The best XI of the IPL for 2018
Looking at the final IPL squads, we have attempted to compile the best XI of the IPL 2018 based on player form, player influence and the reputation of the player in T20, previous editions of the IPL and in T20 internationals.
The IPL has yielded tonnes of talent over the years, more recently producing the likes of Hardik Pandya and Jasprit Bumrah, enriching Indian cricket in the shorter format and putting franchise T20 in the limelight while also making it popular in the first place, leading to the creation of leagues such as the the CPL, PSL and BPL. Here we put together the best XI a team could hope to have ahead of the IPL in 2018. We have not included banned or injured players on this list, ruling out players such as David Warner and Mitchell Starc, who I originally chose for a place in this XI. IPL players' whose best is almost certainly past them, such as Chris Gayle, were not considered as this is a team for 2018.
Openers
The openers, however, are more difficult to choose. Due to the flexibility, Virat Kohli gives the rest of the batting line-up, we decided to go with one classical-minded opener and one ultra-aggressive opener.
Rohit Sharma and Gautam Gambhir, of the Delhi Daredevils, seem to be the obvious options for the classical opening slot, while the more aggressive opening players in contention are Chris Lynn and Aaron Finch.
For the first spot, we though Gautam Gambhir would be the better choice due to him being left-handed, but Rohit is an opener for the national team and is overall more consistent, with a T20I average of 30.86 including two hunderds, so we chose Mumbai Indians captain Rohit Sharma.
For the aggressive opener, we chose Kolkata's Chris Lynn due to his immediate and dynamic impact on the IPL last year, where he averaged 49.16 at a strike rate of 180.96, while Punjab batsman Aaron Finch has been less consistent in the IPL, despite being in good international form in the ODI format.