The 13th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) may not be held as per the schedule due to the ongoing Coronavirus pandemic but still, it remains in headlines amid the COVID-19 lockdown.
The IPL 2020 has been postponed till April 15 due to the fast-growing outbreak of the deadly COVID-19 virus which has claimed over 70000 lives and infected around 14 lakh people globally so far.
With all the cricketing activities banned across the world due to the outbreak these days, the cricket fraternity is presently busy talking about the game besides the enjoying time at home.
While many cricketers are busy in posting videos of their workouts, house chores, cooking, gaming at home and Q&A session Twitter, Australian spin legend Shane Warne is busy in introducing his all-time best players and teams across the format on the social media during the lockdown period.
Warne, who has been associated with India’s franchise league since its inception in 2008 – first four seasons as Rajasthan Royals’ captain and then as mentor and brand ambassador, has now come up with his IPL XI with only Indian players on Tuesday (April 7).
In an Instagram live on Tuesday, Warne revealed that he picked the team on the basis of the performances between 2008 and 2011, saying: “This team is based on the four years that I played the IPL, from 2008 to 2011.”
He picked Rohit Sharma, Virender Sehwag, Virat Kohli, MS Dhoni, Yuvraj Singh, and Yusuf Pathan but surprised all by leaving Indian batting legend Sachin Tendulkar who played for Mumbai Indians.
The Aussie, who led the Royals to the IPL title glory in the inauguration season, also named fast bowler Siddharth Trivedi, who was suspended by the BCCI for a year for not reporting a corrupt approach by a bookie in his IPL XI.
Explaining his pick, Warne said: “Yusuf scored one of the best hundreds against Mumbai Indians and he also played a great knock in the IPL final in 2008.”
The spin legend also hailed Dhoni a “genius” and a brilliant “finisher” while expressing hope that the IPL 2020 is held later in the year. He will join the Royals as the brand ambassador this season.
Here’s Warne’s IPL XI:
Rohit Sharma, Virender Sehwag, Virat Kohli, Yuvraj Singh, Yusuf Pathan, Mahendra Singh Dhoni, Ravindra Jadeja, Harbhajan Singh, Zaheer Khan, Siddharth Trivedi, Munaf Patel
(With Sportstar Inputs)
