI Punjab (KXIP) have never lifted the trophy. Needless to say, this all-time of XI of players to have never won the IPL crown is dominated by these three teams.
Honourable Mentions: Sanju Samson, Ajinkya Rahane, Shaun Marsh
Note: The usual rule of 4 foreigners per team has been followed.
Openers: Virender Sehwag, Chris Gayle
One of the most destructive opening combinations that can be created, Virender Sehwag and Chris Gayle can win matches single-handedly for this IPL XI.
In 104 games for KXIP and DC, the Nawab of Najafgarh scored 2,728 runs at a strike rate of 155.4. Sehwag also has two IPL hundreds to his name, but sadly only played for franchises that have never won the cash-rich league. The closest he came to winning the IPL in 2014, where his side lost to Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in the final.
Chris Gayle has played for three teams - KKR, RCB and KXIP - and has scored 4,484 runs at an average of 41.13 and a strike rate of 151.02. The Universe Boss has reached the finals on two occasions with RCB (2011 and 2016), but suffered losses to the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) respectively.
Middle Order: Virat Kohli (c), AB de Villiers, KL Rahul (wk)
Three players who formed the backbone of the RCB side until very recently, Virat Kohli, AB de Villiers and KL Rahul form the middle order of this all-time IPL XI.
Indian captain Virat Kohli has been an absolute colossus in the IPL and is the leading run-scorer in the history of the competition with 5,412 runs. The one-club man has seen an IPL title elude him at RCB as just like Gayle, both his final appearances ended in defeats. He is the captain of this XI.
Kohli's friend and partner-in-crime AB de Villiers has also never lifted the IPL crown. After being released by DC, the South African has made the Chinnaswamy Stadium his home and is RCB's greatest overseas player of all time. With 4,395 runs in 154 games, he might even be the league's best-ever foreigner.
KL Rahul was recently announced as the KXIP captain for the 2020 IPL and RCB's non-retention might prove to become a massive mistake. The Karnataka batsman is only nearing 2,000 runs in the IPL, but has an average of 42.06 and a strike rate of 138.15. He also undertakes the wicket-keeper's role in this team.
All-rounders: Irfan Pathan, Chris Morris
Former Indian all-rounder Irfan Pathan had a decent IPL career over the course of which he scored 1,139 runs and picked up 80 wickets. He played for as many as 6 franchises and came closest to the IPL trophy when warming the benches for CSK in the 2015 edition. The southpaw lends some much-needed balance to this XI.
Chris Morris is the other all-rounder who makes this list. In 61 IPL games, the South African has scored 517 runs and picked up 69 wickets. A useful bowler at the death and a handy wielder of the willow, Morris has played for 3 franchises in the IPL. He will turn out for RCB in the upcoming edition of the tournament.
Fast bowlers: Dale Steyn, Zaheer Khan
Dale Steyn is no longer the tearaway quick that he once was, but he plays the game with the same heart and aggression. The South African has picked up 96 wickets in 92 IPL games at a superb economy rate of 6.76, and takes up the final overseas player role in this all-time trophyless XI.
Former Indian speedster Zaheer Khan is the other pace bowling option in this XI. A legend of the game, the left-armer has picked up 102 wickets in 100 IPL games at a decent economy rate of 7.58. He even lends some valuable leadership to the side, having led DC at the fag end of his career.
Spinners: Anil Kumble, Amit Mishra
Given the success that leg-spinners have enjoyed in the IPL, we pick two in this all-time XI. Anil Kumble and Amit Mishra are very different styles of bowlers, and will complement each other superbly.
While India's leading wicket-taker in Test cricket was accurate and restrictive, Mishra is an out-and-out wicket-taker. Kumble has 45 wickets in 42 games at an economy rate of just 6.57, and is the least-capped player in this team. The DC leggie, on the other hand, is the second-highest wicket-taker in the history of the IPL, with 157 wickets in 147 games at an economy rate of 7.35.
12th Man: Brendon McCullum
The electric Brendon McCullum is the 12th man of this all-time trophyless XI, owing to his dynamic fielding and explosiveness with the bat. In 109 IPL games, the Kiwi scored 2,880 runs at a strike rate of 131.74. And of course, the record-breaking unbeaten 158 in the first-ever IPL game cannot be forgotten.
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