With IPL 2020 now wrapped up, cricket experts and pundits have been brainstorming about the Strongest IPL XI from the season. Keeping that in mind, former India cricketer Aakash Chopra has picked his best XI of the tournament with KXIP skipper KL Rahul as both Wicket-Keeper and as a Captain.
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Rahul had a terrific season with the bat as he finished as the highest run-getter scoring 670 runs in 14 innings, averaging 55.83, and clobbering a hundred and 5 fifties.
Among the big names who missed out the list include – David Warner (SRH), Virat Kohli (RCB) and Hardik Pandya (MI).
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“I have kept KL Rahul at the top. He has the Orange Cap and is also an amazing player. It is not easy to score 670 runs in a season, especially when your team does not qualify, and you get to play only 14 matches. He is also going to keep wickets and be the captain of my team,” said Aakash Chopra in a video posted on his YouTube channel.
Opening alongside KL Rahul is Shikhar Dhawan who clobbered two back-to-back centuries this season and emerged as the leading run-getter for Delhi Capitals. Not to mention, the southpaw’s clutch performance in the last league match against RCB and Qualifiers-2 against SRH which eventually got DC to the finals.
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At No 3 and 4, Ishan Kishan and Suryakumar Yadav fit in. The duo had a remarkable season in UAE as they hammered over 450 runs each and played a key role in MI’s batting order.
“At No.4, I have Suryakumar Yadav. He has been very very good, consistent, and aggressive throughout the tournament. He played well against pace and spin, in difficult circumstances and with his ability to finish matches and hitting in the powerplay as well,” added the 43-year-old.
For No.5, there was a bit of a confusion regarding Nicholas Pooran and Marcus Stoinis as they both excelled in the opportunities received. While Pooran aggregated 353 runs at a strike rate of 160-plus, Stoinis, on the other hand, had an all-round contribution.
However, Aakash opted for AB de Villiers as the Protea cricketer had carried RCB on a number of occasions in IPL 2020, followed by all-rounder Rahul Tewatia, who came into limelight with his 31-ball 53 versus KXIP that comprised 5 sixes in an over.
In the bowling department, the first pick was Afghani spinner Rashid Khan and another leggie in form of Yuzvendra Chahal for their heroic exhibitions in leading SRH and RCB to playoffs respectively. The former picked 20 wickets at an economy of 5.37 while the latter scaled 21 at an economy of 7.08.
Among pacers, he picked the trio of Jofra Archer, Jasprit Bumrah, and Kagiso Rabada.
Rabada finished as the Purple Cap holder with a staggering 30 scalps in 17 innings at an average of 18.26. Archer was adjudged as the ‘Player of the Series’ for 113 runs and 20 wickets. Bumrah surfaced as the highest wicket-taker for MI and second overall in the tournament with 27 dismissals at a jaw-dropping average of 14.96.
Aakash Chopra’s Best XI from IPL 2020 –
- 1.KL Rahul (KXIP
- Shikhar Dhawan (DC)
- Ishan Kishan (MI)
- Suryakumar Yadav (MI)
- AB de Villiers (RCB)
- Rahul Tewatia (RR)
- Rashid Khan (SRH)
- Yuzvendra Chahal (RCB)
- Jofra Archer (RR)
- Jasprit Bumrah (MI)
- Kagiso Rabada (DC)
