IPL 2023: Best XI from the teams that failed to qualify for the playoffs

The league stage of the ongoing IPL 2023 culminated on Sunday, May 21, with two thrilling encounters.

Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) ended up at the foot of the table after their loss against the Mumbai Indians (MI). It was a must-win encounter for MI, who then needed Gujarat Titans (GT) to beat the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB).

Unfortunately for RCB, they endured a last-over defeat against the table-toppers Gujarat and were eliminated from the tournament. As a result, MI pipped RCB to qualify for the knockout stages.

Gujarat Titans (GT), Chennai Super Kings (CSK), Lucknow Super Giants (LSG), and Mumbai Indians (MI) have emerged as the top four teams in this year's Indian Premier League.

Mumbai Indians have booked the 4th spot in IPL 2023 playoffs 🔥

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However, apart from the aforementioned franchises, the six remaining teams also played some exhilarating cricket throughout the league phase. Although they failed to put in consistent performances as a unit, some individuals outshone everyone and were spectacular in their respective departments.

On that note, let's take a look at the Best combined XI from the teams that failed to qualify for the playoffs.

Openers - Faf du Plessis (C) and Yashasvi Jaiswal

Yashasvi Jaiswal kissing his bat after a ton vs MI [IPLT20]

Faf du Plessis and Yashasvi Jaiswal open the innings for this team. Two players who are at contrasting ends of their careers, both Faf and Jaiswal were truly amazing for their respective franchise in IPL 2023.

While Faf recorded the most fifties (8) in the league phase of the tournament, he also ended up as the highest run-getter after the 70 group-stage matches. The South African mustered 730 runs at an average of 56.1.

Faf is also the captain of this hypothetical team.

Jaiswal, meanwhile, was perhaps the find of the season. The uncapped 21-year-old youngster outshone most of the world-beating batters in the league, including his partner Jos Buttler as well.

The left-hander scored 625 runs at a phenomenal strike rate of over 163 for Rajasthan Royals (RR). He also recorded his maiden IPL hundred before registering the fastest-ever IPL fifty (in 13 balls vs KKR).

Middle-order - Virat Kohli, Glenn Maxwell, Heinrich Klassen (WK), and Rinku Singh

Virat Kohli scored two back-to-back hundreds in IPL 2023 [IPLT20]

For the 16th season running, Virat Kohli's dream to lift the IPL remained unfulfilled. However, as a batter, he fired on all cylinders and was the best RCB batter alongside Faf du Plessis.

The former RCB captain ended his campaign with 639 runs at an average of 53.25, including six fifties. He also clobbered two back-to-back hundreds, asserting his dominance in most of the games for RCB.

Another RCB player to include in this list is none other than Glenn Maxwell. The 'Fab 3' of Faf, Kohli and Maxwell carried the Bangalore franchise all through the season and kept dishing out performances regularly.

6️⃣3️⃣9️⃣ runs this season🌪
2️⃣ Centuries in #IPL2023 🔥
7️⃣ #TATAIPL 💯s overall
1️⃣ #KingKohli

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Maxwell breached the 400-run tally only for the third time in his 11-year-long IPL career. The Australian hard-hitter averaged 33.33 and at a strike rate of over 183 in IPL 2023. He also struck five fifties, Maxwell's second-most in any IPL campaign.

Rinku Singh did his magic for KKR in IPL 2023

At No. 5 is SRH's Heinrich Klassen, who will also keep wickets for this team. The South African batter was also nothing less than exceptional for SRH, a team that underperformed largely.

Klassen always was the savior for the Hyderabad franchise, scoring 448 in just 11 innings, that too, at a strike rate of over 177. The next best batter for SRH was Rahul Tripathi with just 273 runs in 13 innings.

KKR's Rinku Singh completes the middle order of the team. The left-hander, who was on the fringes of the team for a few years now, finally showcased his prowess in front of the world. He gave fans arguably the moment of the IPL 2023 when he smashed five consecutive sixes to help KKR script a historic run-chase vs GT.

Rinku has grown into a striking finisher and single-handedly won KKR games on multiple occasions. In total, the 25-year-old amassed 476 runs at a phenomenal average of just below 60 and at a strike rate of 149.53.

Spinners - Axar Patel, Varun Chakravarthy and Yuzvendra Chahal

Axar Patel and Yuzvendra Chahal had a terrific IPL 2023 [IPLT20]

Klassen outshone everyone in SRH and Axar Patel did the same in the Delhi Capitals (DC) camp. The all-rounder, who has been in his best run of form, especially with the bat, registered 283 runs at an average of over 28 while batting lower down the order.

Axar was the second-highest run-getter for DC this season and also picked up the second-most wickets in the campaign for DC. Scalping 11 times across 13 innings, Axar's economy rate of 7.19 was also the best among all DC bowlers.

Some old friendships and some new. Two months filled with emotions and memories that will stay with me for a lifetime! 💗

Whether we lose, whether we win, we continue to back each other and we continue to smile. Glad to call this as my family! 🫂

See you in 2024,… twitter.com/i/web/status/1… https://t.co/S9bsx1VMD9

Moving onto the proper bowlers, Varun Chakravarthy and Yuzvendra Chahal had a terrific IPL 2023. The two tweakers ended their campaigns being amongst the top five wicket-takers in the league.

KKR's Chakravarthy had a poor IPL 2022 but rose to the occasion this time around and was the best bowler for Kolkata. He took 20 scalps at an average of 21.45 across 14 innings, his best-ever tally in any IPL season.

Yuzvendra Chahal, meanwhile, continued from where he left off in IPL 2022 and continued his wicket-taking spree for Rajasthan. The leg-spinner ended the league phase of IPL 2023 as the second-highest leading wicket-taker with 21 wickets at an average of 20.57.

Apart from being an enforcer in the middle overs, Chahal also took up some death bowling duties. He took 11 of his 21 wickets of the season in the overs between 16-20.

Pacers - Trent Boult and Mohammed Siraj

Mohammed Siraj was exceptional for RCB [IPLT20]

The two pacers in the XI would be Trent Boult and Mohammed Siraj. The two speedsters were truly amazing for their respective franchises. Both did the majority of the damage with the new ball, inflicting crucial blows for their teams early in the innings.

Boult, in his second season with RR, took 13 wickets across ten innings at a great strike rate of under 18 and at an economy rate of 8.21. Although RR preferred Adam Zampa over Boult on some slower surfaces, Boult was more often than not successful whenever he played.

19 wickets in 14 matches at an economy of 7.50.

10 Powerplay wickets at an economy of under 6.

An economy rate of 7.14 after bowing 28 overs at the Chinnaswamy.

A word of appreciation for Mohammed Siraj. https://t.co/uxNNCC0yLQ

At No. 11 is RCB's sensational pacer in Mohammed Siraj. Alongside Mohammed Shami of GT, Siraj was the best Indian pacer in the tournament. Siraj bowled his heart out in almost all fixtures and also displayed some exhilarating displays of fast bowling.

Like Boult, he also found success in giving his side flying starts in most of the matches and claimed a total of 19 wickets at an average of under 20. Despite bowling tough overs for his side, Siraj's economy rate of 7.5 was also laudable.

Best XI from the Teams who failed to Qualify in the IPL 2023 Play-offs

Faf du Plessis (c), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Virat Kohli, Glenn Maxwell, Heinrich Klassen (wk), Rinku Singh, Axar Patel, Trent Boult, Varun Chakravarthy, Yuzvendra Chahal and Mohammed Siraj.