Strongest India XI in IPL 2021

CSK vs DC: CSK coach reveals what unfolded before Dhoni opted to bat ahead of Jadeja in Qualifier 1

Chennai Super Kings (CSK) head coach Stephen Fleming has opened up about the intense discussion he had with the MS Dhoni before the talismanic batsman of the Yellow Brigade walked in to bat against Delhi Capitals (DC) in Qualifier 1 of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 on Sunday. Often regarded as the greatest finisher in the history of white-ball cricket, former Team India captain Dhoni produced a nostalgic knock to help CSK upstage DC in Qualifier 1 at the Dubai International Stadium.

Dhoni scripted Chennai's four-wicket win in the thrilling final over clash as the Yellow Brigade secured their berth for the summit clash of the IPL 2021 on Sunday. From Delhi Capitals coach Ricky Ponting to Indian skipper Virat Kohli, Thala Dhoni was hailed by the entire cricket fraternity for rescuing Chennai with his quick-fire knock in the death-overs.

Dhoni's decision to bat ahead of in-form Ravindra Jadeja paid CSK rich dividends as the Chennai giants booked their place in the final of the IPL for the ninth time. Speaking after Chennai's memorable win over bitter-rivals Delhi, CSK head coach Fleming explained how things unfolded inside the CSK dugout that scripted the epic final over finish in the Qualifier 1 of the IPL 2021.

“There was a lot of chat. We spoke more in those 20 overs than we have for a long time. There was a lot of technical discussion and maneuvering to try and work out how this was going to unfold. When the captain got looked in his eyes, he said 'I’ll go'; it’s been well-documented the times that he has done that. Today was one of those. I ain’t holding him back, and we saw the result of that,” Fleming said.

Dhoni tormented the death-over specialists of the Delhi Capitals and remained unbeaten on 18 off 6 balls to help CSK upstage DC by 4 wickets. While Dhoni finished things in style with a boundary, CSK opener Ruturaj Gaikwad was named the Man of the Match for his gritty 70-run knock against the Rishabh Pant-led side. Dhoni-led CSK will battle for IPL glory in the summit clash on Friday at the same venue.

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IPL 2021 was postponed by the BCCI after several players and support staff tested positive for COVID-19. 20 matches has completed in Ipl, the almost half of the league was conducted by BCCI. And contrary to reports, BCCI recently clarified that the tournament had only been postponed and no canceled.

The competition certainly kept cricket fans entertained for several days. This season, numerous Indian players delighted fans with their outstanding performances. IPL 2021 also saw many newcomers snag the limelight and get noticed with their amazing performances. And it only re-iterated the fact that India has no dearth of talent when it comes to cricket. 

So heres our pick of both – experienced and newbie players who are perfectly capable of representing team India.Lets take a peek at the strongest Indian Playing XI of the IPL 2021.

1. Shikhar Dhawan

 Shikhar Dhawan is one Indian player who has earned praise for his batting in the IPL 2021. Dhawan was IPL 2021s top run-scorer and the holder of the Orange Cap, with 380 runs in 8 matches and a whopping average of 54.28. 

He shattered three half-centuries and was a driving factor in the Delhi Capitals accomplishment of success. He earned 2 player of the match awards in eight matches. Even though he was the anchor opposite Prithvi Shaw, he managed to score at a modest strike rate of 134.

2. Prithvi Shaw

Though Prithvi Shaw struggled with performing during the last season and in the recent tour of Australia, he gained his footing back in IPL 2021. In numerous games, he provided excellent assistance to his opening partner Shikhar Dhawan, allowing Delhi Capitals to get off to a solid start. 

Shaw is the fourth leading run-scorer inthe IPL 2021 season, with 308 runs in 8 matches including smashed three half-centuries. Shaws strong attribute was his exceptional batting strike rate of 166+, which enabled the Delhi Capitals to score the most runs in the powerplay.

3. KL Rahul

While Punjab Kings did not have a successful presentation in IPL 2021, their captain KL Rahul was one of the tournaments standout batsmen. Rahul vanquished his skeptics with his superb batting performance. 

Before the postponement of ipl 2021, he had scored 331 runs in seven matches at a strike rate of 136.21and the second leading scorer for Delhi Capitals. He smashed four half-centuries in just seven games, demonstrating his remarkable batting performance.

