IPL · All-time XI, by our ratings
The all-time IPL XI, under the real rules
Eleven players from every IPL season since 2008, picked the way a team must be picked in the Beat My 11 IPL game: two openers, three middle-order batters, one wicketkeeper, an all-rounder, a spinner, three fast bowlers and no more than four overseas players.
Every player appears at his best franchise and block of seasons, with only the numbers from those matches. The ratings that put them in order stay hidden, as they do in the game.
Stats up to 31 May 2026.
The XI
| # | Player | Position | Franchise | Seasons | Matches | Batting in the stint | Bowling in the stint |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | David WarnerOS | Opener | SRH | 2013–17 | 59 | 2,579 runs, avg 52.6, SR 147.7 league SR 128.9 | – |
| 2 | Virat Kohli | Opener | RCB | 2013–17 | 72 | 2,779 runs, avg 46.3, SR 137.0 league SR 128.9 | – |
| 3 | Suresh Raina | Middle order | CSK | 2008–12 | 80 | 2,254 runs, avg 33.6, SR 139.4 league SR 123.4 | – |
| 4 | Suryakumar Yadav | Middle order | MI | 2023–now | 56 | 1,937 runs, avg 40.4, SR 168.4 league SR 150.3 | – |
| 5 | Kieron PollardOS | Middle order | MI | 2013–17 | 79 | 1,704 runs, avg 34.1, SR 146.9 league SR 128.9 | – |
| 6 | AB de VilliersOS | Wicketkeeper | RCB | 2013–17 | 69 | 2,171 runs, avg 41.0, SR 163.1 league SR 128.9 | – |
| 7 | Ravindra Jadeja | All-rounder | CSK | 2018–22 | 72 | 770 runs, avg 35.0, SR 139.8 league SR 132.9 | 50 wkts, econ 7.30, avg 31.2 league econ 8.26 |
| 8 | Varun Chakravarthy | Spinner | KKR | 2023–now | 52 | – | 69 wkts, econ 8.13, avg 22.8 league econ 9.37 |
| 9 | Jasprit Bumrah | Fast bowler | MI | 2018–22 | 73 | – | 99 wkts, econ 6.96, avg 20.0 league econ 8.26 |
| 10 | Lasith MalingaOS | Fast bowler | MI | 2008–12 | 56 | – | 83 wkts, econ 6.36, avg 16.6 league econ 7.66 |
| 11 | Bhuvneshwar Kumar | Fast bowler | SRH | 2013–17 | 59 | – | 87 wkts, econ 7.26, avg 18.6 league econ 8.00 |
OS = overseas player. “League” is the whole IPL’s strike rate or economy in that block of seasons, so you can see how far ahead of his time each player was: the IPL scored at 123.4 runs per 100 balls in 2008–12 and 150.3 since 2023.
How the XI is made up
- Franchises: Mumbai Indians 4, Chennai Super Kings 2, Royal Challengers Bengaluru 2, Sunrisers Hyderabad 2, Kolkata Knight Riders 1.
- Seasons: 2008–12: 2, 2013–17: 5, 2018–22: 2, 2023–now: 2.
- Overseas players: four (David Warner, Kieron Pollard, AB de Villiers and Lasith Malinga).
Player by player
Each paragraph looks at the stint behind the pick: the real numbers, how they compare with the league in the same seasons, who is next in line, and the team’s record in the matches he played. Team record is the franchise’s wins divided by wins plus defeats in those matches; ties and no-results are left out of the percentage. It is context, not proof of what one player did: a team wins or loses for many reasons.
1. David Warner
SRH · 2014 to 2017 · 59 matches · 2,579 runs, average 52.6, strike rate 147.7 (league 128.9)
Consistency is the first thing the numbers show: 26 fifties and a best of 126 in 59 innings, for 2,579 runs at an average of 52.6. His strike rate of 147.7 was 18.8 above the league figure of 128.9 for the block, so the high average did not come from batting slowly. His matches for SRH in this block run from 2014 to 2017. SRH won 32 and lost 27 of the 59 matches he played (54.2%). They won the 2016 title. That is the team’s record, not a measure of his own effect. Among openers, Chris Gayle (RCB 2013–17) is another overseas batter just outside the XI, with a strike rate of 142.0.
