The 2nd phase of <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/t20/ipl-indian-premier-league/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">IPL</a> starts on 15th September with the El-Clasico rivalry of the Mumbai Indians and the Chennai Super Kings. It is the toughest and most popular T20 league in the world with top players from around the world competing for the IPL trophy. It is a one-and-a-half-month extravaganza for all cricket fans across the globe and no less than a festival for the Indians.

It has been 14 years since the inception of IPL and it has been getting bigger and bigger. Imagine the reach &amp; money involved in the league if a company has to pay more than INR 2000 cr to become a title sponsor. This is all possible due to the franchisee owners and collaboration of all cricketing boards in the world who leave an open window in their international schedule for the IPL.

To pick the current best IPL 11 has been a challenge due to the plethora of players performing exceedingly well at this stage. It may be possible that your favourite players may be missing. However, keeping the combination, the impact of a player, performance in the recent years, and various other factors come in mind. Hence, here is a look at-

<img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-505739" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/David-Warner-1.jpg" alt="David Warner" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-505739" class="wp-caption-text">David Warner. (Photo Source: IPL/BCCI)</figcaption>

The most consistent batsman and probably one of the best foreigners in the history of IPL, David Warner very rightfully has to be the first pick. This pocket dynamite is fabulous to have in your ranks as he is the epitome of consistency with the bat and provides his all while fielding at the boundary despite being captain.

He has played 148 matches and scored 5447 runs including 50 fifties and four hundreds at an average of 42.22 and a strike rate just above 140. He is the only player to have won the Orange Cap thrice (2015, 2017, and 2019) and has been the top scorer for Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) since he joined them in 2014.

He is synonymous with SRH and is loved by fans around India especially in Hyderabad where he has gotten cheers despite wearing the Aussie jersey. The scandal of sacking him as captain after having a below-average run and removing him from the playing 11 ignited fans to no extent. It is on the cards that Warner won&#8217;t be retained in next year&#8217;s mega auction and this might be the biggest mistake ever made by SRH&#8217;s management.

<img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-511739" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/KL-Rahul-4.jpg" alt="KL Rahul" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-511739" class="wp-caption-text">KL Rahul. (Photo Source: IPL/BCCCI)</figcaption>

The best Indian T20 batsman by far for the last four years, <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/kl-rahul-fined-for-showing-dissent-at-the-oval/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">KL Rahul</a> has done absolute wonders after donning the Punjab Kings jersey. Looking to build a young squad in the 2018 mega auctions, Punjab Kings were trolled after spending a whopping INR 11 cr on Rahul, and boy oh boy, this has been their best auction buy ever.

He has played 88 matches and scored 2978 runs including 25 fifties and 2 hundreds at an average of 46.53 and a strike rate just under 136. A classy player who can easily shift gears at the death, he has been often criticized for his strike rate. But one must understand that the major load of scoring runs is more often than not on his shoulders.

He has been the fulcrum of the Punjab Kings&#8217; batting lineup as he has been scoring more than 550 runs for three consecutive years (2018-2020). Keeping and opening the batting along with the added pressure of captaincy, and yet Rahul is performing up to expectations. If he keeps playing for PKBS like this, he surely has the potential of becoming the Indian captain in the years to come.

<img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-508756" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Virat-Kohli-playing-a-shot.jpg" alt="Virat Kohli playing a shot" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-508756" class="wp-caption-text">Virat Kohli. (Photo Source: IPL/BCCI)</figcaption>

Undoubtedly the best batsman of the modern era &amp; one of the best ever to have played the sport. When cricket fans think of batting, the first name that comes to mind is <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/the-non-selection-of-ravi-ashwin-for-the-4th-test-became-irrelevant-nasser-hussain-lavishes-praise-on-virat-kohlis-captaincy-skills/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Virat Kohli.</a> The passion &amp; infectious energy he brings to the table is one of the main reasons he is the most popular cricketer in the world. He is the only player to have played for one team (Royal Challengers Bangalore) in the IPL since its inception.

