3 most iconic trios in franchise cricket history

T20 cricket has transformed the sport into its modern-day version. The hustle and bustle of the shortest format has drastically changed several aspects of the game.

Test cricket traditionalists have accused the shortest format of ruining the legacy of the game, but T20 cricket does come with its own set of pros.

T20 leagues across the countries have seen players play more frequently in foreign lands. That has allowed batters and bowlers to master a variety of skills instead of sticking to their own country's demands.

Over the course of the last few years, we have seen some sensational duos and trios in various teams. Here, we look at five of the most iconic trios in the history of franchise cricket.

#1 Virat Kohli, Chris Gayle, and AB de Villiers - RCB

Gayle and Kohli along with ABD formed a fearsome trio

The first names that come to mind when one thinks of RCB are Virat Kohli, Chris Gayle, and AB de Villiers. This has to be one of the most iconic trios, if not the most, to have featured in a team.

Over the years, fans have gotten used to seeing Gayle open the innings and smash the bowlers to all parts of the ground, Kohli playing some ridiculously good innings and ABD playing in a manner in which only he can.

While Gayle and de Villiers have retired from the IPL, Kohli is still a part of the franchise and was the captain of the Bengaluru-based franchise until Faf du Plessis took over in 2022.

#2 Rashid Khan, Haris Rauf, and Shaheen Shah Afridi - Lahore Qalandars

An unplayable mystery spinner who can smack the ball, a proper quick bowler, and another pacer who can swing the ball and can also hit a few sixes is a combination that every team would want. Lahore Qalandars, a franchise in the Pakistan Super League, possesses this combination courtesy of Rashid Khan, Haris Rauf, and Shaheen Shah Afridi.

@rashidkhan_19 @HarisRauf14 #Level hai😎 https://t.co/YPgFWqCUcA

The opposition would already be aware that 12 of the 20 overs will be bowled by the trio, which is a massive mental barrier. The trio helped their franchise win the PSL in 2022. The Qalandars have won two out of their three games so far in this year's PSL.

#3 MS Dhoni, Suresh Raina, and Ravindra Jadeja

Dhoni, Raina and Jadeja were at the heart of CSK for a long time

They say that good domestic talent is extremely important when it comes to franchise cricket, and Chennai Super Kings at one point in time had a priceless trio to boast about.

MS Dhoni is arguably the best captain to have ever played the game, and a feared finisher. Suresh Raina was as reliable a batter as one could get and was the leading run-scorer in the league for quite a while. Ravindra Jadeja was (still is) one of the best all-rounders going around.

The trio won many games and championships for CSK and their camaraderie on the field was something fans enjoyed seeing. While Raina has retired from the IPL, Jadeja, and Dhoni are still a part of CSK and will soon be seen in yellow.