2. Virat Kohli
RCB · 2013 to 2017 · 72 matches · 2,779 runs, average 46.3, strike rate 137.0 (league 128.9)
Volume and durability define this stint: he played 72 matches for RCB from 2013 to 2017 and scored 2,779 runs, the most of any player in this XI, with 4 hundreds and 22 fifties. His average of 46.3 and strike rate of 137.0 (8.0 above the league’s 128.9) mark him as steady and quick for his time. The results are less flattering. RCB won 32 and lost 36 of the 72 matches he played (47.1%), with 2 ties and 2 no-results. They won no title in those seasons. Individually he was outstanding, but RCB won fewer than half of their matches in these years. Next in line among openers is Virender Sehwag (DC 2008–12), whose strike rate of 167.3 was 44.0 above his block’s league figure.
3. Suresh Raina
CSK · 2008 to 2012 · 80 matches · 2,254 runs, average 33.6, strike rate 139.4 (league 123.4)
This is the earliest stint in the XI, from the first five IPL seasons, when the whole league scored at 123.4 runs per 100 balls. Raina’s 139.4 was 16.0 above that over 78 innings, for 2,254 runs at 33.6 with 14 fifties and a best of 98. He also bowled a little: 20 wickets at 7.04 an over, against a league economy of 7.66. CSK won 47 and lost 32 of the 80 matches he played (59.5%), with 1 tie. They won the 2010 and 2011 titles. That is context rather than credit for one player. Rohit Sharma (MI 2013–17) is the next middle-order batter in line.
4. Suryakumar Yadav
MI · 2023 to 2026 · 56 matches · 1,937 runs, average 40.4, strike rate 168.4 (league 150.3)
Tempo is the story. His strike rate of 168.4 is the highest of any batter in this XI, and against a league that scored at 150.3 it is still 18.1 higher. He made 1,937 runs in 56 innings from 2023 to 2026 at an average of 40.4, with 2 hundreds and 15 fifties. The team side of the story is weaker: MI won 25 and lost 31 of the 56 matches he played (44.6%). They won no title in those seasons. After Rohit Sharma, Shaun Marsh (PBKS 2008–12) and Yusuf Pathan (KKR 2013–17) are among the middle-order batters just outside the XI.
5. Kieron Pollard
MI · 2013 to 2017 · 79 matches · 1,704 runs, average 34.1, strike rate 146.9 (league 128.9)
Pollard’s case rests on the bat and on a winning side. He scored 1,704 runs at a strike rate of 146.9, 18.0 above the league’s 128.9, and averaged 34.1 over 75 innings, with a highest score of 78. His bowling was expensive at 10.26 an over (league 8.00), but he made 48 dismissals in the field. MI won 47 and lost 31 of the 79 matches he played (60.3%), with 1 tie. They won the 2013, 2015 and 2017 titles. That is the best record of the eleven stints, and it belongs to the team, not to one player. Just outside the XI at his position: Nitish Rana (KKR 2018–22) and David Miller (PBKS 2013–17).
6. AB de Villiers
RCB · 2013 to 2017 · 69 matches · 2,171 runs, average 41.0, strike rate 163.1 (league 128.9)
The pace is the headline: a strike rate of 163.1, 34.2 above the league’s 128.9, held across 66 innings with an average of 41.0. He made 2,171 runs with 2 hundreds, 14 fifties and a highest score of 133, plus 48 dismissals. The team result matches Kohli’s. RCB won 29 and lost 37 of the 69 matches he played (43.9%), with 1 tie and 2 no-results. They won no title in those seasons. Individually excellent, collectively below 50%. At wicketkeeper, Rishabh Pant (DC 2018–22) is next in line, and M S Dhoni (CSK 2008–12) also sits just outside the XI.
7. Ravindra Jadeja
CSK · 2018 to 2022 · 72 matches · 770 runs, average 35.0, strike rate 139.8 (league 132.9) · 50 wickets, economy 7.30 (league 8.26), average 31.2
The economy rate is the reason he is here: 7.30 an over against a league average of 8.26, 0.96 cheaper, with 50 wickets in 72 matches at 31.2 each. The bat added 770 runs at an average of 35.0 and a strike rate of 139.8, 6.9 above the league. CSK won 41 and lost 31 of the 72 matches he played (56.9%). They won the 2018 and 2021 titles. That is the team’s record. Shane Watson (RR 2008–12) is next in line at all-rounder, but he is overseas and the XI’s four overseas places are filled.