His records are mind-boggling and second to none. He has played 199 matches and scored 6076 runs including 40 fifties and five hundreds at an average just below 38 and a strike rate of 130.41. He has scored the most runs in the IPL and this record may not be broken very easily.

From playing at number 6 and 7 to playing at number 3 and even opening the innings, Kohli has had a rollercoaster of a journey with RCB. He has publicly claimed that he can&#8217;t see himself playing for any other IPL franchise. Kohli is extremely determined to win his first IPL title and with the RCB squad looking well balanced and at 3rd place at the table, this might be the year.

<img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-505311" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Rohit-Sharma-2.jpg" alt="Rohit Sharma" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-505311" class="wp-caption-text">Rohit Sharma. (Photo Source: IPL/BCCI)</figcaption>

A surprise indeed to see <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/rohit-sharma-provides-much-needed-update-on-his-injury/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Rohit Sharma</a> at number 4 instead of opening the innings. However, he has been much more successful while playing in the middle order in the IPL and we all know the damage he can inflict in the last five overs.

With six IPL titles to his name and five as captain, it is quite obvious that he will lead the best current IPL 11 squad.

He is a champion player who knows what it takes to perform in pressure situations. He has played 207 matches and scored 5480 runs including 40 fifties and a solitary hundred at an average of 31.49 and a strike rate of 130.51. Surprisingly, he even had taken a hat trick way back in 2009 when he was playing for Deccan Chargers vs his current team, Mumbai Indians.

Lazy elegance is the term coined by many commentators across the world exclusively for him. He is probably the best player of the short ball India has ever seen. A typical Mumbai lad leading his home IPL team to five championships, a feat which most can only dream of, Rohit has turned into reality and would be looking to make it a hat-trick of IPL titles this year.

<img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-507160" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/AB-de-Villiers-3.jpg" alt="AB de Villiers" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-507160" class="wp-caption-text">AB de Villiers. (Photo SOurce: IPL/BCCI)</figcaption>

<a href="https://www.crictracker.com/stop-worrying-about-team-selection-and-other-nonsense-youre-missing-a-good-game-ab-de-villiers-after-indias-terrific-win-at-oval/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">AB de Villiers</a> is the most popular and loved foreign cricketer due to his unreal batting skills and humble nature. He is one of the best batsmen of the modern era, right up there with his great friend and RCB teammate, Virat Kohli. He is probably the only foreign player who gets massive support in all parts of India.

He has played 176 matches &#8211; the most played by a foreigner and scored 5056 runs including 40 fifties and three hundreds at an average of 40.77 and a strike rate of 152.38. The numbers are staggering but the impact he has is monumental. After coming to RCB in 2011, he has been their crisis man and won matches single-handedly quite often.

Also popularly known as Mr 360, he is probably the only batsman in the world who can hit behind the wicketkeeper with the same effectiveness as hitting behind the bowler. Though retired from international cricket to the dismay of fans around the world, he still has some years of intense franchise cricket left in him and would like to finish it by winning the IPL for RCB.

<img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-511171" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Andre-Russell-8.jpg" alt="Andre Russell" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-511171" class="wp-caption-text">Andre Russell. (Photo Source: IPL/BCCI)</figcaption>

Talking of impact, Andre Russell is one player probably having the most impact in T20s with his ability to clear the ropes consistently, bowl at various stages of the match, and field at high traffic positions. While he has played just 4 full-fledged seasons of the IPL, he has been the player of the tournament twice (2015 and 2019). He played for the Delhi Daredevils earlier but was unable to prove his mettle and since his signing at Kolkata Knight Riders, he has been their star player.

He has played 81 matches and scored 1680 runs including 9 fifties at an average just below 30 and a mind-boggling strike rate of 179.3. Adding to that, he also has picked 68 wickets at a bowling economy of just over 9 runs per over &#8211; a tad expensive but worth noting that he bowls at the death as well.

