IPL 2019: Best combined XI on paper

The countdown for the biggest T20 season of the year has begun. IPL 2019 is just weeks away. It is scheduled to start on the 23rd of March when the Virat Kohli led Royal Challengers Bangalore take on the MS Dhoni-led Chennai Super Kings at the Chidambaram stadium in Chennai. Jaydev Unadkat and Varun Chakravarthy were the most expensive picks at this year’s auction. All the squads are set for the new season and the focus will now shift towards the game, starting March 23.

On that note, let us look at the best possible combined XI for IPL 2019 as on paper.

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Openers: Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul

As far as the openers are concerned, it is a tough choice to finalize just 2 out of the many world-class openers that are going to play this edition of the IPL. Keeping in mind that several players from England and Australia are set to miss the second leg of the tournament, we have finalized on Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul. Both are world class T20 players and it will be a surprise if these two don’t have a major impact in this year’s IPL. Rohit Sharma is one of the most experienced players in this tournament. Rohit is also the most successful player in IPL, along with the legend MS Dhoni. Jos Buttler is unlucky to miss out as England are set to play Ireland and Pakistan in May. One would argue that Rohit’s national team partner Shikhar Dhawan could partner him. However, Shikhar has been off color over the past two series and considering KL’s form in the recently concluded T20 series against the Aussies, it was hard to leave him out.

3rd Openers: Kane Williamson, Rishab Pant, Prithvi Shaw (Kohli will open if Rishab plays in the XI)

Number 3 and 4: Virat Kohli and MS Dhoni

Kohli has been in great touch in the current season

Coming to the middle order, We have the Indian captain, Virat Kohli, at his favorite position number 3. Virat Kohli is a master of run chases and it was quite evident on the 8th of March when he almost single-handedly won the game for India against the Aussies in the 3rd ODI at Ranchi. He is the perfect man to bat at the crucial number 3 position.

At number 4, we have the architect of limited overs cricket MS Dhoni. Dhoni is batting up the order as he did in the previous season for his side from Chennai, giving him an opportunity to take ample time before he goes into the finishing mode. "I was sure in my mind that I wanted to bat up the order, because with age, me batting down the order was like quicksand," remarked Dhoni at the end of last season. He had a terrific IPL 2018, scoring 455 runs at an average of 75.83 and at an impressive strike rate of 150, which was one of the main factors for his side's triumph.

Number 5 and 6: AB De Villiers and Dinesh Karthik

De Villiers will be fresh and available for the whole season as he has retired from International Cricket

As MS Dhoni moves up at number 4, the South African Legend AB De Villiers moves down to number 5. De Villiers along with India’s latest T20 finisher Dinesh Karthik take up the finishing duties. The lower order becomes extremely solid with De Villiers and DK (as he is popularly known) at the helm of the affairs.

AB De Villiers announced his retirement in May earlier last year. As a reason, the South African will be fresh and available for the whole season unlike other teams, who will have important players missing the last leg due to national commitments ahead of the big World Cup.

Dinesh Karthik had a fantastic IPL 2018 and has had a decent run at the International level over the past 2 years. His finishing skills have been impressive and that is the reason he plays at number 6 for this side. DK will also be the backup wicket keeping option for the side.

Allrounder (number 7): Andre Russell

Russell is one of the most prominent allrounders in world cricket today

Coming over to the allrounders, this is one of the most difficult choices to be made as there are world-class match changing allrounders in each squad. Ben Stokes is not being considered as he will leave the tournament midway to resume his national duties. Marcus Stoinis, the latest BigBash sensation, too will join the RCB squad lately as Australia is set to tour UAE till the 30th of March. India’s very own Hardik Pandya is out of the ongoing series against Australia due to a jarred back. Considering all the above factors, Andre Russell makes it to this list. Russell recently scored a 40 ball hundred, a last over hattrick and a mind-boggling catch - all in one single match. He has been in top form of late and has been the torch bearer for his side Jamaica Tallawahs in the Caribbean Premier League.

Spinners (number 8 and 9): Rashid Khan and Kuldeep Yadav

Rashid Khan is one the best T20 bowlers in World Cricket today

There was no much competition to the 2 spinners that would make it to the playing 11. It had to be Left-arm Chinaman Kuldeep Yadav and the Afghan sensation Rashid Khan. These two bowlers are literally toying away with all the world-class batsmen all over the year and are one of the best bowlers in world cricket as of today. It won’t be surprising if these bowlers are amongst the purple cap contenders in IPL 2019. Moreover, Rashid Khan’s batting exploits could be very handy at number 8 and that makes this side a very batting heavy unit. Kuldeep Yadav, on the other hand, has been leading India's spin department in the limited overs for quite some time now and is expected to play a huge role for his IPL side Kolkata Knight Riders in the upcoming season.

Pacers: Jasprit Bumrah and Trent Boult

Bumrah is India's go-to man in all the formats

Just like the spinners, this section was relatively easier to pick than filling the batting positions. Baroda superstar Jasprit Bumrah and New Zealand quickie Trent Boult head the pace battery of this esteemed batting line up. It was difficult to leave out Kagiso Rabada from South Africa, but the man from Highveld Lions had a quiet time in the last few months, making Trent Boult an obvious choice.

Boult has been regarded as one of the best bowlers to ever grace the kiwi land after the great Sir Richard Hadlee. He poses a significant threat to all the batsmen with the ability to swing the ball both ways at a serious pace. Bumrah, on the other hand, is a master of all formats. His toe-crushing yorkers and slower deliveries are unplayable, to say the least.

Move onto the next slide to know the playing XI, the captain and the extras of this incredible lineupI

As far as the captaincy is concerned, it had to be one and only the mastermind Mahendra Singh Dhoni. Dhoni is one of the most successful captains in this mega event, having won the trophy thrice. He will also don the wicketkeeping gloves in this prodigious side, with Dinesh Karthik being the backup wicketkeeping option. Rohit Sharma will be the vice-captain of this side. Sharma, alongside MS Dhoni, is one of the most successful captains in the IPL. He has won the trophy four times, thrice with Mumbai Indians and once with the now extinct The Deccan Chargers

MS Dhoni is an architect of limited overs cricket

Final Playing XI:

Rohit Sharma (VC), KL Rahul, Virat Kohli, MS Dhoni (C/WK), AB De Villiers (F), Dinesh Karthik, Andre Russell(F), Rashid Khan(F), Kuldeep Yadav, Trent Boult(F), Jasprit Bumrah

Note: All the players who are expected to leave the tournament mid-way or join the squads lately haven’t been considered. Also, one may argue that the side boasts only 5 bowlers, but the bowling lineup of this kind will hardly need a back up on most of the days.

*(F) indicates the four foreigners part of this squad

Extras:

Rishab Pant, Sunil Narine, Jayadev Unadkat, Chris Morris, Kane Williamson, Hardik Pandya, Suryakumar Yadav, Prithvi Shaw

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