Former India cricketer Aakash Chopra has picked his best playing XI from the four bottom-placed teams in the ongoing season of IPL 2021. Defending champions Mumbai Indians, Punjab Kings, Rajasthan Royals and Kolkata Knight Riders failed to qualify for the playoffs.
As we shift focus to the playoffs with Chennai Super Kings and Delhi Capitals locking horns in Qualifier 1, Aakash Chopra sat down to pick his favourite playing XI from the last four teams. Revealing his choices, Chopra picked both the openers from the Punjab Kings, who finished sixth in the points tally with 12 points. He said:
“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, Aakash Chopra picked Rajasthan Royals skipper Sanju Samson followed by Mumbai Indians’ Suryakumar Yadav at No. 4. The cricketer-turned-commentator said, “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.
He continued:
“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.”
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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. Aakash Chopra 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,” he concluded.
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
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