IPL 2017: Coaches and Mentors XI

The IPL fever has many forms. Lately, combinations and permutations have taken over the tournament’s worshippers. All-time IPL XIs are galore. So why leave out the coaches? On the cricket field, spectators’ eyes only fixate on the Kohls, the Warners and the Dhonis. Seldom do people notice the contribution of the ones behind the scenes. Coaches play the role of the invisible hand that fosters champions on the field. A shout-out to these silent contributors who’ve given the world of cricket – or any sport for that matter – numero unos year after year. To extend the tribute to coaches – heroes in their own rights – it’s only fair to give them another chance to take the field… virtually. After all, these were all proficient cricketers in their heydays. CricTracker offers a unique XI of IPL coaches, who could frankly give the existing teams a good run for their money. The only issue we have in picking our Coaches XI is that we do not have an even spread of Indian and foreign players. Therefore, we’ve done away with the restriction of four overseas players. That being said, let’s dive straight into this phenomenal eleven, the crème de la crème of cricket’s superstars. Virender Sehwag Virender Sehwag KXIP. (Photo Source: Twitter) First up, there’s the genius in boundary hitting. Virender Sehwag is the man for all seasons. No matter what the situation of the game is, Sehwag’s approach to batting doesn’t undergo too many alterations. He simply focuses on scoring as many runs as quickly as possible. T20 cricket might not have spread as much when Sehwag first stepped into the international cricketing scene. However, this is one man who pretty much played in T20 style throughout his career. Be it ODIs or even Test matches, Sehwag’s strike rate was seldom sub-100. There aren’t too many cricketers who’d score a triple century in less than a run-a-ball in Test match cricket. Rest assured, you’ll get your share of runs in powerplay with Sehwag as the opener. Sachin Tendulkar (Photo Source: Twitter) There are legends. There are hall-of-fame inductees. And then there is Sachin Tendulkar. Make no mistake, he isn’t being selected because some bloke scrolled the words, ‘If cricket is my religion, Sachin is my God’ on a banner. Sachin is as aggressive a player as they come. To erase any doubt that might be still lingering in your mind, just playback his ‘Desert Storm’ innings or his onslaught against Pakistan in the 2003 World Cup. To be honest, these two exhibitions are just to get you started. As far as T20 cricket is concerned, Sachin is nothing but adaptable. His ability to pick the gaps at will and caress the ball to the boundary is unmatched. Throw in some trademark hook shots that go the distance, and you have a master. Jacques Kallis Jacques Kallis. (Photo by Carl Fourie/Gallo Images/Getty Images) It is every all-rounder’s dream to be compared to Jacques Kallis, such is the calibre of this great man. As Telford Vice fittingly wrote, Kallis indeed is ‘the broad-shouldered colossus of the South African team’. He is every inch a batsman of international stature. Don’t forget Kallis the bowler, who can offer surprising pace and swing. The IPL is a familiar and friendly platform for him. Fortune’s favoured the big South African a year after he joined the Kolkata Knight Riders setup. Following their victory in 2012, KKR were once again crowned champions in 2014 – he had a major role to play in both titles. The current head coach of the Knight Riders would still inflict some fear in any bowler who’d steam in at Kallis’ rock-solid presence at the crease. Mahela Jayawardene Mahela Jayawardene. (Photo by Lee Warren/Gallo Images/Getty Images) The island nation of Sri Lanka has produced few players who can better Mahela Jayawardene. Moreover, cricket has witnessed few players who have a larger appetite for runs than Mahela. The right-hand batsman exudes class, elegance and sheer genius with the willow. If the phrase, ‘when the going gets tough, the tough get going’ must be attributed to someone, it’s Mahela Jayawardene. Having the services of Mahela at the middle order means a guaranteed flurry of boundaries at the death. The Sri Lankan might not be the kind of player who’ll deposit every second ball into the stands, but his ability to pierce the gaps remains nonpareil. Just wait till he brings out his exquisite wristwork. Brad Hodge Brad