4. Rohit Sharma (C)

Rohit Sharma is the most successful captain in IPL. And why not – he has led Mumbai Indians to victory 5 times. He had a decent IPL 2021 season with the bat, managing to score 250 runs in seven games. Rohit was the highest run-scorer for MI and played some crucial knocks under pressure when their middle order was failing to score in a majority of the matches.

 The standout ability of Rohit was his captaincy and the way he rotated the bowlers during middle overs. Mumbai Indians won a couple of their matches after being at the edge of most of the stages during the game. His captaincy and experience bring him into this list.

5. Sanju Samson (WK)

Sanju Samson was enjoying a rather strong season after being named the newest captain of the Rajasthan Royals. The stress of captaincy didnt concern Samson once, and he maintained his splendid form. His phenomenal century after making his captaincy debut was amongst the greatest innings ever played in IPL. 

This season, he demonstrated that he has the potential to score efficiently and play as per the situation. Samson scored 277 runs in 7 games, with an average of 46.16 and a great strike rate of 145.78.

6. Ravindra Jadeja

Ravindra Jadeja amazed everybody in all three departments – batting, bowling, and fielding. Jadeja scored 131 runs in seven games at a blazing strike rate of 161.72 and took six wickets at a superb economy rate of 6.70. He had a massive average of 131 in IPl 2021. 

Because of his incredible abilities in all three departments, he has undoubtedly become one of the greatest all-rounders in the world. Jadejas best performance came against Royal Challengers Bangalore when he shifted the momentum of the match by crushing 37 runs in the 20th over. Adding to that brilliant performance, he went on to take three wickets with the ball and also effected a run-out.

7. Harshal Patel

Harshal Patel grabbed the headlines in the first match itself when he became the first player in IPL history to record a 5-wicket haul against Mumbai Indians. He managed to grab the Purple Cap in IPL 2021. Patel was the highest wicket-taker in seven matches, with 17 wickets under his belt. 

He was a key factor behind RCBs rise to the peak of IPL rankings in the early stages of the tournament. Aside from his costly over against the Chennai Super Kings, he bowled beautifully in every match of the IPL 2021

.8. Deepak Chahar

Deepak Chahar once again showed his brilliance with the bowl in Powerplay. Chahar became MS Dhonis go-to bowler in the initial overs of the game. He was outstanding in his opening spells, with a bowling average of 24.12 and a strike rate of 18. Deepak Chahar took 8 wickets in 7 games, including two four-wicket hauls. One of the reasons for CSKs impressive performance in IPL 2021, was the starts Chahar got for his team with his bowling.

9. Rahul Chahar

When it comes to Indian spinners in the IPL 2021, Mumbai Indians Rahul Chahar stands out. For him, IPL 2021 was a pleasant outing as he was the most effective spinner this season. Rahul Chahar finished the season as the fourth leading wicket-taker, with 11 wickets in 7 matches. 

He had a bowling average of 18.36 and a strike rate of 15.27. He was very economical, with an economy of 7.21. Rohit Sharma used him in the middle overs and Rahul didnt disappoint his captain, as he played a crucial part in MI defending low totals.

10. Avesh Khan

Avesh Khan was another Indian bowler who made a name for himself during IPL 2021. He performed admirably well in Anrich Nortjes absence. Avesh Khans ability to dismiss dominant batsmen from opposing teams was one of his most notable qualities. 

This season, he had an economy rate of 7.70 and has been outstanding in both the first few overs and the death overs. Avesh Khan finished the IPL 2021 season as the second-highest wicket-taker, with 14 wickets in 8 matches.

11. Chetan Sakariya

Chetan Sakariya was signed on by the Rajasthan Royals after excelling in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. He had a fantastic beginning to his IPL journey. He took three wickets in his first game against the Punjab Kings and has been bowling extremely well.

 In the majority of matches, he was given the new ball. Sakariya bowled an excellent line with the new ball and was extremely successful in the powerplay. He took 7 wickets in 7 games for the Royals and is one of the talented youngsters to keep an eye on in the future.

Rishabh Pant (12th Man)Rishabh Pant was in terrific form across formats for India which led to him being named as a Captain of the Delhi Capitals for IPL 2021 in the absence of Shreyas Iyer who was ruled out due to an injury.

With Dhawan and Shaw in good form throughout the tournament, he didnt get many chances to score but played some crucial cameos towards the end. Pant had a decent run with the bat scoring 213 runs at an average of 35 which included two half-centuries.