Rahul Chahar has named his all-time IPL XI and sprung an enormous shock by omitting Kolkata Knight Riders’ (KKR) iconic match-winners Andre Russell and Sunil Narine. The Indian leg-spinner as a substitute stacked his aspect with confirmed top-order stars and specialist T20 bowlers in an Instagram chat with Crictracker.
Rahul Chahar picks his all-time IPL XI forward of the 2026 season
On the high, Rohit Sharma and Brendon McCullum kind an explosive right-hand opening pair, with Chris Gayle slotting in as one other devastating presence on the high or at No.3. Virat Kohli and Suryakumar Yadav provide stability plus high-tempo scoring within the center overs, whereas Hardik Pandya provides the twin worth of big-hitting and seam-bowling. MS Dhoni’s presence at No.6 or No.7 gives ending energy in addition to unmatched management and recreation consciousness.
Rashid Khan leads the spin division alongside Yuzvendra Chahal, giving captain Dhoni two elite wicket-taking choices within the center overs. Among the many pacers, Jasprit Bumrah and Bhuvneshwar Kumar deal with the brand new ball and demise overs, providing each management and penetration.
The 2026 IPL season is scheduled from March 15 – Could 31, after the ICC Males’s T20 World Cup.
No place for Andre Russell or Sunil Narine in Rahul Chahar’s all-time IPL XI
The most important speaking level from Chahar’s XI is the absence of KKR legends Andre Russell and Sunil Narine, each broadly thought to be among the many best influence gamers in IPL historical past. Their exclusion suggests Chahar was prepared to maneuver away from sentiment and focus as a substitute on latest kind, consistency, and his personal consolation as a bowler dealing with explicit opponents. It additionally underlines how franchises and gamers more and more worth reliability throughout seasons fairly than remoted explosive campaigns.
Additionally READ: Breakdown of Andre Russell’s IPL salary since his debut – From 2012 to 2025
By leaving out Russell, Chahar has successfully chosen stability over a boom-or-bust finisher who can win video games single-handedly however has additionally struggled with accidents and consistency in recent times. Narine’s omission, in the meantime, highlights the depth of spin choices accessible in IPL historical past, the place names like Rashid and Chahal can edge forward on economic system, adaptability and present effectiveness.
Rahul Chahar’s all-time IPL XI
Rohit Sharma, Brendon McCullum, Chris Gayle, Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya, MS Dhoni, Rashid Khan, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Yuzvendra Chahal, Jasprit Bumrah.
Additionally READ: No David Warner! Mandeep Singh reveals his all-time IPL XI
