IPL 2019: The all-time XI of players who will play this season
The 12th season of the Indian Premier League is upon us. It seems only yesterday that the BCCI took this revolutionary step which ended up changing the landscape of the Indian cricket. It not only made cricketers billionaires, but also helped to develop them in all aspects of the game.
IPL 12 promises to be yet another blockbuster. It will be yet another platform for talent to meet opportunities. Although the main focus has been the ICC Cricket World Cup 2019, IPL has its own place in the hearts of all the cricketing fans. It is one of the biggest cricket carnivals, which all the players, officials, and broadcasters keenly look forward to.
So, ahead of the season opener, let's build an all-time IPL 11 with the players who will play the 2019 season. It will not contain the players who will not play this season and those who have already retired. It will contain seven Indians and four overseas players.
#1 Chris Gayle
3994 runs in 111 innings; Average: 41.47; Strike Rate: 150.71; 50/100: 24/6; 4s/6s: 324/292
Chris Gayle needs no introduction. The world knows that he is the king of T20 cricket. He has the ability to demolish every bowling attack. However, the Jamaican did not enjoy a particularly good stint with the Kolkata Knight Riders in the 2009 and 2010 seasons, scoring just 463 in runs in the two seasons combined.
He went unsold in the 2011 season but when Dirk Nannes of Royal Challengers Bangalore was injured, Gayle was roped in as a replacement. It was quite a turnaround. He went on to win the Orange Cap in two consecutive seasons and then there was no looking back.
The 39-year old now holds the record of most number of sixes and centuries in the history of the tournament. In fact, he also holds the record of the highest individual score in the IPL, which is 175 not out.
Although after an average 2017 season, he was released by the RCB and then he was picked up the Kings XI Punjab for a meagre two crores in 2018. He did prove his worth at the beginning of the season but tapered off towards the end. However, with the kind of form he is in, bowlers will have to be wary of his abilities.