Rohit Sharma has led Mumbai Indians to five IPL titles.
While Gilchrist represented a couple of teams – now-defunct Deccan Chargers and Punjab Kings – and clinched the coveted title as captain in 2009, Pollock played 13 matches for Mumbai Indians in IPL 2008.
Since their retirement from professional cricket, the two greats are donning the hat of commentators and experts. In a recent video posted by Cricbuzz on social media platform X, Gilchrist and Pollock picked the best-ever IPL playing XI.
In their list of 11 players, they included the likes of MS Dhoni, Virat Kohli, Jasprit Bumrah and Lasith Malinga, but there was no place for Rohit Sharma, who has led Mumbai Indians to five IPL titles and has close to 7000 runs to his name in 267 matches played so far.
Chris Gayle and Virat Kohli were picked as openers by the duo. Gayle played for three teams – KKR, RCB and PBKS – in the IPL, whereas Kohli has been associated with the Bengaluru-based franchise since the start of the league in 2008.
Former India and CSK star Suresh Raina has been slotted at No. 3 spot in the best-ever playing XI picked up by Gilchrist and Pollock, and he is followed by South African legend AB de Villiers and India’s T20I skipper Suryakumar Yadav.
MS Dhoni has been included as the No. 6 batter, in addition to being given the leadership role. The duo selected Sunil Narine and Ravindra Jadeja as two spin bowling all-rounders and Lasith Malinga and Jasprit Bumrah as two fast bowlers.
IPL’s all-time leading wicket-taker Yuzvendra Chahal is the specialist spinner in Pollock and Gilchrist’s XI.
Adam Gilchrist and Shaun Pollock’s best-ever IPL playing XI: Chris Gayle, Virat Kohli, Suresh Raina, AB de Villiers, Suryakumar Yadav, MS Dhoni (C), Ravindra Jadeja, Sunil Narine, Jasprit Bumrah, Lasith Malinga, Yuzvendra Chahal.