Being injury-prone is arguably the biggest bane for him. He is the deadliest in the last few overs when he gets a few balls to face early in the innings, probably a strategy which KKR might need to consider. If KKR manage to bring out the best in him and give him consistent opportunities to bat up the order, don&#8217;t be surprised if Muscle Russell manages to take KKR to glory single-handedly.

<img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-459305" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Hardik-Pandya-against-RR.jpg" alt="Hardik Pandya-against RR" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-459305" class="wp-caption-text">Hardik Pandya-against RR. (Photo Source: IPL/BCCI)</figcaption>

A Caribbean by heart due to his nature on the field and clearing the ropes consistently without breaking much sweat, <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/happy-birthday-mali-hardik-pandya-wishes-lasith-malinga-with-an-adorable-post-featuring-agastya/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Hardik Pandya</a> is one asset that Indian cricket has to preserve and nurture in the years to come. He is the best fast bowling all-rounder in India at the moment &#8211; a skill set that is rare to find here. He was picked up by Mumbai Indians for INR 10 lakhs in the 2015 IPL Auction and is being paid INR 11 cr since 2018, a story in itself.

He, along with his brother Krunal have been one of the main reasons for the flexibility and depth of the MI squad which has helped them dominate the IPL for a while now. He has played 87 matches and scored 1401 runs at an average of 27.47 and a strike rate just above 157 &#8211; the best for an Indian.

The duo of him and Kieron Pollard is most feared by bowlers in the death as it often seems like a range-hitting competition between the two. Post the Koffee with Karan controversy, he has become more mature as a player which is a great sign for the balance of the Indian team. If he keeps himself fit, Hardik Pandya may end up being one of the best all-rounders India has ever produced.

<img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-509717" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Ravindra-Jadeja-Celebration.jpg" alt="Ravindra Jadeja Celebration" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-509717" class="wp-caption-text">Ravindra Jadeja Celebration. (Photo Source: IPL/BCCI)</figcaption>

Popularly known as Sir Ravindra Jadeja, this was a nickname given by Shane Warne as a joke but the young lad from Saurashtra took all the jokes and criticisms and turned the tables around soon. He was the most expensive player in the 2012 IPL auctions, at a whopping $2 million (approx. Rs 9.72 crore then). It was quite an expensive buy and a surprise to many but CSK&#8217;s management believed that Jadeja had the ability to strengthen the squad in all facets of the game.

He has repaid the faith shown by <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/ms-dhonis-hands-are-quicker-than-a-pickpockets-ravi-shastri-hails-csk-captains-wicketkeeping-skills/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">MS Dhoni&#8217;s</a> Chennai Super Kings by becoming their main Indian all-rounder to date. He has played 191 matches and taken 120 wickets at a bowling economy of 7.63 runs per over. He also has been more than handy with the bat, scoring 2290 runs at an average of 26.63 and a strike rate just above 128.

With the decline of MS Dhoni&#8217;s finishing prowess, Jadeja has taken the responsibility of becoming the primary finisher of the team. He runs exceptionally well between the wickets and is regarded as the best fielder in the world by none other than Jonty Rhodes. He is the only all-rounder who has consistently been representing India in all formats of the game. He will be eager to win this year&#8217;s IPL which may be the last for Thala Dhoni.

<img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-504423" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Rashid-Khan-1.jpg" alt="Rashid Khan" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-504423" class="wp-caption-text">Rashid Khan. (Photo Source: IPL/BCCI)</figcaption>

An absolute no-brainer for this list, Rashid Khan is considered the best white-ball spinner in today&#8217;s time. After impressing everyone in the 2016 <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/i-fail-to-understand-azam-khans-selection-as-a-proper-wicketkeeper-batsman-in-pakistans-t20-wc-squad-rashid-latif/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">T20 WC</a>, SRH picked up the 17-year-old Afghan for INR 3.4 cr to beef up their bowling attack. Since then, he has been the go-to bowler for SRH and delivers more often than not.

