Amos Premkumar picks his 2015 IPL Team of the year
The curtains fall on another edition of the Pepsi Indian Premier League and pundits from the world over have called it out as the most tightly contested IPL ever. After nearly two months of jam packed action, the Mumbai Indians have come out as deserved winners. But what would it be like to get the top performers come together under a single banner? Would they be powerful enough to challenge the champions? Here's our pick of the IPL TEAM OF 2015...
1. David Warner(SRH): The man from Down Under was at his destructive best in this year’s IPL. Scoring 562 runs in 14 matches, he provided the Sunrisers many quick starts and almost single handedly took his team to the Playoffs. But an unsettled batting order cost them the season. Warner however left the Indian shores with the prestigious ‘Orange Cap’ on his head, as the tournaments highest run scorer.
2. Ajinkya Rahane(RR): The classy Indian can be the perfect foil for the brutal Australian at the other end. With his silken drives, cuts and flicks, this Royals batsman has accumulated runs for fun this season, scoring 540 runs. The ability to take the attack to the opposition as well as play a supporting innings when needed make him a top pick in any T20 side.
3. AB de Villiers(RCB): Undoubtedly the best batsman doing the rounds in world cricket at present, the genius from South Africa yet again showed us why he's earned the title of Mr. 360. The 133* he scored to annihilate the Mumbai Indians this season will be spoken of for years to come.
4. CAPTAIN - Rohit Sharma(MI): The Mumbai Indians skipper is also the captain of our IPL XI. Languishing at the bottom of the table after the first five games, it took some good strategic decisions and some inspirational captaincy from Sharma to help Mumbai qualify for the playoffs and eventually lift the IPL Trophy. He was also in good form with the bat, scoring 432 runs in the 16 games he played.
5. Andre Russell(KKR): Jamaicans are known to be fast. And Andre Russell is no exception. The athletic cricketer from the Caribbean scored 326 runs at a blistering strike rate of 192.89, the best of the season, and was a match winner for the Knight Riders. That, combined with the 14 wickets he picked, has earned him the title of ‘MVP’ of the 8th edition of Pepsi IPL.
6. WK - MS Dhoni(CSK): The captain of India and the Superkings, is the wicket keeper of our team. Though he hasn't been in the best of form with the bat, the hard hitting finisher was still ahead of any other gloveman in the tournament.
7. Dwayne Bravo(CSK): Having been dropped from the side for the World Cup, the West Indian came to India with a point to prove. And that he just did. With 26 wickets to his name, the all-rounder won his second ‘Purple Cap’ this season to follow his first in 2013. Apart from his power hitting with the bat, he was also a live wire in the field, taking the ‘Catch of the Season’.
4. CAPTAIN - Rohit Sharma(MI): The Mumbai Indians skipper is also the captain of our IPL XI. Languishing at the bottom of the table after the first five games, it took some good strategic decisions and some inspirational captaincy from Sharma to help Mumbai qualify for the playoffs and eventually lift the IPL Trophy. He was also in good form with the bat, scoring 432 runs in the 16 games he played.
5. Andre Russell(KKR): Jamaicans are known to be fast. And Andre Russell is no exception. The athletic cricketer from the Caribbean scored 326 runs at a blistering strike rate of 192.89, the best of the season, and was a match winner for the Knight Riders. That, combined with the 14 wickets he picked, has earned him the title of ‘MVP’ of the 8th edition of Pepsi IPL.
6. WK - MS Dhoni(CSK): The captain of India and the Superkings, is the wicket keeper of our team. Though he hasn't been in the best of form with the bat, the hard hitting finisher was still ahead of any other gloveman in the tournament.
7. Dwayne Bravo(CSK): Having been dropped from the side for the World Cup, the West Indian came to India with a point to prove. And that he just did. With 26 wickets to his name, the all-rounder won his second ‘Purple Cap’ this season to follow his first in 2013. Apart from his power hitting with the bat, he was also a live wire in the field, taking the ‘Catch of the Season’.
8. Harbhajan Singh(MI): ‘The Turbanator’ turned more than just the ball this season. The Mumbai Indians tweaked bowled exceptionally well, and turned his career in the right direction by prompting the selectors to pick him in the Indian national side. Singh is also a force with the bat, his 50 of 19 balls versus the Kings XI Punjab a testament to his hitting prowess.
9. Yuzvendra Chahal(RCB): Short and lanky, Chahal isn't your ideal athlete. But what he lacks in his physique, he makes up with his skill and cunning. The wily leg spinner contained the scoring and also picked up wickets at crucial moments. The Royal Challenger ended the season with 23 scalps to his name.
9. Yuzvendra Chahal(RCB): Short and lanky, Chahal isn't your ideal athlete. But what he lacks in his physique, he makes up with his skill and cunning. The wily leg spinner contained the scoring and also picked up wickets at crucial moments. The Royal Challenger ended the season with 23 scalps to his name.
10. Ashish Nehra(CSK): The veteran pacer who was written off by many, made an impressive comeback this season picking 22 wickets. Leading a weak bowling attack, it was Nehra’s aggressive bowling that dictated the fortunes of the Superkings. If this 36 year old warhorse broke into the Indian side one last time for the World T20 in 2016, it would be no surprise considering his performance.
11. Mitchell Starc(RCB): Following his successful campaign with Australia in the World Cup, Starc took some time out from cricket and the Royal Challengers didn't have the start to the season they wanted. But once the fiery left armer turned up, there was no looking back. Lethal with the new ball and at the death, his fuller ‘Starcers’ troubled the timber more often than not.
12th Man - Moisés Henriques(SRH): A talented all-rounder, Henriques has been spoken highly of in Australian cricketing circles. IPL 2015 has shown us why he has earned that reputation. The Portuguese born international was a match winner for the Sunrisers, both with bat and ball. He was only marginally pipped out of the side by the heroics of Andre Russell.
12th Man - Moisés Henriques(SRH): A talented all-rounder, Henriques has been spoken highly of in Australian cricketing circles. IPL 2015 has shown us why he has earned that reputation. The Portuguese born international was a match winner for the Sunrisers, both with bat and ball. He was only marginally pipped out of the side by the heroics of Andre Russell.