Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) captain Rajat Patidar has revealed his dream all-time Indian Premier League (IPL) XI during a recent appearance on the YouTube channel Sports Launchpad. Comprising a balanced mix of explosive openers, reliable middle-order anchors, match-winning all-rounders, and elite bowlers, Patidar’s selection has sparked considerable discussion among cricket fans, particularly due to the omission of legendary run-scorer Rohit Sharma.
Dynamic Opening Pair and Middle-Order Powerhouses
For the opening slots, Patidar selected legendary West Indian blaster Chris Gayle alongside his RCB teammate and tournament all-time leading run-scorer Virat Kohli. Gayle amassed 4,965 runs across 142 matches, while Kohli sits atop the scoring charts with 9,336 runs in 283 appearances.
At number three, Patidar placed Mumbai Indians’ star Suryakumar Yadav, followed by tournament stalwart Suresh Raina at number four. The middle order features Mr. 360 AB de Villiers at five, hard-hitting all-rounder and MI captain Hardik Pandya at six, and legendary skipper and wicketkeeper MS Dhoni at number seven.
Elite Bowling Attack Led by Chahal and Bumrah
To complete his dream lineup, Patidar selected a fearsome bowling unit packed with wicket-taking prowess:
Dale Steyn: The former South African pace spearhead known for terrorizing batting lineups.
Jasprit Bumrah: Mumbai Indians’ premier fast bowler, boasting 187 wickets in 187 matches.
Yuzvendra Chahal: The tournament’s leading wicket-taker with 223 scalps.
Sunil Narine: The dynamic Kolkata Knight Riders spin all-rounder.
Rajat Patidar’s All-Time IPL XI Lineup
Chris Gayle, Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Suresh Raina, AB de Villiers, Hardik Pandya, MS Dhoni (wk), Dale Steyn, Jasprit Bumrah, Yuzvendra Chahal, and Sunil Narine.