IPL 2019: Best XI of the retained players

Keeping the core players with themselves, all eight franchises have released the list of all the retained, released and traded players ahead of the auctions for the 12th season of the Indian Premier League.

All the rumours and speculations have now been kept at the side as the final lists before the auctions have been prepared.

Some of the decisions were surprising, while others looked quite obvious and were always on the cards to take place.

But here is the best possible XI that can be formed with all the retained players of the upcoming season with due respect to all those players as well who are not present here in this list.

Openers (David Warner and Rohit Sharma)

These two players from the Sunrisers Hyderabad and Mumbai Indians have definitely managed to pip out some of the biggest names when it comes to white ball cricket. This is just because of the consistency and the factor of scoring runs at an ease.

These two are also amongst the top 10 players when it comes the list of top run-getters in the history of Indian Premier League.

Warner is also the fastest to score 4000 runs in just 114 innings at average and strike rate of 40+ and 142 respectively. On the other hand, Sharma is one of the best white-ball hitters in the world at the moment and will also be vice-captaining the side as he has led Mumbai to three IPL titles so far.

Middle Order (Suresh Raina, Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers)

Royal Challengers Bangalore’s AB de Villiers.

Another three players that are present in the list of the highest run scorers in the history of IPL and the kind of impact that they leave on the game is irreplaceable. All these three players hold the capability of winning the match for their respective side single-handedly.

Raina and Kohli are the top two run-getters at the moment with almost 5000 runs to their name while de Villiers stands close to 4000 runs in this tournament. The retention of these three players in Chennai Super Kings and Royal Challengers Banglore respectively was quite obvious.

Wicket Keeper and Captain (MS Dhoni)

MS Dhoni

Imagining an IPL team that contains the best players in its history without Mahendra Singh Dhoni is not possible. One of the biggest impacting players in the history of IPL with not just bat but with gloves and captaincy skills just storms in this side without any second thought.

The Chennai Super Kings' star player stands at the seventh position in the list of highest run-getters in IPL with an over 4000 runs at an average of 40+ and that too came while batting at such a low position in the batting order.

All Rounders (Dwayne Bravo and Rashid Khan)

Sunil Narine of Kolkata Knight Riders

The last two spots of the foreign players, as well as the all-rounders in the side, will be occupied by Chennai Super Kings' Dwayne Bravo and Kolkata Knight Riders' Sunil Narine the two players have not just done well in IPL but each every T20 league they have played in the world.

With nearly 450 wickets and 6,000 runs, Bravo is undoubtedly one of the best all-rounders of this format and hence appears in this list. Narine, on the other hand, is placed at the seventh spot in the list of leading wicket-takers with 112 scalps and also has the ability to hit the ball from the beginning only and was also adjudges as the 'Most Valuable Player' in 2018.

Bowlers (Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Amit Mishra and Jasprit Bumrah)

Sunrisers Hyderabad’s Bhuvneshwar Kumar.

The bowlers' spots are taken by Bhuvneshwar Kumar (Sunrisers Hyderabad), Amit Mishra (Delhi Daredevils) and Jasprit Bumrah (Mumbai Indians) respectively as the first two are there in the list of top 10 wicket-getters while Burmah has been the find of IPL to the Indian Cricket Team and hence cannot remain out of this side.

Apart from their wicket-taking capability, these players are also ranked high when it comes to the economy rate as it is an important factor in this format of the game.

Final XI: David Warner (SRH), Rohit Sharma (MI), Suresh Raina (CSK), Virat Kohli (RCB), AB de Villiers (RCB), MS Dhoni (CSK) (WK & C), Dwayne Bravo (CSK), Sunil Narine (KKR), Bhuvneshwar Kumar (SRH), Amit Mishra (DD), Jasprit Bumrah (MI)