Best IPL XI of players aged 34 years and above

Viswanathan Anand, the famous Indian Chess player was once asked if age could play a factor while playing a  sport. He had this to say, “It clearly does. But it is something you cannot change. I don’t keep thinking about it. It is more for the observer than the player.” Talking about the IPL, initially, it was termed as a young man’s game.

But time and again Veterans like Anil Kumble, Shane Warne, Shane Watson, etc have proved this theory absolutely wrong. Clearly, Tennis is one of the most demanding sports when it comes to stamina. If 40 years old Leander Paes can do it then Cricket is definitely not different.

There are very few people in Cricket who can run faster than the Veteran MS Dhoni. Even for players like Ashish Nehra who did not have enough stamina to play Test matches kept continuing to play in the IPL tournament which resulted in his comeback into the Indian team for the Twenty20 World cup. So, here is the list of 11 players aged 34 years and above in IPL 2019 who can give the younger lot a great run for their money.

1. Murali Vijay

When we talk about adaptation or changing your game, the first person who comes in mind is Murali Vijay. We have Murali Vijay version 1.0 who is a swashbuckling player who plays through the line and hits a lot of boundaries. While, Murali Vijay version 2.0 can also play a tight defensive game if needed. He has a decent record in IPL and has scored two centuries in 101 Indian Premier League games with an impressive strike rate of 123.37.

2. Shane Watson

Shane Watson can be very destructive at the start of the innings. His experience in playing for various franchises in different conditions has made him one of the most formidable players in the shortest format of the game. His match-winning century in the final against SRH in the previous edition of IPL was a treat to watch.

In addition to that, he can bowl equally well with the new ball and in death overs as well which means that he is one of the best all-rounders in the world. Talking about IPL, he has scored four centuries in 126 matches with a very good strike rate of 140. Watson, the bowler has also taken 92 wickets which includes a hat-trick as well.

3. AB de Villiers

The sight of AB de Villiers walking towards the pitch after the fall of the first wicket would be a frightening thing for the opposition. He has the ability to play shots in every corner of the cricket ground and he can hit sixes at will once he gets set. Along with Virat Kohli , one can easily say that he is one of the best batsman playing white ball Cricket.

He is also a brilliant fielder both in the circle and outside the circle and can keep wickets as well if required. He has given many match-winning performances in IPL. He would be the vice-captain of the team. He has played 149 matches in IPL and has smashed three centuries with a staggering strike rate of 151.17 and a majestic average of 40.19.

4. Yuvraj Singh

The southpaw is one of the most destructive batsmen in white ball cricket, the world has ever witnessed. His 6 consecutive sixes to Stuart Broad in the inaugural Twenty 20 World Cup 2007 would always remain fresh in the memories of the Cricket fans. He is a safe fielder and can be a useful left-arm spinner as well. In 132 matches he has scored 13 half centuries with a decent strike rate of 130 and also has taken 36 wickets which included a couple of hat–tricks.

5. Kedhar Jadhav

This pocket-sized rocket can be a very useful batsman in the lower middle order. His ability to play unconventional shots and hit the gaps makes him quite unique. He is a trier who always gives his 100 percent in every game he plays.

His unique bowling action has been a talking point for some time now. His round-arm action has given him a few crucial wickets while playing for India and he is generally used by the skipper as the partnership breaker. In IPL he has played 74 matches scoring 4 fifties with a strike rate of 128. He has not been utilized as a bowler in IPL as of now.

6. Mahender Singh Dhoni

MS Dhoni would be the right person to lead this side and he would be keeping the wickets too. At his age, he is one of the fittest cricketers in the World. He finishes off the games very well and is a very clean striker of the cricket ball. He is quick as a flash behind the wickets.

Mahi has one of the sharpest minds in the world of Cricket and his wealth of experience would be quite useful for the team. He has managed to score 22 fifties in the 183 matches he has played in IPL, striking at 138 and averaging 41.22 which is a very good record in the shortest version.

7. Yusuf Pathan

The strong man from Baroda is known for hitting gigantic sixes. He holds the record for fastest Indian Premier League century by an Indian player. He has the ability to win matches single-handedly for his team In addition to that he is a very useful right arm off spinner who does not turn the ball too much but is a very accurate bowler.

Yusuf Pathan has played 171 matches in the Indian Premier League scoring 3000+ runs with one century and 13 half-centuries with a trike rate of 143.13. Pathan as the bowler has also taken 42 wickets.

8. Dwayne Bravo

Dwayne Bravo is a utility player who has performed very well in the shortest format of the game. Especially playing under MSD he has given many match winning performances playing for CSK. With the bat, he can be very destructive down the order and can also be used as a floater if needed. While with the ball he has one of the best slower deliveries in the world of Cricket.

He is a gun fielder and can be used in the death overs with his variations. In the 126 matches he has featured in IPL, he has managed to take 143 wickets with an economy of less than 8.5 and has scored 5 fifties with the bat with the strike rate of around 129.

9. Harbhajan Singh

Harbhajan has been playing international Cricket for close to 21 years now, but his hunger, his passion for the game has not been affected. With the passage of time he has matured as a bowler and his control over line and length is a treat to watch. He is a very economical bowler nowadays and can also be used opening the bowling.

He can use the long handle too while batting. He has taken 141 wickets in 153 matches he has played in the IPL with an economy rate of less than 7 which is a great effort. He has scored a half-century with the bat too with the highest score being 64 runs.

10. Amit Mishra

Amit holds the record for taking the highest number of wickets for an Indian bowler in IPL. He is a very good leg-break bowler who relies on the flight and has a very deceptive wrong one. The short structured guy has 3 hat tricks in IPL too which is a record. Recently, he has worked a lot on his fitness.

He can be termed as one of the unluckiest cricketers who could have played more matches for India. He has taken 150 wickets in 140 IPL matches while conceding less than 7.4 runs in an over.

11. Lasith Malinga

Probably one of the best white ball bowlers in this generation. His unique round-arm action makes him unplayable at times. He has the best slower deliveries in the business today and can bowl yorkers at will. He has loads of experience playing across the globe for different franchises and has a sharp cricketing mind.

He might have passed his prime due to the ageing body, but even now his skills are good enough to include him in the team. He is the all-time highest wicket-taker in the history of IPL with 162 wickets in just 115 matches with an economy just under 7 which is a brilliant record to have.

To sum up, we can say that age is just a number. If one focusses on his/her strength, maintains a certain level of fitness and self- confidence then there is nothing which can stop you to perform at higher levels.

~Written by Anshul Arora