AB de Villiers picks his all-time IPL XI; picks MS Dhoni as the skipper
AB de Villiers picked Dhoni ahead of Rohit or Virat for captaincy
|IPL
South African legend and RCB star AB de Villiers named his all-time IPL XI and picked MS Dhoni as captain of the side ahead of Virat Kohli or Rohit Sharma. The RCB batsman also left out the likes of Suresh Raina and Lasith Malinga, two of the most prolific players in the league's history.
Rohit Sharma is the most successful IPL skipper and that too by a country mile. He has led the MI franchise to five title wins. He's followed by MS Dhoni, who has won three IPL titles with Chennai Super Kings. However, for former Proteas skipper AB de Villiers, MS Dhoni remains a superior captain as he named him the skipper of his all-time IPL XI ahead of Rohit Sharma or his RCB skipper and good friend Virat Kohli, who's yet to win an IPL title.
Ahead of the 2021 IPL that commences from April 9, AB de Villiers picked his all-time IPL XI and stated that he would like to open the innings with Virender Sehwag and Rohit Sharma followed by Virat Kohli. He decided to leave out Suresh Raina from the XI.
"Last night I was thinking that if I pick my IPL XI and I include myself, how bad would that look. So, opening the batting, I would pick someone whom I started with at Delhi, Viru (Virender Sehwag) at 1 and someone who I think has played some of the best cricket in the world in the last five years, Rohit at No. 2," De Villiers told Cricbuzz, reported India Today.
At four, he stated that either Kane Williamson or Steven Smith comes in. He picked Ben Stokes, MS Dhoni and Ravindra Jadeja for the middle-lower-order roles. While his bowling line-up contains one leg spinner in the form of Rashid Khan with three pacers in the XI.
"Then obviously Virat at No. 3, followed by I’d say either Williamson, or Smith, or myself these are the two replacements. Ben Stokes at 5, MS at six as captain, and at No. 7, I’d put Jaddu, Mr. Jadeja. Rashid Khan at 8, Bhuvi at 9, Kagiso Rabada at 10 and Bumrah at 11," de Villiers said.
AB de Villiers' all-time IPL XI: Virender Sehwag, Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Kane Williamson/Steve Smith/AB de Villiers, Ben Stokes, MS Dhoni (C and WK), Ravindra Jadeja, Rashid Khan, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Kagiso Rabada, Jasprit Bumrah
