IPL 2021: COC presents the team of the IPL 14 tournament  

CSK won their fourth IPL title by beating KKR in the IPL 2021 final in Dubai.

The IPL 2021 tournament saw the mighty comeback of two teams. The Chennai Super Kings (CSK) rose from the ashes of their IPL 2020 performance where they were the first team to be eliminated from the playoffs to becoming the first team to make it into the playoffs in IPL 14.

The other team was Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), who coming into the UAE leg of the IPL 2021, had only 2 wins from 7 matches, but turned their fortunes around qualifying for the playoffs on a better net run rate and then winning the eliminator against RCB and beating DC in the second qualifier, made it into the finals.

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Apart from players from these two teams, including their captains MS Dhoni and Eoin Morgan, many other cricketers made a huge mark on the tournament either with the bat or with the ball and in some cases, with both.   

Today, Team COC looks at the best eleven players in the IPL 2021 whose performances were exemplary. And here is the COC Team of the Tournament for IPL 2021.

RUTURAJ GAIKWAD (CSK)
M: 16| RUNS: 635 | HS: 101*| AVG: 45.35| SR: 136.26 |100s: 1| 50s: 4 | 6s: 23 | 4s: 64

If last year’s IPL 2020 was a trailer of just how talented Chennai Super Kings (CSK) opener Ruturaj Gaikwad was, this year the batter from Maharashtra showcased his full talent in IPL 2021. Starting off with three single-digit scores in India, Ruturaj took off in grand fashion.

When the tournament shifted to UAE, the right-hander kicked into a new gear, hitting his maiden IPL century in a run feast against Rajasthan Royals in Abu Dhabi and ended up making 635 runs at an average of 45.35 and earned the Orange Cap for most runs, becoming the youngest batter to do so.

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Surprisingly, he also hit 23 sixes in the tournament with one of those hits going to 108 meters, the longest in IPL 2021.  

VENKATESH IYER (KKR)
M: 10| RUNS:  370| HS: 67| AVG: 41.11| SR:  128.47|100s: 0| 50s:  4| 6s: 14 | 4s: 37

Venkatesh Iyer was a revelation in the UAE leg of the IPL 2021 when he was picked to open the innings for Kolkata Knight Riders under the new-look approach adopted by coach Brendon McCullum and captain Eoin Morgan.

KKR coming into the UAE leg had only 2 wins from 7 matches and needed to win at least 5 more matches to qualify for the playoffs and gave Venkatesh Iyer, who hails from Madhya Pradesh and was coming off a 198* in Vijay Hazare Trophy match, license to go after the bowlers in first six overs.

This approach paid rich dividends and KKR managed to move up the points table pretty swiftly and booked their playoffs place with ease thanks to Iyer, Gill, and others providing the firepower with the bat.

FAF DU PLESSIS (CSK)
M: 16| RUNS: 633 | HS: 95*| AVG: 45.21| SR: 138.20 |100s: 0| 50s: 6 | 6s:  23| 4s: 60

Faf du Plessis showed why experience always comes in handy as he complimented the young Ruturaj Gaikwad well for CSK and fell two runs short of the Orange Cap finishing on 633 runs with a best of 95* at a strike rate of 138.20.

Ruturaj got the confidence to play freely as he knew Faf was there at the other end and will compensate if he got out early. This was evident in the final, as Faf played an amazing knock of 86 against a potent KKR attack, helping CSK to a formidable total of 192 runs, which proved to be enough.

GLENN MAXWELL (RCB)
M: 15| RUNS:  513| HS: 78| AVG: 42.75| SR: 144.10 |100s: 0| 50s:  6| 6s: 21 | 4s: 48

Glenn Maxwell was called an overpriced buy for RCB when he was bought for Rs 14.25 crores in IPL 2021 auction. He was coming off a terrible IPL 2020 for Punjab Kings, where he had failed to hit a single six and managed just 108 runs.

However, RCB gave him the perfect position to bat with Devdutt Padikkal, Virat Kohli, and AB de Villiers providing him with enough cover and support that the burden of scoring runs didn’t fell on Maxwell’s shoulders squarely.

This led to Maxwell unleashing his true self and helped RCB make it into the playoffs for the second consecutive time. He also hit 21 sixes, hitting his 513 runs, the highest haul for him, at a strike rate of 144.10 which was more Maxwell-like. He hit 6 half-centuries as well.