8. Varun Chakravarthy
KKR · 2023 to 2026 · 52 matches · 69 wickets, economy 8.13 (league 9.37), average 22.8
Wicket-taking sets this stint apart: 69 in 52 matches, one every 16.8 balls, at an average of 22.8. His economy of 8.13 looks high, but the league’s was 9.37 in this block, so he conceded 1.24 fewer runs an over than the field. KKR won 27 and lost 23 of the 52 matches he played (54.0%), with 1 tie and 1 no-result. They won the 2024 title. Spinners just outside the XI include Rashid Khan (SRH 2018–22), who is overseas and conceded 6.27 an over in his block, and Yuzvendra Chahal (RCB 2018–22).
9. Jasprit Bumrah
MI · 2018 to 2022 · 73 matches · 99 wickets, economy 6.96 (league 8.26), average 20.0
Control and wickets together: 6.96 an over against a league average of 8.26, 1.30 fewer, while taking 99 wickets in 73 matches at 20.0 and striking every 17.2 balls. He did it across 2018 to 2022, a long run rather than one hot year. MI won 38 and lost 32 of the 73 matches he played (54.3%), with 3 ties. They won the 2019 and 2020 titles. That is the team’s record, not one bowler’s. In the same block, Kagiso Rabada (DC 2018–22) took 70 wickets at 8.13 an over; he is overseas, like others just outside the XI.
10. Lasith Malinga
MI · 2009 to 2012 · 56 matches · 83 wickets, economy 6.36 (league 7.66), average 16.6
The lowest economy and bowling average of any bowler in this XI: 6.36 an over and 16.6 a wicket, against a league figure of 7.66 in those seasons, so he conceded 1.30 fewer runs an over than the field. The numbers come from the early years of the league, when scoring was lower. Across 56 matches from 2009 to 2012 he took 83 wickets, one every 15.7 balls. MI won 33 and lost 23 of the 56 matches he played (58.9%). They won no title in those seasons. The next fast bowler in line is Sandeep Sharma (PBKS 2013–17), whose economy was 7.77 against a league figure of 8.00 in his block.
11. Bhuvneshwar Kumar
SRH · 2014 to 2017 · 59 matches · 87 wickets, economy 7.26 (league 8.00), average 18.6
He struck more often than any other bowler in the XI, one wicket every 15.4 balls, taking 87 in 59 matches at an average of 18.6. His economy of 7.26 was 0.74 better than the league’s 8.00. His Sunrisers matches in this block run from 2014 to 2017, the same 59 matches Warner played, which is why the two share one team record. SRH won 32 and lost 27 of the 59 matches he played (54.2%). They won the 2016 title. Overseas fast bowlers just outside the XI include Kagiso Rabada (DC 2018–22) and Jofra Archer (RR 2018–22); the four overseas places are already taken.
Next in line
The highest-ranked player at each position who missed out.
| Player | Position | Franchise | Seasons | Matches | Batting in the stint | Bowling in the stint |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Virender Sehwag | Opener | DC | 2008–12 | 66 | 1,879 runs, avg 30.3, SR 167.3 league SR 123.4 | – |
| Rohit Sharma | Middle order | MI | 2013–17 | 81 | 2,232 runs, avg 33.8, SR 132.5 league SR 128.9 | – |
| Rishabh Pant | Wicketkeeper | DC | 2018–22 | 74 | 2,274 runs, avg 37.9, SR 147.2 league SR 132.9 | – |
| Shane WatsonOS | All-rounder | RR | 2008–12 | 39 | 1,242 runs, avg 40.1, SR 146.8 league SR 123.4 | 35 wkts, econ 7.17, avg 27.7 league econ 7.66 |
| Rashid KhanOS | Spinner | SRH | 2018–22 | 62 | – | 76 wkts, econ 6.27, avg 20.4 league econ 8.26 |
| Sandeep Sharma | Fast bowler | PBKS | 2013–17 | 56 | – | 71 wkts, econ 7.77, avg 22.4 league econ 8.00 |
Against the All-Star XI you play in the game
The IPL game’s opponent, the All-Star XI, was chosen by hand. Seven of its eleven players are also in this XI, all at the same stint. The All-Star XI also has Chris Gayle (RCB 2013–17), Rohit Sharma (MI 2013–17), Yuzvendra Chahal (RCB 2018–22) and Rashid Khan (SRH 2018–22). This XI has David Warner, Kieron Pollard, Ravindra Jadeja and Varun Chakravarthy instead.
