We are at the fag end of this year’s IPL with only 2 games left, the qualifier 2 and the final match. Yes, we know that you are feeling a bit gloomy as the IPL is coming to an end and it will again happen next year in April which is almost a year away. Honestly, even we are sad because of it, after all, IPL in India is a festival, the festival of cricket and quite rightly, in the 2016 edition the tagline for IPL was “Ye Hai India ka Tyohaar”
Since IPL is about to end, it is the best time when we all do a fun activity that is we make our own playing 11 which we think is the best based on the IPL which is about to end or has just ended. here in this article, we are going to make our playing 11 which we think is the best based on IPL 15.
We will list down our playing 11 keeping in mind the IPL rules and cricket dynamics in general. also, we are going to build this playing 11 based on the batting positions the players have batted and the type of roles they have performed for their respective franchises. we will also provide stats to justify our selection.
So without further delay let’s get started!
Top Order Batsmen (Openers and #3)
1. Jos Buttler, KL Rahul, and Rahul Tripathi
Jos Buttler’s inclusion is a no brainer as the orange cap holder (for sure) of IPL 15 tops almost every list when it comes to batting be it the most number of runs (718), the most number of fours (68), the most number of sixes (39), the most number of centuries (3)! Jos Buttler has hit 450 as well and his average in this tournament is 51.29 at a strike rate of 148.35! Mind-boggling, isn’t it?
KL Rahul has yet again produced a stellar season with 616 runs, second only to Joss Butler at a strike rate of 135.38 with 2 centuries and 4 half-centuries. His batting average this season is 51.33.
Many cricket fans and experts got amused and bewildered when Rahul Tripathi’s name didn’t show up in India’s squad for the t 20 series against South Africa. that’s how much a good season Rahul Tripathi has had for Sunrisers Hyderabad this year. Rahul Tripathi holds the record for the most number of runs by an uncapped Indian player in IPL so far and he was a star in the SRH batting lineup batting at number 3. His numbers are- 413 runs at an average of 37.55 and a strike rate of 158.24 with 3 fifties.
Middle Order Batsmen (#4 and #5)
2. Hardik Pandya (C), Liam Livingstone
Drafted by the new franchise Gujarat Titans before the auction, quite a few eyebrows were raised Hardik Pandya was made the franchise’s captain given the fact that he has never captained a squad before and his form both batting and bowling was on a downward spiral due to injuries.
But Hardik has silenced all the critics with his super impressive positive attitude captaincy that helped Gujarat Titans reach the finals in their debut season plus Hardik has found his mojo back batting at number 4 as he has piled up a total of 453 runs at a healthy strike rate and also has bowled and taken up wickets. That’s good news for team India!
Livingstone has lived up to the expectations after he was brought for a mammoth 11.5 cr by Punjab kings at the mega auction. As simple as that! In the 14 games that he has played, he has scored 437 runs at a massive strike rate of 182.08 with an average of 36.42 hitting 34 sixes.
Moreover, his right arm spin bowling has also come in handy as he has picked up 6 wickets. did you know he has hit the 1000th six of this year’s IPL and do you remember his 117 meters six against Gujarat Titans? Perfect player for T20 cricket isn’t it?
Hardik Pandya is going to be our captain of this team as well.
Finishers (#6 and #7)
3. Andre Russell and Dinesh Karthik
With 335 runs at a strike rate of 174.48 hitting 32 sixes along the way with the bat and picking up 17 wickets with the ball including 4 wickets in an over, big DreRuss or ‘Muscle Russell’ simply had to be in this team!
DK has been a revelation in this year’s IPL as long story short, he has exceeded everyone’s expectations, and rescued RCB from several tricky and losing situations like ABD used to do. In the process, he has scored 324 runs at a super impressive strike rate of 187.28 and at an average of 64.80 which is the best in this season. This performance has earned him an India call-up as well.
DK and DreRuss make a deadly and dream finishing combo, isn’t it?
DK is going to be the wicketkeeper of this team as well.
Spinners
4. Wanindu Hasaranga and Yuzvendra Chahal
A lot of spinners have made their mark in this year’s IPL be it Rashid Khan, Sunil Narine, Kuldeep Yadav, Ravi Bishnoi, Rahul Chahar, and so on.
But, Wanindu Hasaranga and Yuzvendra Chahal have been the 2 standouts when it comes to the spin department and both of them were as if playing passing the pillow with the purple cap as both were picking up wickets for fun and that’s why we have picked them.
Chahal has picked up 26 wickets at a healthy economy of 7.70 and an impressive average of 17.77. Yuzi has also picked up a hattrick vs KKR whereas Hasaranga Just picked up 25 wickets including a five wickets haul at an average of as good as 16.16 and an economy of 7.62. These 2 bowlers bowling in tandem can spin a web and wreak havoc!
Pacers
5. Harshal Patel and Jasprit Bumrah
Picking the pacers/seamers/fast bowlers was the most difficult task as there were so many to choose from. bowlers like Umran Malik, Arshdeep Singh, and Mohsin Khan have bowled so well that they have earned an India call-up. Avesh Khan has bowled brilliantly as well, then there is Umesh Yadav who has impressed one and all with his superb comeback.
But we have gone for the tried and tested duo of Harshal Patel and Jasprit Burmah. The main reason is they have bowled consistently well throughout the season bowling at the difficult overs that are in the power play and at the death. when you bowl in these overs, you tend to go for a lot of runs but batsmen have found it really tough to score runs off Harshal and Burmah.
Harshal Patel has picked up 19 wickets at an average of 20.05 and an economy of 7.57 which are very good numbers whereas Jasprit Burmah has picked up 15 wickets at an average of 25.53 and an economy of just 7.18. Harshal Patel has bowled As many as 19 dot balls In the game versus KKR which is the highest in IPL whereas Bumrah has the best bowling figures in an innings In this year’s IPL when he conceded only 10 runs and took 5 wickets and bowled 18 dot balls versus KKR at the DY Patil stadium.
Final – best Playing 11 of IPL 2022
Right then, all things discussed here is our final playing 11 with respect to the batting order (* sign indicates foreign player) –
- Jos Buttler *
- KL Rahul
- Rahul Tripathi
- Hardik Pandya (C)
- Liam Livingstone *
- Andre Russell *
- Dinesh Karthik (WK)
- Wanindu Hasaranga *
- Harshal Patel
- Jasprit Bumrah
- Yuzvendra Chahal
Do you agree with this playing 11 and like it? Let us know if you think we have made the perfect 11 and also in case you differ from us in some aspects or regarding some players, then let us know whom would you rather want to have and why.