SHIMRON HETMYER (DC)
M: 14| RUNS:  242| HS: 53*| AVG: 34.57| SR: 168.05|100s: 0| 50s: 1 | 6s: 12 | 4s: 19

Delhi Capitals had enough of pretty-looking batters but needed someone to compliment Rishabh Pant in the big-hitting department and that’s where they used Shimron Hetmyer cleverly. Hetmyer was used as a finisher and was given the freedom to go big from the start.

This resulted in the West Indian slamming 242 runs at a strike rate of 168.05 with one half-century hitting 12 sixes and 19 fours, helping DC finishing up on a high.  

RAVINDRA JADEJA (CSK)
M: 16| RUNS:  227| HS: 62*| AVG: 75.66| SR: 145.51 |50s: 1 | WKTS: 13| BB: 3/13 | ECO: 7.06

Ravindra Jadeja was one of the vital cogs in the CSK’s IPL 2021 winning campaign as he played the role of all-rounder perfectly.  His amazing innings against RCB in Mumbai was his crowning glory as he made 62* with 4 fours and 5 sixes, hitting the Purple Cap holder Harshal Patel all over the Wankhede Stadium.

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He then returned to pick 3/13 which included scalps of Glenn Maxwell and AB de Villiers helping CSK win by 69 runs. Overall with 227 runs and 13 wickets to his name in 16 matches, Jadeja proved to be the MVP for CSK at least.  

MS DHONI (C&WK-CSK)
M: 16| RUNS:  114| HS: 18*| AVG: 16.28| SR: 106.54

MS Dhoni didn’t do much of note with the bat barring one knock of 18* which helped CSK make it into their 9^th final, beating DC in the first qualifier. He was also a bit sloppy with the gloves, dropping Venkatesh Iyer for a duck in the IPL 2021 final.

But where he excelled was the way he led the CSK team throughout the tournament. Many said that the now 4-time IPL winners were playing with just 10 players and carrying Dhoni in the XI, which was true, but his value as a leader, inspiration, and captain cannot be evaluated in terms of numbers and stats and that is why he is in Team COC’s IPL 2021 team of the tournament.

SHARDUL THAKUR (CSK)
M: 16| WKTs: 21| BB: 3/28| ECO: 8.80

Shardul Thakur proved to be one of the biggest assets for the CSK team in the IPL 2021 as he picked 21 wickets in 16 matches and his 3/38 in the IPL 2021 final included wickets of Venkatesh Iyer, Nitish Rana, and Rahul Tripathi, all dangerous players in their own right.

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He was rewarded with a spot in the main Team India squad for the T20 World Cup as he was swapped with spinner Akshar Patel, who was moved to the reserve players list.

HARSHAL PATEL (RCB)
M: 15| WKTs: 32| BB: 5/27| ECO: 8.14

Harshal Patel broke quite a few records in a dream performance in the IPL 2021. He not only became the first bowler with a fifer against MI in IPL history but also picked a hat-trick against the same team when they clash in UAE for the second time.

Harshal then equaled Dwayne Bravo’s record of most wickets in a single IPL season with 32 scalps to his name and was named the Most Valuable Player of the IPL 2021 as well. He was the first uncapped Indian bowler to win the Purple Cap for most wickets in one IPL season and everyone will hope he wears the Team India cap soon.

ANRICH NORTJE (DC)
M: 8| WKTs: 12| BB: 2/12| ECO: 6.16

Anrich Nortje played just 8 matches for the DC, all coming in UAE, but picked up 12 wickets and clocked over 150 kph regularly, giving the opposition batters nightmares. He excelled with the new ball at the start, even getting the ball to swing at high speeds. When called to bowl in death, he used his speed to good measure with yorkers and short balls troubling the batters.

VARUN CHAKRAVARTHY (KKR)
M: 17| WKTs: 18| BB: 3/13| ECO: 6.58

KKR mystery spinner Varun Chakravarthy was the toast of the IPL 2021 with 18 wickets in 17 matches and ended up with an economy of 6.58 despite being asked to bowl in powerplays most of the time and even bowled in death overs a few times, but excelled in both roles.

He has been picked in the Indian squad for the T20 World Cup 2021 and everyone is expecting him to do big things in the tournament for India.