IPL: Best Overseas XI across all seasons

The Indian Premier League, ever since its emergence in 2008, has continued to be the biggest T20 league in the world. The quality of cricket as well as the money involved in the IPL is unmatched, when compared with other leagues around the globe. Such has been the impact of the IPL that the ICC has a separate window for the league.

All these factors combine to result in the IPL being the league with the most number of international stars. Apart from established stars, there have been few players like Chris Morris and Shaun Marsh who started out as relatively unknown commodities, but displayed their true potential in the IPL and then went on to represent their national sides. On the other hand, there have been others like Shane Watson who have used IPL as a platform to return to their international sides.

Moreover, the IPL has made some international stars like AB De Villiers, Chris Gayle, Lasith Malinga, and Dwayne Bravo some of the most loved cricketers in India. As we near the 12th edition of the cash-rich league, we look at the best possible overseas XI across all eleven seasons (the players selected are not only on the basis of stats, but also on the impact they had and how they fit into the combination of the playing XI):

[Criteria: The player should have played a minimum of three seasons]

Openers:

Chris Gayle

Chris Gayle is one of the first names that comes to mind when we talk of overseas players in the IPL. The Universe Boss Chris Gayle has been one of the most destructive batsmen in the IPL so far. He leads many batting charts of the league, including the list of most sixes (292), most hundreds (6), highest individual score (175*) and fastest hundred (30 balls).

With 3994 runs from 112 matches, Gayle stands second in the list of run-getters among overseas batsmen and hence is an obvious choice for the opening slot. His strike rate is 150.71 and average is even more impressive at 41.17.

Adam Gilchrist (c) (wk)

One of the all-time greatest wicket-keeper batsman, Adam Gilchrist played six seasons of IPL till 2013, captaining in 5 of them. He won the second edition of the league as the skipper of the Deccan Chargers.

The former Aussie opener has 2069 runs from 80 matches at an average of 27.22 and strike rate of 138.39. He has 2 hundreds to his name with a best score of 109*. While there were players who had better stats than him, Gilchrist's multidimensional approach makes him walk into the side not only as an opener, but also as the wicket-keeper and the captain of the side.

Honorable mentions: Shaun Marsh, Brendon McCullum, Dwayne Smith and Mike Hussey

Middle Order:

David Warner

David Warner at three might come as a surprise to many, but considering the fact that he has been one of the best overseas batsman in the IPL and is too good a player to not be in the XI, there had to be a slot to accommodate the Aussie.

With 4014 runs from 114 games, Warner has the most runs in the league by an overseas player. The former SRH skipper who led them to their maiden title in 2016 fits in as the deputy to Gilchrist and holds the important number three position in this XI.

Warner has scored 3 hundreds with a best score of 126, an average of 40.16 and strike rate of 138.19. With the bat, he almost single-handedly carried SRH to the trophy in 2016. The impact which he has on his team makes him the best option for the spot.

AB de Villiers

The most-loved foreign player in the IPL, AB de Villiers has been one of the best middle order batsman in the league, playing numerous memorable knocks. His ability to play shots to all corners of the ground, has earned him the name Mr. 360.

The RCB batting mainstay stands third in the list of run-getters among overseas players with 3953 runs from 129 innings at average of 39.53 and strike rate of 150.93. The man with second most sixes in the IPL has 3 hundreds to his name including a 59-ball 133*. The unbelievable skill set he possesses along with his consistency makes him the best choice for the all important number four slot.

JP Duminy

JP Duminy with his reliable batting and more than handy off-spin fits in at number 5. Though there were other options for the slot in the form of Pollard, Maxwell and Miller, the fact that Duminy is a decent off-spinner and is more stable makes him stand ahead of the above three.

Moreover, he is someone who can be used to play the anchor role in case of a top order collapse. Duminy has 2029 runs from 77 innings at an average of 39.78 and a strike rate of 124.02 with a best score of 78*. Duminy the spinner, is important as there is only one more spinner in the XI while all of the remaining bowling options are pacers.

Honorable mentions: David Miller, Kieron Pollard, Jacques Kallis and Glenn Maxwell.

All-rounders:

Shane Watson

Talking of all-rounders in the IPL, Shane Watson is the first name to walk into the XI. Standing joint-fourth in the list of wicket takers as well run-getters among overseas players, Watson has been THE all-rounder of the IPL for a long time.

