Greatest all-time IPL XI consisting of players who have never won the title

All-rounders: Irfan Pathan, Chris Morris

Chris Morris will play for RCB in the 2020 edition of the IPL

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.

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Fast bowlers: Dale Steyn, Zaheer Khan

Dale Steyn will turn out for RCB in IPL 2020

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.

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Spinners: Anil Kumble, Amit Mishra

Anil Kumble is the least-capped player in this all-time trophyless XI

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.

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12th Man: Brendon McCullum

Brendon McCullum is responsible for the growth of the IPL

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.