Aakash Chopra picks all-time best KXIP XI with overseas player as captain

KXIP has been a prolific part of the IPL since its first season in 2008. They have always been a very active team in the auctions from which they have picked start-studded line ups. Though such pickings haven’t resulted in much success with Punjab team making finals only once since the cricket extravaganza started.

They made to the final in the seventh season of the league with George Bailey as captain. Maxwell was the star for the team in that season as he along with Miller made the franchise look unbeatable. The team hasn’t tasted much success since then and has made changes to their squad season after season.

In the mixed journey of the Punjab team in the IPL, there have been many players who have played their part for the team. Some players failed while some flourished with others came out as stars for the team. Former Indian cricketer and commentator Aakash Chopra has come up with his choice for an all-time playing XI of the KXIP team from the whole bunch of cricketers who have played for the team since its first season.

Yuvraj Singh a part of Aakash Chopra’s XI

Former Indian cricketer Aakash Chopra while interacting on his YouTube channel picked the all-time KXIP team which has some greats of the game. His first picks were Chris Gayle and KL Rahul as openers by claiming that the duo formed the most explosive opening combination in the 2018 season.

“When Gayle’s name had come in the auction, no one was picking him. When KXIP picked him in the end, everyone else was laughing. Though he had an unbelievable first season along with KL Rahul. Perhaps the most explosive opening combination. KL Rahul. Now that we have kept Gayle, we have to pick KL Rahul. What an acquisition. I was surprised when RCB let him go. From there when we went to KXIP and he got to play where he should, he did amazingly well.”

The former opener kept Shaun Marsh in his team at number three by claiming that Marsh was one of the most successful overseas players in the country. Aakash picked Mahela Jayawardene as captain and kept him at number four in his team. He was of the view that the Sri Lankan legend had a very clever mind in T20s and performed exceedingly well when he played for Punjab. 

He then mentioned the contribution of Miller and Yuvraj had for the Punjab franchise and picked them at numbers five and six respectively. Aakash made his choice of spinners in Piyush Chawla, Axar Patel, and Ravichandran Ashwin and picked them at number seven, eight, and nine respectively. 

On picking Ashwin he believed that the off-spinner has done well for the team even though he played only two seasons for Punjab. He went with Praveen Kumar and Sandeep Sharma as pacers.

Aakash Chopra’s all-time KXIP XI

Chris Gayle, KL Rahul (WK), Shaun Marsh, Mahela Jayawardene (C), David Miller, Yuvraj Singh, Piyush Chawla, Axar Patel, Ravichandran Ashwin, Praveen Kumar, Sandeep Sharma

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