The Indian Premier League (IPL) is rated as one of the toughest cricket tournaments of the world. With only four foreigners allowed in the XI, it is perhaps the stiffest challenge for even the best to regularly maintain his place in the side. Former Australia batsman and current Chennai Super Kings batting coach Michael Hussey was one of those foreign cricketers who not only managed to keep his place in the side but also make valuable contributions consistently in the IPL.
Hussey, who has been a stalwart for Mumbai Indians and one of the most reliable batsmen for CSK later on, has formed an IPL XI in a Podcast named Hotspot, keeping the four foreigners cap in mind that the Australian said he would not like to face.
Hussey decided to open with Rohit Sharma and David Warner. Rohit has 4898 IPL runs to his name while Australia’s David Warner, who has been the flag-bearer of Sunrisers Hyderabad’s (SRH) batting, has scored 4706 runs in IPL.
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Hussey went in with IPL’s highest run-scorer, India and RCB captain Virat Kohli as his No.3. At No.4, Hussey choose South Africa’s AB de Villiers, who is IPL’s one of the most impactful foreign players with 4395 runs to his name at a strike rate of 151.23.
At No.5, Hussey picked CSK skipper MS Dhoni, who has won three IPLs for the Super Kings. Needless to say Hussey also named his former skipper as the captain of his side.
{{/usCountry}}At No.5, Hussey picked CSK skipper MS Dhoni, who has won three IPLs for the Super Kings. Needless to say Hussey also named his former skipper as the captain of his side.
{{/usCountry}}MI all-rounder Hardik Pandya and KKR’s Andre Russell were picked as the two-seam bowling all-rounders in Hussey’s team. Both Pandya and Russell are more than handy options with the ball and can turn a match on its head with their big-hitting skills.
SRH’s Rashid Khan and RCB’s Yuzvendra Chahal were named as leg spinners in Hussey’s side while Bhuvenshwar Kumarr, who has 133 wickets in IPL, and MI’s Jasprit Bumrah were picked as specialist seamers.
The notable omissions from Hussey’s IPL XI were West Indian talisman Chris Gayle, who has the most sixes and the highest individual score in IPL, mystery spinner Sunil Narine and IPL’s leading wicket-taker Lasith Malinga.
Hussey’s IPL XI: Rohit Sharma, David Warner, Virat Kohli, AB de Villiers, MS Dhoni, Hardik Pandya, Andre Russell, Rashid Khan, Yuzvendra Chahal, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Jasprit Bumrah. 12th man KL Rahul