Sachin Tendulkar and AB de Villiers miss out on Cricinfo's all-time IPL XI
BCCI
Cricinfo announced their all-time IPL XI but surprisingly both Sachin Tendulkar and AB de Villiers failed to make the cut. While the website included all the usual suspects, the list raised more questions around who didn't make the cut rather than who was actually picked in the playing XI.
Cricinfo picked 31 nominees from the entire list of players after six weeks of intense voting by their readers before a 17-member panel that comprised of five former Test players and few of their staff members picked the playing XI.
For the opening slot, Cricinfo picked two batsmen who would put the fear of god into any team - Chris Gayle and Virender Sehwag. The West Indian is seventh on the list of highest run-getters in IPL history with 3,626 runs at an incredible average of 41.20 and a strike rate of 151.20. Sehwag, on the other hand, played in the IPL for eight seasons and before retiring had accumulated 2,728 at a strike rate of 155.44.
The three following slots are filled with legends of the IPL with Virat Kohli, Suresh Raina, and Rohit Sharma expected to do what they do best - score runs. The trio top the all-time run-scoring IPL table accounting for an aggregate of over 13,000 runs. While Kohli (37.44) has the highest average, Raina (139.05) possesses the highest strike rate.
For the wicketkeeping position, there was never going to be anyone except MS Dhoni, who unsurprisingly was given the captaincy role as well. The former Indian captain has over 3,500 runs to his name at an astonishing average of 38.18.
The panel picked just two out-and-out bowlers in the list with Sri Lankan legend Lasith Malinga leading the line. Malinga has picked a record 154 wickets in his 109 matches at a rate of 18.87. To partner 'Slinga', Cricinfo chose to go with Bhuvneshwar Kumar who has played just seven seasons in the league but has already picked up 111 wickets.
For the all-rounder role, the panel decided to pick two West Indians to accompany a localite in the team, with R Ashwin being joined by Dwayne Bravo and Sunil Narine. The selected all-rounders have an aggregate of 333 wickets along with 1717 runs.
The exclusion of Sachin Tendulkar is slightly confusing because not only has the Indian legend scored over 2,300 runs, he has done it at an average of 34.83. The entire panel, however, unanimously picked AB de Villiers as their 12th man owing to his 3473 runs at a rate of 38.16.
However, Cricinfo has also released a list without the overseas player restriction and the playing XI include the likes of David Warner, Shane Watson, and AB de Villiers.
All-time XI (with restrictions) : 1. Chris Gayle, 2. Virender Sehwag, 3. Virat Kohli, 4. Suresh Raina, 5. Rohit Sharma, 6. MS Dhoni (capt & wk), 7. Dwayne Bravo, 8. Sunil Narine, 9. R Ashwin, 10. Bhuvneshwar Kumar, 11. Lasith Malinga
All-time XI (without restrictions) : 1. Chris Gayle, 2. David Warner, 3. Virat Kohli, 4. Suresh Raina, 5. AB de Villiers, 6. Shane Watson, 7. MS Dhoni, 8. Dwayne Bravo, 9. Sunil Narine, 10. Bhuvneshwar Kumar, 11. Lasith Malinga
