Brad Hogg picks his best XI of IPL 2021; leaves out Purple Cap holder Harshal Patel
Brad Hogg selected his best IPL XI from the first 29 games of the 2021 season. Interestingly, his team did not have a place for Harshal Patel - the season's most successful bowler.
Speaking on his YouTube channel, Hogg assigned the reins of his best XI to Delhi Capitals (DC) skipper Rishabh Pant. His DC teammates Prithvi Shaw and Shikhar Dhawan secured the two opener spots.
Rajasthan Royals captain Sanju Samson earned the number three position. All three batsmen were present in the top five of the Orange Cap leaderboard before IPL 2021 got suspended.
Pant and AB de Villiers were at number four and five, while the all-rounders' section comprised Chennai Super Kings stalwarts Ravindra Jadeja and Sam Curran. Both Jadeja and Curran played a vital role in CSK's success during the first half of the 2021 season.
Hogg preferred to have two leg-spin bowlers in his XI. He selected Sunrisers Hyderabad's Rashid Khan and Mumbai Indians' (MI) Rahul Chahar.
Although Jasprit Bumrah could not match his IPL 2020 performances, the MI star got a place in Hogg's team. DC fast bowler Avesh Khan completed the XI.
Brad Hogg's best XI of IPL 2021: Prithvi Shaw, Shikhar Dhawan, Sanju Samson, Rishabh Pant (c and wk), AB de Villiers, Ravindra Jadeja, Sam Curran, Rashid Khan, Rahul Chahar, Avesh Khan, Jasprit Bumrah.
Some big names missed out on a spot in Brad Hogg's best IPL 2021 XI
While Brad Hogg's best XI looked strong, the former Australian wrist-spinner ignored a few other top performers of the season. He did not pick the highest wicket-taker, Harshal Patel, and the second-highest run-scorer, KL Rahul.
Not a single player from Kolkata Knight Riders or Punjab Kings got a place in the XI as well. Even Hogg's compatriot Glenn Maxwell, who performed brilliantly for the Royal Challengers Bangalore, did not receive a spot.
According to reports, IPL 2021 could resume in the second half of the year. It will be interesting to see if the players present in Hogg's XI could continue performing well.