IPL 2021: Aakash Chopra picks his best XI from bottom four teams

Former Indian opener Aakash Chopra picked his Best XI from the bottom for teams of the Indian Premier League 2021 season, which concludes on October 15. The league stage of the tournament is finished, with four teams – Delhi Capitals, Chennai Super Kings, Royal Challengers Bangalore and Kolkata Knight Riders – having qualified for the playoffs.

The first qualifier will be played on October 10 between Rishabh Pant’s DC and MS Dhoni’s CSK, followed by the Eliminator between Virat Kohli’s RCB and Eoin Morgan’s KKR on October 11. Qualifier 2 is scheduled to be played on October 13, before the final on October 15.

Revealing his choices, Chopra picked both the openers from the Punjab Kings, who finished sixth in the points tally with 12 points. “I am picking Mayank Agarwal and KL Rahul as my openers. I have not been able to pick Rohit Sharma because as good a player he is, he has never had the 500-600 run season.”

At No. 3, Chopra picked Rajasthan Royals skipper Sanju Samson followed by Mumbai Indians’ Suryakumar Yadav at No. 4. “Sanju Samson showed a different side of his game this season, he played responsibly, but when his team needed him to really push hard towards the end; the end-stage of the league, he could not get going.

“SKY had a tough season. He did end up crossing the 300-run mark but it was not his best season. But you can give him a spot when your top three are so good.”

“Picking Royals’ Jos Buttler at No. 5, Chopra said: “I did not get an option better than him at this spot. His numbers this season are impressive and they have come as an opener, but he can play lower in the order and score runs.”

He picked Mumbai’s Kieron Pollard and Hyderabad’s Jason Holder as his all-rounders at No. 6 and 7, respectively, followed by SRH leg-spinner Rashid Khan. “Kieron Pollard’s strike rate has been brilliant and he picked some crucial wickets as well this season. Jason Holder gives me a seam-bowling all-rounder, he can bat and finish the games and his economy while bowling was impressive. Rashid Khan again emerged as the most economic.”

He picked Ravi Bishnoi as the second spinner in the side alongside his Punjab teammate and pacer Mohammed Shami and Mumbai’s Jasprit Bumrah. “I had Arshdeep Singh in my mind but I opted for Bishnoi because of team balance.

Aakash Chopra’s Best XI from bottom four IPL teams: KL Rahul, Mayank Agarwal, Sanju Samson (WK), Suryakumar Yadav, Jos Buttler, Kieron Pollard, Jason Holder, Rashid Khan, Ravi Bishnoi, Mohammed Shami, Jasprit Bumrah