Team 1
Openers
KL Rahul, the stylish right hander would open the batting. His exquisite stokes would help the team get off to flying starts and he would aptly utilize the fielding restrictions. He can play every shots in the book. Watching him bat is really pleasing to the eye.
Opening the batting with KL Rahul would be Surya Kumar Yadav, the man who was a revelation in the IPL season gone by. Yadav has been around for a long time now in domestic cricket, but has struggled for consistency throughout his career.
However, he was incredibly consistent for the Mumbai Indians at the top of the order in IPL 2018 and so, he becomes a prime contender for the opening spot.
Middle-Order
Sanju Samson, the explosive right-hander would bat at number 3 as his game is a perfect blend of attack and defence- exactly what is required for the role. He is blessed with raw talent and has been touted as the next big thing in international cricket after a successful IPL season with the Rajasthan Royals.
He would look to capitalize on the starts given by the openers. He would look to lay down a platform for the middle order to flourish.
Karun Nair will add method to top order's aggression. He has a calm head on his shoulders and is more of an accumulator.However, he has significantly improved his limited-over's game. He has transformed into a dynamic stroke maker, perfect for the number four position.
Mahendra Singh Dhoni (Captain and Wicket-keeper)
M.S Dhoni will lead this side. His presence in the middle-order will be of utmost importance. He is arguably the best finisher of modern era and will add invaluable experience to the batting line-up.
He has led India to many glories in the past which is a testimony to his excellent captaincy skills. He will also be the wicket-keeper of this side.
Kedar Jadhav, the dynamic right hander, will bat at number six. Jadhav is known for his swashbuckling style of batting. He plays some of the most outrageous strokes and is equally lethal against both spin and pace.
He is a dangerous proposition for any bowling attack and plays the short ball well.
Hardik Pandya will be the finisher in this batting lineup. He is deadly against the spinners and can also hit some lusty blows against the quicks. He will also contribute with some overs and thus, he will provide incredible balance to the team.
He is arguably one of the best all-rounder in world cricket at the moment.
Bowlers
Umesh Yadav has come a long way in limited overs cricket. He always had pace and it was only a matter of him finding consistency. Having found that, he is now one of India's premier pacers.
Mayank Markande, the young leg-spinner from Punjab, burst onto the scene when he scalped the precious wicket of M.S Dhoni in IPL 2018. He has all the qualities in him to make it to the topmost level. He has a lot of variations in his bowling.
He also displayed immense maturity during pressure situations. He will be the wrist spinner in this side.
Krishnappa Gowtham will be the other spinner in this lineup. The 29 year old dazzled with both bat and bowl for the Rajasthan Royals in IPL 2018. He made some match winning contributions for them.
Another player who looks ready for the big stage is speedster Deepak Chahar. He is a wicket taker who specializes in striking with the new ball. At CSK, he played under the leadership of M.S. Dhoni which has helped him immensely.
He will open the bowling for this team.
Follow IPL Auction 2025 Live Updates, News & Biddings at Sportskeeda. Get the fastest updates on Mega-Auction and cricket news