IPL 2023: Best combined MI-CSK XI of the season

Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings are two of the most dominant franchises in the history of the Indian Premier League. In the 15 editions of the cash-rich league played thus far, MI have won the competition on five occasions whereas CSK have been crowned champions four times. However, in the last season, the two marquee teams were nowhere close to their vintage self and could just win four of the 14 games at the league stage. MI and CSK would like to put their best foot forward in the upcoming season and vindicate themselves. Both teams are studded with top-drawer players who can change the game in the favour of their side and thus, it would not be a surprise if either of them goes all the way in IPL 2023. Let us form a super team consisting of players from the two top IPL franchises. Here is the best combined MI-CSK XI of IPL 2023 1. Ruturaj Gaikwad Ruturaj Gaikwad has been a run-bank in the cash-rich league. The 25-year-old made his IPL debut in 2020 and has aggregated 1207 runs in 36 matches for Chennai Super Kings at a strike rate of 130.35. He has been rock solid at the top and provided his side with brisk starts. Gaikwad held the innings together and shepherded the innings beautifully. His presence at the crease allowed stroke makers to play with freedom. The ace batter has also shown the aggressive aspect of his game and taken top-quality attacks to the cleaners. However, Gaikwad had a middling season in the 15th edition of the IPL. He featured in 14 matches and could manage only 368 runs at a strike rate of 126.46. The CSK management would hope the elegant batter brings his A-game into play in the upcoming season. 2. Rohit Sharma Rohit Sharma is one of the finest opening batters in world cricket and has amassed a truckload of runs across formats. The ace batter has featured in 148 T20Is and aggregated 3853 runs at a strike rate of 139.24. In the ODIs, he has featured in 233 matches and scored 9376 runs at a strike rate of 89.18. The 35-year-old has also been prolific in the IPL arena as well and notched up 5879 runs at a strike rate of 129.89. The flamboyant batter has all the shots in the book and has dismantled bowling attacks for fun with his effortless stroke play. Besides Rohit’s batting might, he has a calm head on his shoulders and has proven his leadership might in the lucrative T20 tournament time and time again. The right-hand batter has led Mumbai Indians to five IPL titles, making them the most successful team in the history of the competition. 3. Suryakumar Yadav Suryakumar Yadav has taken the T20 circuit by storm with his exploits on the cricket field. Be it the international arena or Indian Premier League, he has destroyed top-quality bowling attacks with his 360-degree stroke play and stamped his authority on the game. Suryakumar has made 45 appearances for India in the shortest format and smashed 1578 runs at a stunning strike rate of 180.34. Coming to the cash-rich league, he has amassed 2644 runs in 123 matches at a strike rate of 136.78. The 32-year-old has been an integral part of Mumbai Indians. Slotting in at the top order, Suryakumar has taken the attack to the opposition right from the get-go and shifted the game in favour of his side. He was phenomenal in the last season as well, scoring 303 runs in eight games at a strike rate of 145.67. 4. Moeen Ali Moeen Ali has been a prominent figure in the T20 circuit. The 35-year-old has featured in 263 matches in the shortest format and 5601 runs at a strike rate of 142.46. On the bowling front, he has bagged 175 wickets at an economy of 7.65. The England all-rounder has proven his mettle in the IPL arena too. Moeen has put up an exhibition of his swashbuckling stroke play and has smashed 910 runs in 44 matches at a strike rate of 143.99. Also, he has taken 24 wickets in those outings. CSK signed Moeen at the 2021 IPL auction and the southpaw has been associated with the franchise since then. He has been a game-changer for Chennai with both bat and ball and also did a good job in the last season. The ace all-rounder scored 244 runs in 10 matches at a strike rate of 137.85 and bagged eight scalps at an economy of 6.63. He would look to carry on the good work for the four-time IPL champions. 5. Ben Stokes Ben Stokes is arguably the best all-rounder in world cricket at the moment. He has been a match-winner for England across formats, with both bat and ball. Talking about the T20Is, the 31-year-old has scored 533 runs at a strike rate of 130.63 and picked up 25 wickets at an economy of 8.40. Stokes has also set the IPL arena ablaze with his jaw-dropping performances. The Christchurch-born has featured in 43 games and scored 920 runs at a strike rate of 134.50. Also, he has picked up 28 scalps at an economy of 8.56 in those outings. Chennai Super Kings went hammer and tongs to sign the ace all-rounder at the IPL 2023 auction and eventually grabbed him at an insane sum of INR 16.25 crore. The team management would hope that the England all-rounder put up an all-round show in the coming season. 