Aakash Chopra has picked his best XI of the IPL 2021 after the conclusion of the tournament on Friday (October 15). Chopra named only four players from India's 15-man T20 World Cup squad in his eleven.
Chennai Super Kings (CSK) openers Faf du Plessis and Ruturaj Gaikwad were Chopra's pick for the opening spot. Both the batters had a good outing in the IPL 2021 and they finished in the top two as the leading run-getters.
Gaikwad got the Orange cap after scoring 635 runs, while Du Plessis scored 633 runs with 86 coming in the final against Kolkata Knight Riders. "Let me start with the two openers who lifted the trophy - Ruturaj with Faf. The special thing about Ruturaj is that he has the skills, temperament, maturity beyond his age. Along with him is Faf - cometh the hour, cometh the man. They have the setting that if one gets out, the other scores runs," he said.
Punjab Kings (PBKS) captain KL Rahul was named in the side as the wicket-keeper batter, and Royal Challengers Bangalore's (RCB) Glenn Maxwell got included at number 4 in the batting line-up.
Both the batters had a terrific season with the bat as they put up consistent performances for their franchise. "Yes, it is against the principles to play players at a different number. I have not taken the name of Shikhar Dhawan, Prithvi Shaw, Venkatesh Iyer - but I have picked KL Rahul. He is my wicket-keeper and he can bat anywhere," he said.
Chopra added, "At No.4, the other name for consistency - Glenn Maxwell. We had never thought this but it happened repeatedly throughout the season. Fast bowling, spin bowling, swing bowling - he has been absolutely exceptional. Because of him, your team reached the last four."
Rahul Tripathi was picked ahead of Delhi Capitals (DC) captain Rishabh Pant to bat at number 5. Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) top-order batter Tripathi played some crucial knocks for his team at the top order.
"I have taken a punt at No.5. I was thinking about Rishabh Pant but his strike rate has been very low this time. I am not going with reputation, I am going with Rahul Tripathi. He played very well, plays everywhere, I like him a lot and he is a very big reason for KKR playing the final," he said.
"At No.6, I am going with Shimron Hetmyer. There was a toss-up between him and Pollard because it is good to get some bowling from the No.6. I thought we can get Maxwell to bowl. I have picked Hetmyer, whose strike rate was touching the sky and he hits huge sixes," he further said.
CSK all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja got the number 7 spot without any surprise, while RCB leggie Yuzvendra Chahal also found a place in his eleven. Chahal isn't included in the T20 World Cup 2021 squad of Team India.
"At No.7, I have picked Ravindra Jadeja. If someone has played like a proper all-rounder this year, that is Jadeja, whether with bat or ball. He absolutely smashed Harshal Patel, Mustafizur, and Prasidh Krishna with the bat. He has performed consistently in bowling and his fielding is outstanding,
"After that, I have picked Yuzi Chahal. His first half was extremely ordinary but he changed everything in the second half. He forced the selectors to think of picking him. It is beyond me that he is not part of India's World Cup squad," he said.
KKR's mystery spinner Varun Chakaravarthy has been a headache for the batters this IPL, and so is RCB bowler Harshal Patel who bagged 32 wickets in his season to secure the Purple Cap.
Jasprit Bumrah was included as the second pacer in Chopra's IPL 2021 XI. He ignored Lockie Ferguson after the KKR pacer turned out to be a disappointment in the IPL final.
"I have picked Varun Chakaravarthy. So I have got a mystery spinner, Yuzi Chahal and Ravindra Jadeja. Chakravarthy was very very good throughout the season, economical, wicket-taking.
"Harshal Patel - he has to be there. 32 wickets - this is incredible, no one would have thought that an uncapped Indian will pick so many wickets. Boy was actually outstanding, he can bat okay as well - so can go ahead of Chahal and Chakravarthy.
"I was thinking about Ferguson and Nortje for the eleventh player. But Ferguson was hit a lot in the final. So I have picked Jasprit Boom Boom Bumrah," Chopra concluded.
Aakash Chopra's IPL 2021 XI: Ruturaj Gaikwad, Faf du Plessis, KL Rahul (wk), Glenn Maxwell, Rahul Tripathi, Shimron Hetmyer, Ravindra Jadeja, Yuzvendra Chahal, Varun Chakravarthy, Harshal Patel, Jasprit Bumrah