He has played 69 matches and taken 85 wickets at a miserly bowling economy of 6.24 runs per over. He has also chipped in with 156 runs at a strike rate of 147.17. Even though the opposition knows he is the biggest threat &amp; tries to play him without taking much risk, Khan manages to take crucial wickets in the middle overs to break the momentum of a team.

He spins the ball both ways at over 90 km/h which is his biggest strength as batsmen don&#8217;t have enough time to read him and play accordingly. Still only 22 years old, if he continues to work hard and woo batsmen, don&#8217;t be surprised if his name comes in the same breath as Shane Warne &amp; Muttiah Muralidaran.

<img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-508275" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Bhuvneshwar-Kumar.jpg" alt="Bhuvneshwar Kumar" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-508275" class="wp-caption-text">Bhuvneshwar Kumar. (Photo Source: Twitter)</figcaption>

From the 19-year old prodigy who dismissed Sachin Tendulkar for his first-ever duck in first-class domestic cricket to becoming one of India&#8217;s main bowlers, Bhuvneshwar Kumar has come a long way. His ODI and T20I debut in the 2012-13 series vs Pakistan are fresh in the memories of many Indian fans as he made the ball talk like no Indian pacer ever had in the history of the game.

SRH bought him for INR 4.25 cr in the 2014 IPL auction and he has been worth every penny ever since. He has played 126 matches and taken 139 wickets at a bowling economy of 7.31 including a five-wicket haul. He is the only Indian bowler to have won the Purple cap twice and the only bowler to win it in consecutive seasons &#8211; 2016 and 2017.

However, injury concerns have hurt Bhuvi in the last few seasons which has jeopardized his national team selection as well. The UP pacer will look to hit the strides when the second phase of IPL 2021 kicks off and showcase to everyone why he should be starting in the playing 11 for <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/sunil-gavaskar-leaves-out-shikhar-dhawan-and-shreyas-iyer-from-his-indian-squad-for-t20-world-cup-2021/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">India</a> especially in white-ball cricket.

<img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-462834" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Jasprit-Bumrah-of-Mumbai-Indians.jpg" alt="Jasprit Bumrah of Mumbai Indians" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-462834" class="wp-caption-text">Jasprit Bumrah of Mumbai Indians. (Photo Source: IPL/BCCI)</figcaption>

How can we not talk about the most skillful fast bowler, the leader of the pack,<a href="https://www.crictracker.com/eng-vs-ind-we-focus-on-the-good-things-not-always-trying-to-find-needles-everywhere-reckons-jasprit-bumrah/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> Jasprit Bumrah</a>? He has gained immense popularity due to his skill &amp; bowling action. Kids across India love to copy his bowling action. He was picked by the Mumbai Indians in 2013 and ever since, it has been a fabulous ride for him.

He has played 99 matches and taken 115 wickets at a bowling economy of 7.4 runs per over which is fabulous considering he bowls two and sometimes three overs at the death. He couldn&#8217;t have asked for a better franchise because who better to guide him than Lasith Malinga, who had tasted immense success in international cricket with a not so pretty action. Bumrah has publicly claimed many times that Malinga taught him the art of bowling yorkers consistently.

With his unique bowling action and short run-up, he creates an angle that makes it extremely difficult for batsmen to line him up. His quick arm action also allows him to bowl his variations without batsmen having any clue about them. Boom-Boom Bumrah is one of the most skillful bowlers the world has ever seen, so it becomes imperative for the Indian cricket team to manage his workload. He still has many years left in international cricket &amp; he is expected to break many records along with toes.

IPL is full of quality players across franchises.

IPL 2021: Current best playing XI of the tournament

To pick the current best IPL 11 has been a challenge due to the plethora of players performing exceedingly well at this stage.

IPL 2021: Current best playing XI of the tournament

IPL is full of quality players across franchises.

4. Rohit Sharma (c)