IPL 2018: Coaches/Mentors XI

The Indian Premier League sends every cricket fan in the nation into a frenzy. The 45-day extravaganza, this year, will start with the encounter between defending champions Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings on 7th April.

With IPL not far from its commencement, we add another dimension to our series of 'Best XI' articles. Here, we have drawn out a list of eleven ex-cricketers who are a part of the coaching staffs of the IPL franchises this year.

Note: The 'four foreigners only' formula hasn't been followed for this article and both coaches and mentors have been taken into consideration for selection.

---

Openers

Virender Sehwag

The now Kings XI Punjab head-coach, Virender Sehwag would be an automatic choice for one of the openers' slots. The former swashbuckling opener, in a seven-season long IPL career, featured for Delhi Daredevils and KXIP.

In the 104 matches that Sehwag played in the cash-rich league, he scored 2728 runs at a strike rate of 155.44. In addition to that, he sashed two centuries and 16 half-centuries as well.

Sachin Tendulkar(C)

Partnering Sehwag up the order would be his former opening partner and probably the greatest batsman to have played the game, Sachin Tendulkar. The Master Blaster featured in five IPL seasons, all of them in Mumbai Indians' blues.

The now-MI icon was a part of as many as 78 matches in the tournament, where he amassed 2334 runs at 34.83 and a strike rate of 119.81. Tendulkar won the Orange Cap in the 2010 edition of the tournament in which he scored 618 runs in 15 appearances.

Middle Order

Michael Hussey

The legendary Australian, who turned out for Chennai Super Kings in his first five IPL seasons and then for Mumbai Indians in his last two, will walk in at number three in this XI.

The now CSK batting coach played 59 matches in the league and added 1977 runs courtesy a century and 15 half-centuries. In 2013, the left-hander won the Orange Cap, scoring 733 runs at 52.35 in 17 appearances.

Mahela Jayawardene

In a six-season strong IPL career, the former Sri Lanka captain played for Kings XI Punjab, Kochi Tuskers and Delhi Daredevils, even captaining the three franchises at some point of time. The former middle-order batsman is now the Mumbai Indians head coach.

In 80 matches, the right-hander added 1802 runs with the help of a century and 10 half-centuries. The best of his IPL performances came in 2010 where he added 439 runs 13 appearances.

All-rounder and wicket-keeper

Jacques Kallis

Possibly the best all-rounder to have graced the sport, Jacques Kallis is the only player on this team who is equally adept with both the bat and the ball. Out of the seven seasons in IPL, Kallis played three for Royal Challengers Bangalore and four of them for Kolkata Knight Riders.

In 98 appearances, the South African scored 2427 runs courtesy 17 half-centuries. His best season with the bat came in 2010 when he amassed 572 runs at an average of 47. With the ball, Kallis picked 65 wickets and gave away runs at an economy of 7.89.

Robin Singh(WK)

Though the now Mumbai Indians batting coach didn't play in the Indian Premier League, he makes this team as a makeshift wicketkeeper. Known for being aggressive with the bat, he represented India in 136 ODIs and scored 2336 runs in them at a strike-rate of 75.

Singh played two T20s as well, back in 2005, for PCA Masters XI in the International 20:20 Club Championship. He got the opportunity to bat in one of those matches which saw him score 38 runs in 31 deliveries.

Bowlers

Daniel Vettori

The now Royal Challengers Bangalore head coach started his IPL career with Delhi Daredevils before moving on to RCB prior to the 2011 edition of the tournament.

The former New Zealand international featured in 34 IPL matches and picked up 28 wickets in them. Vettori was handy with the bat as well, which makes him an important part of this coaches XI.

Laxmipathy Balaji

Laxmipathy Balaji, who represented Chennai Super Kings, Kolkata Knight Riders and Kings XI Punjab in his IPL career, played in 73 matches and bagged 76 wickets in them.

The now-CSK bowling coach was the first two bag a hat-trick in the T20 tournament when he dismissed KXIP's Irfan Pathan, Piyush Chawla and VRV Singh on three consecutive deliveries in 2008.

Shane Warne

Shane Warne, who led Rajasthan Royals to the IPL title in the tournament's debut edition, played in five seasons and represented RR in all of them. He featured in 56 matches and bagged 57 wickets in them.

The former leg-spinner was appointed RR's mentor for the 2018 season.

Ashish Nehra

Ashish Nehra represented as many as five franchises in the IPL over the years - Mumbai Indians, Delhi Daredevils, Pune Warriors, Chennai Super Kings and Sunrisers Hyderabad. However, he will turn out as Royal Challengers Bangalore's bowling mentor in the 2018 season.

In 88 IPL matches, Nehra bagged as many as 105 wickets.

Lasith Malinga

After going unsold in the 2018 auction, Lasith Malinga was taken on board by Mumbai Indians as there bowling mentor. The Sri Lankan was an integral part of the MI set-up for nine seasons in which he featured in 110 matches.

Malinga has 154 wickets in those appearances and rests at the top of the overall wicket-taking chart of the tournament. Amit Mishra, second on that list is 20 wickets short of the Sri Lankan pacer.