Former international cricketers Adam Gilchrist and Shaun Pollock have picked their all-time IPL XI following the rule of seven Indian and four overseas players in a video on Cricbuzz. The legendary duo named Chennai Super Kings (CSK) icon MS Dhoni as the captain of their Indian Premier League best XI.
The IPL is the biggest T20 league in the world, where top players from around the globe come together to play for a single team. Over the years, many Indian and overseas cricketers have become legends of the tournament. Several players have made a big impact and excelled with their performances.
Adam Gilchrist and Shaun Pollock: Name Two Overseas Batters in All-Time IPL XI
In a video shared by Cricbuzz, Adam Gilchrist and Shaun Pollock began selecting their all-time IPL XI by naming their first two overseas picks. Adam Gilchrist picked Chris Gayle, while Pollock chose AB de Villiers. Pollock said that de Villiers redefined modern T20 batting.
“I’m gonna go left-handed, very hard-hitting batter that has scored a lot of hundreds in all cricket around the world — Chris Gayle, gotta be there,” said Gilchrist.
“He put fear into me. He put fear into me at the top of the order, so he’s definitely worth a place. Mr. ABD reinvented the game in many ways, Mr. 360. Turned the game on its head. Can’t believe he didn’t win a title. That’s the big surprise, isn’t it?” said Pollock.
🚨 G.O.A.T #IPL XI alert 🚨@gilly381 & @7polly7 build their best #IPL XI, right here#IPL2025 #ViratKohli #MSDhoni @myvoltas pic.twitter.com/NolGsfGAZ8
— Cricbuzz (@cricbuzz) May 6, 2025
GOAT in the Bowling Arena Was Definitely Lasith Malinga – Shaun Pollock
Gilchrist and Pollock picked Lasith Malinga and Sunil Narine as the remaining overseas players. Pollock described Lasith Malinga as the greatest bowler in IPL history.
“For me, the greatest of all time, the GOAT in the bowling arena was definitely Lasith Malinga. His striking up front, striking at the back end, his stats, his figures, his average, his strike rate, his economy rate — it just ticks every single box you’d want to,” Pollock stated.
“So it was Narine and Rashid Khan. Yeah. You often look at Rashid Khan as Mr. MVP. But if you have a look at what he’s (Narine) done, three times he’s been MVP and he’s won many titles. You’ve got to go, Narine, I’m afraid,” he further added.
MS Dhoni Named Captain of Adam Gilchrist and Shaun Pollock’s All-Time XI
The legendary duo named Virat Kohli as the opening partner for Chris Gayle, with Chennai Super Kings (CSK) star Suresh Raina coming in at No. 3 on the all-time list. They overlooked players like Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul for the opening role. Virat is the IPL’s all-time leading run-scorer.
Suryakumar Yadav is placed at No. 5 in the batting order. MS Dhoni is the captain and wicketkeeper-batter of the side. Dhoni is one of the most successful captains in league history, leading CSK to five titles. The spin department includes Ravindra Jadeja, Yuzvendra Chahal, along Narine.
Adam Gilchrist and Shaun Pollock’s All-Time XI: Chris Gayle, Virat Kohli, Suresh Raina, AB de Villiers, Suryakumar Yadav, MS Dhoni (c and wk), Ravindra Jadeja, Sunil Narine, Lasith Malinga, Jasprit Bumrah, and Yuzvendra Chahal.
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