Hodge RR. (Photo Source: Twitter) Australia’s Brad Hodge could be dubbed one of the flag-bearers of T20 cricket. With a world of experience under his belt, Hodge was a vital cog in the wheel for any team he played. There was a point when this man stood head and shoulders above batsmen in terms of runs scored in T20 cricket. Hodge is a busy player. Not only can he find the boundaries at will, but he is also excellent with the 1s and 2s. Hodge’s clean hitting has earned him a spot in numerous T20 teams around the world. The Aussie is also a fine fielder, whether it be inside the circle or near the boundary ropes. Rahul Dravid (Photo Source: Twitter) We need a wicketkeeper in this coaches’ squad, and Delhi Daredevils mentor Rahul Dravid fits this role perfectly. Mind you, Dravid is one the finest batsmen there’s ever been. However, T20 cricket demands more of an explosive canon than a passive and patient wall that Dravid is. That being said, he has played some fine knocks in the IPL over the past, and his presence in the middle order is an added bonus to the Coaches XI. With the gloves, Dravid has been a better than an average keeper. He kept wickets for India in the one-dayers when Parthiv Patel and MS Dhoni were just two other unknown faces in the vast world of cricket. Daniel Vettori Daniel Vettori RCB. (Photo Source: Twitter) A man of few words, and more importantly, a man of few runs, Daniel Vettori remains a paragon of economy. Maintaining an economy rate of 6.78 across 5 seasons in the IPL is an outstanding effort by the Kiwi. Regarded as a dependable all-rounder, Vettori can also use the long handle to good effect. His forte, however, remains stifling spells of left-arm orthodox bowling. He is also the perfect ambassador of the game in terms of cool and composure that is deemed fit on the field. Heath Streak Heath Streak. (Photo Source: Twitter) Heath Streak will always be heralded as one of Zimbabwe’s cricket luminaries. A lion-hearted fast bowler, Streak has the ability to deliver outswingers at a good pace. To add to it, the Zimbabwean is in full control of the ball throughout his spells. Streak is also a capable all-rounder, with a Test century under his belt. He managed the bowling department of the Gujarat Lions team quite well with Andrew Tye finding great rhythm with the ball and young talent in Basil Thampi emerging as a name to remember from the tournament. That signifies his man management skills and can be a brilliant addition to this team. Shane Bond Shane Bond. (Photo Source: Twitter) The name’s Bond, Shane Bond. He’s as good as a 007 agent, but the setting being the 22 yards. This Bond hunts with the ball, as he fires it in with tremendous pace and bounce. Stay clear of his yorkers if you wish to have your feet intact. Despite his frustrating years battling injuries, Bond was New Zealand’s best bowler in the post-Hadlee era. He was fast, intimidating and fearfully accurate. Muttiah Muralitharan Muttiah Muralitharan. (Photo Source: Twitter) Wizards don’t just get admitted to Hogwarts, they also take the cricket field. Muttiah Muralitharan is nothing short of a magician when it comes to spin. The ‘Smiling Assassin’ can trap the best of batsmen with his deceptive bowling. Murali is a seasoned campaigner in the IPL. Having played 7 seasons of the cash-rich tournament, he’s maintained a phenomenal economy of 6.67. Looking beyond the IPL, this man is the undisputed king with over 13000 international wickets in the bag. Allan Donald Allan Donald. (Photo Source: Twitter) An illustrious career, which has seen many balls spearing in and shaping nicely, has earned Allan Donald the respect of his peers in South Africa and the cricketing fraternity as well. Donald was the first man from his nation to race to 300 Test wickets. In his prime, any team would have paid big bucks to acquire his services. Till date, Donald remains South Africa’s most lethal bowler. The fact that the Proteas are on the top of their game in modern day cricket is a consequence of Donald’s heavy contribution to the team’s surge. He stands out as one of the better exponents of the yorker.

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IPL 2017: Coaches and Mentors XI

Word of caution to those daydreaming about playing against this XI – they could teach a lesson to the younger boys, literally.

Brad Hodge

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