IPL 2019: Best IPL XI with current players who were also part of IPL 2008 

In the present world of too much cricket, a period of 12 years is basically the maximum endurance span of a cricketer’s career. In IPL, there are about 25 cricketers who had played the inaugural IPL in 2008 who are still part of this year’s edition of IPL. It is a remarkable achievement from such players to maintain their form and fitness over such a long duration of time.

It is that much more difficult for fast bowlers and overseas players to survive that long. The two big players who were missing in action in IPL for the first time this year were Gautam Gambhir and Brendon McCullum.

In this article, an attempt is made to select the best IPL XI with current players who were also part of the inaugural IPL.

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#1. Openers

Rohit Sharma

Rohit Sharma - The hitman who could hit a long ball

Matches – 175, Runs - 4555, SR - 131

Rohit Sharma started his IPL career with Deccan Chargers and played for them for the first 3 editions before switching over to Mumbai Indians in 2011. Though he started his IPL career as a middle-order batsman, he has been more successful as an opener where he averages nearly 40 at a strike rate of 132.

Rohit Sharma has been the regular opener for Team India in white ball cricket and has achieved massive success in that batting position.

Before the start of IPL 2019, Rohit decided to open the batting for Mumbai Indians this season. It is a positive step forward from the Mumbai captain which would be beneficial for him as an individual player and as well as for his team. He is the opener for this team.

Shane Watson

Shane Watson - Still the same impact player

Matches – 119, runs – 3221, SR – 141, Wickets – 92, Economy – 7.93

Shane Watson was the Most Valuable Player of inaugural IPL 2008. He was instrumental in Rajasthan Royals winning the trophy in 2008. Since then, nothing has changed as he was the man-of-the-match in the finals of IPL 2018.

After representing RR for 7 years and after spending 2 years with RCB, Watson is now with CSK. He was the second highest run-getter for CSK in CSK’s successful IPL campaign last year. CSK extracted the maximum out of Watson by promoting him to open the innings.

Apart from being a reliable opener, Watson is an effective bowler in IPL having taken 92 wickets.

#2. The Middle-Order

Suresh Raina

Suresh Raina - Mr. IPL

Matches - 178, Runs - 5034, SR – 138

Suresh Raina is Mr. IPL. He holds quite a few of the batting records in IPL. He is the first player to complete 5000 runs in IPL. He has also played the most number of matches in IPL and holds the record for the most number of catches.

The southpaw always comes in to bat at No. 3 for CSK. In fact, in 154 out of the 174 innings, Raina has batted at one down position. He is a proven match-winner for CSK and a big match player.

Raina is the No. 3 batsman in this team.

Virat Kohli(Vice-Captain)

Virat Kohli - First among equals

Matches – 165, Runs – 5000 SR – 131

Virat Kohli is only the second player after Raina to complete 5000 runs in IPL. Kohli made his debut in the very first match of IPL history when Brendon Mc Cullum went berserk with an unbeaten inning of 158 off 73 balls.

Kohli batted at No. 3 in that match and scored a solitary run. Since then, the RCB skipper has come a long way and he is now arguably the world’s No. 1 batsman in all formats of the game. It all started for Kohli with the under 19 World Cup win in March 2008 followed by the inaugural IPL in April 2008.

Kohli’s best performance in IPL came in 2016 when he accumulated 973 runs in one season at an average of 81 and strike rate of 152. Even in the last season of IPL, he made 530 runs.

Virat is the No. 4 batsman and the vice-captain of this team.

AB de Villiers

Ab de Villiers - The 360 degrees player

Matches - 143, Runs – 4032, SR – 151

AB de Villiers played for Delhi Daredevils in his first 3 years of IPL. He was a moderate success for Delhi. But the moment he joined RCB in 2011, his IPL career took a new turn. Since 2011, AB has scored more than 300 runs in every season for RCB.

More than the number of runs, the pace at which he scored those runs was really unbelievable. He is a 360 degrees player capable of hitting the ball to all parts of the ground.

Being a finisher, AB de Villiers is the ideal No. 5 batsman in this team.

