Virat Kohli at 3, Heinrich Klaasen at 7: Matthew Hayden Picks His IPL 2024 Team of the Tournament

The former Australian international revealed his team of the tournament for the 2024 edition of the Indian Premier League ahead of the grand finale between the Kolkata Knight Riders vs Sunrisers Hyderabad at the M.A Chidambaram Stadium on Sunday.

The Aussie revealed his picks to constitute the best XI performers for the IPL 2024 season and included some of the big names like Virat Kohli and Jasprit Bumrah among others.

For the opening pair, Hayden opted for a mix between two of the finest openers for the season who are taking part in the final, Sunil Narine and Travis Head to take the top two spots in the batting order. Narine has had his best season with the bat having scored 482 runs for KKR while Head has been even more destructive with a tally of 567 runs ahead of the final. Both batters have been absolute menace throughout the 2024 season and have been a crucial element to their respective sides making it to the final.

At the number 3 slot is none other than the current orange-cap holder, Virat Kohli. Despite opening the batting for the Royal Challengers Bengaluru, Kohli has been batting at the 3 spot in the batting order for the national side. He managed to strike his second-highest tally in a season with 741 runs which allowed RCB to make it to the playoffs in what was an unlikely scenario after a disastrous start to the tournament.

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In the number 4 and 5 spots, Hayden opted for the Rajasthan Royals skipper Sanju Samson and Lucknow Super Giants’ Nicholas Pooran. Both batters managed to register their best season tally with 531 and 499 runs respectively.

The RR skipper has been fairly consistent throughout the season which allowed the Royals to make it to the playoffs despite the series of losses through the final run of games in the league stages. Pooran on the other hand has been on and off through the season but when he gets going, he becomes a menace with his ability to hit maximums with relative ease. Through the final stretch, the West Indies international managed to find his form despite the side failing to make it to the playoffs.

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At 6, Riyan Parag on the other hand has had a breakout season. After years of being backed by the Royals’ management, the Assamese youngster finally delivered with knocks coming in at crucial junctures across the season.

In the number 7 slot is the SRH keeper-batter, Heinrich Klaasen who has been truly destructive with the bat. He has scored a total of 463 runs in the season and has showcased his proficiency to take on both spin and pace with the same kind of aggression and carrying SRH through to the finals.

In the spin-bowling department, Hayden has opted for the experience of Yuzvendra Chahal and the highest wicket-taking spinner of the season, Varun Chakravarthy. The pace-attack comprises of Jasprit Bumrah leading the attack along with the RR fast-bowling duo of Avesh Khan and Sandeep Sharma.

Hayden’s IPL 2024 Team of the Tournament: Sunil Narine, Travis Head, Virat Kohli, Sanju Samson, Nicholas Pooran, Riyan Parag, Heinrich Klaasen, Yuzvendra Chahal, Varun Chakaravarthy, Jasprit Bumrah, Avesh Khan, Sandeep Sharma.

(with IANS Inputs)

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