IPL 2018: Best XI of Indian players

The Indian players are crucial for any IPL team. They usually form the majority of the core team for any franchise. Given the fact that only four foreigners are allowed to be fielded in the XI, it is very important for any IPL team to have good Indian players. These players often tend to be the difference between the sides and play an important role in the tournament.

Even the franchises are realising the importance of these Indian players and are investing in quality players. In fact, seven out of the eight teams this year have Indian players as their skippers as these guys can also communicate with the local players easily. Some of the Indian players have performed exceptionally well this season.

Here is the Best XI of Indian players this season:

1. KL Rahul | Kings XI Punjab

KL Rahul was not retained by the RCB this season. As a result, he moved to the Kings XI Punjab after they paid him a hefty paycheque of INR 11 crores. Rahul definitely paid back the faith the franchise had in him. After having missed the IPL in 2017, he came back strong this year. He was one of the most elegant players to watch this season. He combined class with aggression to churn out the best possible results for himself and his team.

KL is a definite choice open the innings in the Best XI team. Although many don’t regard him as a great T20 player, his stats speak for themselves. KL has scored 659 runs in 14 games this season at an average of 55. He has tried staying in the middle for as long as possible to extract the most out of the opportunity in hand.

2. Ambati Rayudu | Mumbai Indians

Ambati Rayudu has had his best IPL season this year. Rayudu was entrusted by MS Dhoni to open the innings and he has worked miracles at that slot. However, he is also flexible enough to bat at various different positions. Also, he got into the Indian team as well considering these IPL performances.

Rayudu has been hitting the ball really well and will be a great asset to this Best XI side. KL Rahul and he could give the team just the kind of starts that any team would want. This season, he has scored 602 runs in 16 games at an average of 43. He ended the tournament as the fourth leading run-scorer.

3. Virat Kohli | Royal Challengers Bangalore

Although it might appear from the offset that Virat Kohli didn’t have a great IPL season, he definitely did have one. It is just the kind of standards that he has set for himself that gets the fans expecting more and more from this legend. Even though he wasn’t as consistent as he usually is, a player of his stature could change the game in no time.

Virat just manages to edge out Suryakumar Yadav to make it into this Best XI courtesy some better stats this year. Kohli has scored 530 runs in 14 games this season which is 18 runs more than SKY. Also, he has a fairly better average which stands at about 48.

4. Rishabh Pant | Delhi Daredevils

It definitely hurts when your team ends up last in the league despite your performances being spellbound. This has exactly been the case with Rishabh Pant. He was more than good this season. But all his efforts were wasted just like pouring water into the ocean. Just like KL, he has given his team everything he had but couldn’t see it through the playoffs.

Pant has ended up as the leading run scorer at the end of the league stage with 684 runs at an average of 53. However, Williamson surpassed him later on during the playoff stages. He has attacked the best bowling lineup in SRH in one of the most mind-boggling ways to score his maiden IPL century.

5. MS Dhoni (C) (WK) | Chennai Super Kings

MS Dhoni shut all his critics down with his performances this season. He has probably batted his best season and stunned his own fans with the performances. MSD went back a few years and has realised how brutal he used to be back then. He has just replicated the kind of shots he played back then and is taking the bowlers to the cleaners.

He has been at his destructive best, especially in the game against RCB. MS has won that game for his team single-handedly. MS has also done that against KXIP but just failed to take his team across. The ‘Vintage’ Dhoni is sure to make it to this Best XI and triples as the keeper and the captain. In the 16 games this year, he has scored 455 runs at a mammoth average of about 76, the highest this season.

6. Dinesh Karthik | Kolkata Knight Riders

Dinesh Karthik has proved how destructive a T20 player he could be in the Nidahas Trophy final. Ever since then, there has been no looking back for this man. He has led the Knight Riders well and adapted his game according to the situation of the game. He has adjusted beautifully and has had a terrific season.

DK has scored 498 runs in the 15 IPL games he has played this season. He averaged 50 this season and has had a good strike rate. Cushioning MS Dhoni between players like Pant and DK could do MS a world of good and can play with a lot of freedom.

7. Hardik Pandya | Mumbai Indians

Hardik could be used as the floater in this line-up. He can attack the spinners well and take the attack to the opposition. Also, he adds up as a very useful bowler. Pandya was the leading wicket-taker for Mumbai this year ahead of the likes of players like Jasprit Bumrah.

In the 13 games that he played this season, Pandya has scored 260 runs. With the ball, he has picked 18 wickets at an economy just under 9. Having this kind of a depth in the batting, it will allow players like Rishabh Pant and MSD go hard at the top.

8. Kuldeep Yadav | Kolkata Knight Riders

The left-arm chinaman bowler has had a really good IPL season. He was the best Indian spinner and it is a no-brainer for him to make it into the XI. Kuldeep Yadav often applied the breaks on the scoring rate of the opposition in the middle overs to put the pressure on the opposition.

Yadav has picked 17 wickets this year in the 16 games that he has played. He would be leading the spin department in this XI and will have to shoulder some responsibility. His ability to troubles the batsmen with the ball spinning both ways will be a great advantage.

9. Mayank Markande | Mumbai Indians

Mayank Markande will pair up with Kuldeep Yadav in the spin department. He is in this side because of the requirement of another spinner in this Best XI. Moreover, he is the second best Indian spinner this year in the IPL as far as the stats are concerned.

Mayank Markande will have to be on the top of his game as this Best XI has a short-coming of not having a sixth bowling option. This comfort is to be sacrificed when you want to make the best possible XI. In the 14 games this year, he has picked 15 wickets at an average of 25.

10. Siddarth Kaul | Sunrisers Hyderabad

Siddarth Kaul has had a dream season in the IPL this year. He has bowled some of the most important overs for the Sunrisers in crunch situations. Like Rayudu, he was also called into the Indian team on the back of these performances. However, ever since his call to the Indian team, he has failed to deliver as he did earlier.

He ended the season as the third leading wicket-taker which is also the highest amongst the Indians. Sid Kaul picked 21 wickets in 17 games this season. He could bowl at the top in the powerplay and at the death as well. With the kind of form he is in, he could provide his team with some handy and important wickets.

11. Umesh Yadav | Royal Challengers Bangalore

Although this the best available lineup, it is definitely more dependent on the batsmen due to the limitations of the bowlers. Umesh Yadav, who is a brilliant bowler with the new ball hasn’t been effective bowling at the death. He has leaked a lot of runs at the death and hence will have to be used mostly at the top.

He is the second-leading Indian wicket-taker this season with 20 wickets in 14 games at an average of 21. Also, with the kind of pace that he generates, Yadav can be very useful in the powerplay. However, all his overs will have to be bowled out within the 15-over mark.