#3. Wicket Keeper and All-rounder

MS Dhoni (Captain and wicket-keeper)

MS Dhoni - The best Captain and the best wicket-keeper

Matches - 177, Runs – 4047, SR – 137, Catches – 89, Stumping – 33

MS Dhoni was an instant success in the inaugural IPL when he scored 414 runs. Since then, he has been the real identity of IPL. He is also the best wicket-keeper in the world and the most successful IPL captain. Under his leadership, CSK has won the IPL trophy thrice and the Champions League once.

At the autumn of his career, one could witness Dhoni approaching the IPL with a cool and composed state of mind without any fear of losing.

Dhoni is undoubtedly the Captain and wicket-keeper of this team.

Dwayne Bravo

Dwayne Bravo - IPL's all-time best all-rounder

Matches – 124, Runs – 1407, SR – 129, Wickets – 140, Economy – 8.43

Dwayne Bravo is the flamboyant Caribbean all-rounder who adds a lot of value addition to the IPL entertainment. He is the first player in the world to take 400 wickets in T20s. He is also the game-changer at the death, both with the bat and the ball.

He has won many a match for CSK by either smashing a couple of boundaries in the last over or by taking a handful of wickets at the death. With 32 wickets, Bravo was the purple cap winner for CSK in IPL 2013. He repeated that feat again in 2015 with 24 wickets.

Dwayne Bravo is IPL’s all-time No. 1 all-rounder.

#4. The Spinners

Harbhajan Singh

Harbhajan Singh - Entertainer par excellence

Matches – 151, Wickets – 137, Economy – 7.07

Harbhajan Singh is the live-wire of IPL. He has been a consistent performer first for MI and now for CSK. He has been both an economical as well as a strike-bowler in IPL cricket. His best performance in IPL came against CSK when he took 5 for 18 in IPL 2011.

The champion off spinner could be used as a bowler in the powerplay too. Harbhajan has won matches for Mumbai with his bat with some lusty hitting at the end.

Harbhajan is the off-spinner in this team.

Amit Mishra

Amit Mishra - Playing in the IPL for ages

Matches – 137, Wickets – 148, Economy – 7.41

Amit Mishra is the second highest wicket-taker in IPL history. Playing in the third match of his IPL career, he took 5 wickets against Deccan Chargers. He was a part of Delhi Capitals at that time.

For a bowler who has played in 137 IPL matches, an economy rate of 7.41 is exceptional. Besides, Mishra is a wicket-taking option in the middle overs.

Amit Mishra is the second spinner in the team.

#5. The Fast bowlers

Ishant Sharma

Ishant Sharma - The fast bowler from India who has lasted the distance

Matches – 78, Wickets – 61 Economy – 8.22

Ishant Sharma opened the bowling for KKR in the very first match of IPL history. He finished with excellent figures of 3 -0-7-1. After playing IPL for 10 years, he went unsold in 2018. However, he must thank the Delhi franchise for his return to IPL this year. Apart from being in the thick of the action, it has given an opportunity for Ishant to impress upon the selectors as the fourth seam bowling option for India in the World Cup.

Ishant is one of the very few Indian fast bowlers who survived the 12 years of IPL, the other one being Dhawal Kulkarni.

Ishant Sharma is the Indian fast bowler in this team.

Lasith Malinga

Lasith Malinga - The only surviving overseas fast bowler from the inaugural IPL

Matches – 111, Wickets - 154, Economy – 6.93

Lasith Malinga is the only overseas fast bowler from the inaugural edition of IPL who is still around. In IPL 2008, he was originally in the Mumbai Indians squad and had to withdraw later due to injury.

Malinga is the highest wicket-taker in IPL history. He is also the most economical bowler in IPL history. From 2009 to 2013, Malinga had taken 103 wickets in IPL. He has won many matches for MI with his individual brilliance. Besides, he was the mentor for bowlers like Jasprit Bumrah.

In IPL 2018, Malinga joined Mumbai as their bowling mentor. However, he is back as a player for Mumbai Indians for the ongoing edition of IPL.

Lasith Malinga is the overseas fast bowler in this team.

Players who missed out

Yuvraj Singh, Dinesh Karthik, Shikhar Dhawan, Robin Uthappa, Yusuf Pathan, Dhawal Kulkarni, Manish Pandey and Ajinkya Rahane