Man of the tournament of the first edition, Watson has been a complete package, a devastating opener, a skillful bowler and a reliable fielder.

Watson has 3177 runs from 117 games at an average of 32.41 and strike rate of 141.20 with 4 hundreds. He also has 92 wickets at an average of 29.15 and economy of 7.93. He has been amongst the wickets more often than not, but fitness issues have made him bowl less and focus more on batting over the past 2-3 years.

The marauding Aussie, having played most of his career as an opener in the IPL, can also perform his role as a lower middle order batsman, owing to the fact that he has done it for his national side before.

Dwayne Bravo

Dwayne Bravo, one of the best death bowlers in the IPL, has been one of the most trusted players for CSK for a very long time. He stands second in the list of wicket takers among overseas players and fourth overall with 136 wickets from 122 games.

He has an average of 24.17 and economy of 8.43. The high economy can be owed to the fact that he bowls most of his overs at the death. With the bat, he has played some very handy knocks coming in at number 6 or below for CSK.

His finishing abilities were on display during the first match of the 2018 season, when he single-handedly won CSK the game from a virtual unwinnable situation. With 1403 runs at an average of 23.77 and a strike rate of 128.71, Bravo fits in as a finisher in this XI.

Andre Russell

Andre Russell, a genuine all rounder with the ability to hammer the ball at will as well as trouble the batsmen with his variations, has been the X-factor for KKR. Just like Bravo, Russell is one of the players who becomes doubly dangerous at the death, both while batting as well as bowling.

The 2018 IPL also saw his new ball credentials improve as he picked quite a few wickets in his first spell, mostly with the short ball. His 890 runs have come at an average of 26.97 and a monstrous strike rate of 177.29, the best among the players in this XI. He has 44 wickets to his name at an average of 28.43 and economy of 8.75. Russell at 8 can be demotivating for any opposition, courtesy his ability to hit sixes at will.

Honorable mentions: Shakib Al Hasan, Chris Morris and Albie Morkel

Bowlers:

Sunil Narine

Sunil Narine has been the most successful overseas spinner in the IPL by miles. Starting his IPL career as a mystery spinner in 2012, Narine proved to be a thorn in the flesh for all oppositions, being economical as well one of the top wicket takers.

The wicket taking spree slowed down a bit after a change in his action, but the Trinidadian still spearheads the KKR attack with his experience and skills. Narine stands seventh in the list of wicket takers in the IPL with 112 wickets from 92 games, at an average of 22.44 and a miserly economy of 6.54 with a best of 5/19. Moreover, his exploits with the bat in the last two seasons just adds up to his utility.

Lasith Malinga

The highest wicket taker in the tournament, Lasith Malinga has been one of those players who changed the perception about T20 cricket, being one of the first bowling heroes in the batsmen dominated format.

His accurate yorkers and skillful variations has made him one of the most deadly bowlers to face at any stage of the game in the IPL. The Mumbai Indians pacer, who went unsold in 2018 has been bought back by his franchise and is expected to lead their pace attack yet again with his experience.

Though his wicket taking form has not been great in the past couple of seasons, the pressure he maintains helps others to pick wickets. Moreover, Malinga has always been a big match player, having done exceptionally well in the finals that MI have won and had been the go-to bowler for his skipper for a long time. With 154 wickets from 110 games at an average of 19.01 and economy of 6.86, Malinga will go down as one of the all-time IPL greats.

Dale Steyn

There have been quite a few overseas pacers apart from Malinga who have had a big impact in the tournament. However, out of all of them the one who stands out is Dale Steyn, one of the best pacers of this era.

Steyn stands fourth in the list of wicket takers in IPL by overseas bowlers with 92 wickets. But more than his numbers, it is the impact he creates and the intensity he brings that makes him walk into this XI. Almost single-handedly carrying the burden of Deccan Chargers and later the Sunrisers Hyderabad for 4 years, Steyn showed how one can trouble the batsmen in T20s with genuine pace and late swing. Steyn averages 25.06 and has an economy of 6.72 with a best bowling figures of 3/8.

Honorable mentions: Morne Morkel, Shane Warne and Mitchell McClenaghan

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