| # | Player | Position | Stint | Also in this XI? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Virat Kohli | Opener | RCB 2013–17 | Yes |
| 2 | Chris Gayle | Opener | RCB 2013–17 | No |
| 3 | Rohit Sharma | Middle order | MI 2013–17 | No |
| 4 | Suryakumar Yadav | Middle order | MI 2023–now | Yes |
| 5 | Suresh Raina | Middle order | CSK 2008–12 | Yes |
| 6 | AB de Villiers | Wicketkeeper | RCB 2013–17 | Yes |
| 7 | Yuzvendra Chahal | Spinner | RCB 2018–22 | No |
| 8 | Rashid Khan | Spinner | SRH 2018–22 | No |
| 9 | Lasith Malinga | Fast bowler | MI 2008–12 | Yes |
| 10 | Jasprit Bumrah | Fast bowler | MI 2018–22 | Yes |
| 11 | Bhuvneshwar Kumar | Fast bowler | SRH 2013–17 | Yes |
How this XI was picked
- The pool: 947 franchise stints of 10 or more matches, from 421 players whose overseas status is known.
- The rule: the same one as every best-XI page on this site. Each player plays in his main role, the highest-ranked players fill each position, and the XI keeps exactly one all-rounder. A player counts once, at his highest-ranked stint, and no more than four overseas players are allowed.
- The ratings are the Beat My 11 IPL ratings, built from batting and bowling numbers in the stint. Before ranking, strike rate and economy are compared with the league in that block of seasons, so a 2010 stint and a 2024 stint are judged fairly. The tables show the real numbers.
- Ties: when two players rank level, the one with more matches in the stint goes first, the same tie-break as the Test best-XI pages.
- Ratings are not shown, here or in the game. Draft your own XI to find out how yours compares.
Questions people ask
What is the best IPL XI of all time?
By the Beat My 11 ratings, under the game's rules: David Warner, Virat Kohli, Suresh Raina, Suryakumar Yadav, Kieron Pollard, AB de Villiers, Ravindra Jadeja, Varun Chakravarthy, Jasprit Bumrah, Lasith Malinga and Bhuvneshwar Kumar. Each is picked at his best franchise and block of seasons, and there are four overseas players. It is one data-based answer, not the only one; the IPL All-Star XI you play against in the game was picked by hand.
How many overseas players can an IPL XI have?
Four. An IPL playing XI may include at most four overseas players, and both the Beat My 11 IPL game and this XI keep to that limit. This XI has exactly four: David Warner, Kieron Pollard, AB de Villiers and Lasith Malinga.
Why is a player listed at one team and one block of seasons?
IPL careers move between franchises, and scoring rates changed a lot between 2008 and today. So the game treats each franchise stint in a block of seasons (2008–12, 2013–17, 2018–22, 2023 onwards) as its own card, with only the numbers from those matches. A player can still appear only once in an XI.
Why is M S Dhoni not in the XI?
His best stint by our ratings, CSK 2008–12, ranks 6 of 43 among wicketkeepers in the data. The XI has room for one wicketkeeper, and AB de Villiers ranks first.
Why is Chris Gayle not in the XI?
His best stint by our ratings, RCB 2013–17, ranks 5 of 50 among openers in the data. The XI has room for two openers and the places are taken.
Why is Rohit Sharma not in the XI?
His best stint by our ratings, MI 2013–17, ranks 4 of 107 among middle-order batters in the data. The XI has room for three middle-order batters and the places are taken.
Think you can pick a better one? Draft your own IPL XI from real stints and play the All-Star XI.
Draft an IPL XISources and data
Ball-by-ball match data: Cricsheet, used under the Open Data Commons Attribution licence (ODC-By), every IPL season from 2008 to the date above. Overseas status: international records, with the site owner’s list for uncapped players.