Brad Hogg picks ‘Best IPL 2021 XI’; names Rishabh Pant captain

‘Lockdown 1’ was witness to a plethora of former cricketers and experts picking a variety of different ‘XIs’, and the charge was headed by none other than Brad Hogg, who entertained fans with his analysis, insight and humor in his YouTube channel. India is currently overseeing ‘Lockdown 2.0’ and Hogg has now, rather fittingly, comeback with another ‘Best XI’ video. The former Australian spinner has named his ‘Best IPL 2021 XI’ and it is a team that has quite a few interesting omissions.

Unsurprisingly, the Delhi Capitals duo of Prithvi Shaw and Shikhar Dhawan open the batting in Hogg’s XI. Dhawan and Shaw have, by some distance, been the best opening pair in the competition and both the batters placed in the Top 5 run-getters in the competition has seen the 50-year-old pick the Capitals duo as the openers of his team. Hogg’s team features the ‘consistent’ Sanju Samson at No.3 and the skipper of Delhi, Rishabh Pant, as No.4. What’s interesting about Pant’s selection is that the wrist-spinner has chosen the Delhite as the skipper of his team, despite there being the presence of several other senior figures. In his maiden season as captain, Pant ensured that Delhi topped the table when the tournament came to a halt.

At 5 and 6 in Hogg’s team are usual suspects AB de Villiers and Ravindra Jadeja and at 7, interestingly, is Sam Curran. The younger Curran did not have the greatest of seasons but he has still managed to slot into the side ahead of other match winners like Glenn Maxwell, Moeen Ali and Kieron Pollard. 

The ever-reliable Rashid Khan slots in at 8 in Hogg’s team, while Rahul Chahar joins Rashid as the second leg-spinner in the side. The pace attack of Hogg’s XI is all-Indian, with the duo of Jasprit Bumrah and Avesh Khan completing the side.

Hogg’s Best IPL 2021 XI

Prithvi Shaw, Shikhar Dhawan, Sanju Samson, Rishabh Pant (wk) ©, AB de Villiers, Ravindra Jadeja, Sam Curran, Rashid Khan, Rahul Chahar, Avesh Khan, Jasprit Bumrah