Ahead of the beginning of IPL 2020, the legendary Indian cricketer Sunil Gavaskar revealed his favourite playing XI of Kings XI Punjab (KXIP) for this tournament.
KXIP have never won the IPL trophy. In the IPL history, their best record is finishing as the runners-up in the IPL 2014 where Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) won their second IPL trophy after beating KXIP in the final of that tournament. Since then, they have never reached to the playoffs of the IPL tournament.
So, the KXIP are desperate to improve their records in the IPL 2020. That’s why they have made some crucial changes in the team, including appointing Anil Kumble in the Head Coach role and KL Rahul in the captaincy role.
IPL 2020: Sunil Gavaskar named Chris Gayle, Nicholas Pooran, Glenn Maxwell and Mujeeb Ur Rahman as the foreigners in his favourite KXIP playing XI
Recently, during an interaction with Sports Tak, Sunil Gavaskar revealed his favourite playing XI of the present KXIP team. Without any surprise, he chose the new skipper KL Rahul and Caribbean superstar Chris Gayle as the opening partner.
In the last two seasons, Rahul was the most in-form batsman of their side as he finished as the most run-scorer of the team in both those seasons. Moreover, in those two IPL seasons, Rahul finished among the top three most run-scorers in those tournaments. Meanwhile, Gayle was their second most run-scorer in both the last two seasons.
Then Gavaskar named Mayank Agarwal and Caribbean wicket-keeper batsman Nicholas Pooran in the next two batting line-ups. Sarfaraz Khan is in the fifth number in his KXIP batting line-up as the youngster impressed him in the last domestic season, while he scored 180 runs in eight matches (average 45.00; strike-rate 125.87), including only half-century.
Australian cricketer Glenn Maxwell is the next middle-order batsman in Gavaskar’s KXIP playing XI. His last overseas cricketer in this playing XI is young Afghanistan off-spinner Mujeeb Ur Rahman.
While undoubtedly the Indian right-arm pacer Mohammed Shami will lead the pace-bowling attack, Ishan Porel is Gavaskar’s another pace bowling choice in this playing XI. Gavaskar also named two Indian leg spinners in this list who are the youngster Ravi Bishnoi and the 30-year-old Murugan Ashwin.
KXIP will begin their journey in the IPL 2020 on this Sunday (20th September) when they will face Delhi Capitals (DC) in the second game of this tournament at Dubai International Cricket Stadium (Dubai).
Sunil Gavaskar’s favourite playing XI for KXIP in the IPL 2020: KL Rahul (c), Chris Gayle, Mayank Agarwal, Nicholas Pooran, Sarfaraz Khan, Glenn Maxwell, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Mohammed Shami, Ravi Bishnoi, Murugan Ashwin, Ishan Porel