6. Ravindra Jadeja Ravindra Jadeja has been a giant of a player in the lucrative T20 tournament. The ace all-rounder has featured in 210 matches and scored 2502 runs at a strike rate of 127.59. On the bowling front, he has picked up 132 wickets at an economy of 7.61. Jadeja has been associated with Chennai Super Kings since 2012 and has been an important member of the side. He has been entrusted to play the role of a finisher and has done it to perfection. Further, the 34-year-old has strangled batters with his consistent lines and lengths and provided timely breakthroughs to his side. However, Jadeja was nowhere close to his best in the 15th IPL edition. He could only manage to score 116 runs in 10 games at a strike rate of 118.37 and took only five scalps in those outings. The southpaw would be itching to put up an improved show in the forthcoming season. 7. MS Dhoni MS Dhoni is one of the greatest Indian cricketers to have played the game. Be it in the international arena or the Indian Premier League, the 41-year-old has dismantled bowling attacks for fun with his marauding bat and made cricket his happy hunting ground. Dhoni has featured in 234 IPL games and notched up 4978 runs at a strike rate of 135.20. Also, the veteran cricketer is a shrewd leader and under his leadership, CSK has emerged as the most consistent team in IPL history, having won the tournament on four occasions and finishing as the runners-up five times. Though Dhoni is at the twilight of his career, he showed glimpses of brilliance with the bat in the last season and scored 232 runs in 14 games at a strike rate of 123.40. The 16th IPL edition is speculated to be the legendary cricketer’s final season and if so, the wicketkeeper-batter will be eager to conclude his glorious career with a title triumph. 8. Deepak Chahar Deepak Chahar has been a consistent performer in the cash-rich league. The 30-year-old has made the ball talk at the start of the innings and has been a tone-setter with the new ball, providing his side with early breakthroughs. Also, he is more than handy with the bat and played crucial knocks slotting in at lower down the order. Chahar has featured in 63 IPL games and bagged 59 wickets at an economy of 7.8. With the bat, he has smashed 79 runs at a strike rate of 138.60. He has proven his mettle in the international arena, taking 29 wickets at an economy of 8.17 and scoring 53 runs at a strike rate of 203.84. CSK went bonkers to re-sign the Indian pacer at the 2022 mega auction and acquired him at a whopping sum of INR 14 crore. However, the investment could not bear fruit as Chahar missed the tournament due to a back injury. The bowling all-rounder would be itching to make a mark in the upcoming IPL season. 9. Jofra Archer Jofra Archer has been a bankable name in the shortest format of the game. The 27-year-old has featured in 121 T20 games and bagged 153 scalps at an economy of 7.65. Further, he is no muck with the bat and has hammered 551 runs at a strike rate of 147.72. Archer has displayed his bowling might in the lucrative T20 tournament. He has rattled batters with his fiery pace and bagged 46 scalps at an economy of 7.13. Also, he has played handy knocks with the bat and smashed 195 runs at a strike rate of 157.26. Mumbai Indians signed Archer at the 2022 mega auction at INR 8 crore but the speedster could not feature in the previous edition due to an elbow injury. He is all set to appear for the 2023 season and the think tank would hope the England pacer wrecks havoc with the ball. 10. Jasprit Bumrah Jasprit Bumrah is among the finest seamers in white-ball cricket. He has made 60 appearances for India in the shortest format and bagged 70 wickets at an economy of 6.63, which is quite brilliant, considering he bowls a lot at the fag end of the innings. Bumrah has breathed fire in the cash-rich league. The ace pacer has been lethal with the new ball and simply impeccable in the slog overs. He has featured in 120 IPL games and picked up 145 wickets at an economy of 7.39. Bumrah has been Mumbai Indians’ go-to man with the ball when in need of wickets and the right-arm pacer has delivered the goods on most occasions. However, he did not perform as per his lofty standards in IPL 2022 and took 15 wickets in 14 games. The think tank would expect their premier pacer to be at his best in the coming edition. 11. Maheesh Theekshana Maheesh Theekshana has been a regular feature for Sri Lanka in the shortest format of the game. The 22-year-old has played 35 T20Is and picked up 32 scalps at an economy of 6.79. He has bamboozled batters with his variations and provided his side with timely breakthroughs. Theekshana is one of the rare breeds of spinners who have learned the art of bowling both in the powerplay and the death overs. This makes him a valuable addition to any side. Chennai Super Kings acquired the services of the mystery spinner at the 2022 mega auction and the Colombo-born weaved his magic with the ball. Theekshana featured in nine games and took 12 wickets at an economy of 7.46. CSK liked what they saw in the Sri Lankan spinner and retained him for the 2023 season. The youngster would look to repay the faith of the franchise and put up a show with the ball.

IPL 2023: Best combined MI-CSK XI of the season

Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings are two of the most successful franchises in the history of the Indian Premier League.

11. Maheesh Theekshana