Harish Kotian/Rediff.com comes up with a strong playing eleven from the long list of big names warming the benches this IPL season.
The Indian Premier League attracts leading cricketers from around the world every year, but not all of them are lucky enough to make the playing eleven of their respective franchises.
Sometimes even the best warm the bench during the course of the season either due to poor form or because they don't fit into the team's playing combination.
Martin Guptill, easily one of the best limited overs batsmen in the last couple of seasons, did not find any takers at the IPL Players Auction. He came in as a replacement for the injured Lendl Simmons at Mumbai Indians.
After playing just one game since joining the team, Guptill has failed to convince the team management -- which includes Ricky Ponting and Sachin Tendulkar -- about his abilities.
Ditto with Chris Gayle who a month ago would never have expected to be dropped from a T20 team. The big-hitting Jamaican too has warmed the Royal Challengers Bangalore bench these last few games.
The West Indian left-hander missed four games to travel to Jamaica for the birth of his first child, returned and joined the team on April 25, but has featured in just one game since. K L Rahul has done well while opening with Virat Kohli.
Captain Kohli confirmed that Gayle was dropped and Travis Head included in his place.
'We felt we needed more solidity in the middle order,' the skipper said. 'Travis strikes the ball well, KL (Rahul) and I have been opening well. Also, we thought Travis can give us a few overs of off-spin if needed.'
Another RCB player relegated to the sidelines after starting off the tournament with a blazing knock is Sarfaraz Khan. The main reason seems to be his fitness.
'Sarfaraz understands the areas in which he needs to work on as far as the fitness and fielding part is concerned,' said RCB skipper Virat Kohli. 'You can't afford to have too many guys in the field who are not up to the mark with their fielding because the outfield here is lightning quick.'
'Sachin (Baby) is, in that aspect, very committed. He is fit and he works on those things. As captain, I want to have a guy who gives 120 per cent on the field and saves some crucial five to six runs,' Virat added, discussing Sarfaraz's omission.
The 18 year old smashed 35 runs off just 10 balls against the Sunrisers Hyderabad in RCB's opening game, but has played only four matches since.
Not so long ago, Mandeep Singh was rated one of the best young batsmen in the Indian domestic circuit. Last year he featured in all 14 RCB games, scoring 157 runs.
This season he has played just one game in which he didn't face a single ball.
Four years ago, he scored 432 runs from 16 matches and was deservedly named the 'IPL's Rising Star Player,' for being the best young player of the tournament.
Gurkeerat Mann is unable to command a regular starting place in the Kings XI Punjab team.
After a good showing in domestic cricket for Punjab, he made his international debut in the limited overs series in Australia but failed to score enough runs.
He got three games this IPL season, but after aggregating just 11 runs he has not got a game thereafter.
Wicket-keeper-batsman Aditya Tare led Mumbai to their 41st Ranji Trophy title earlier this year.
With Naman Ojha the team's preferred wicket-keeper, he continues to watch from the sidelines at Sunrisers Hyderabad after playing as a batsman and managing just 8 runs from 3 games.
Mahendra Singh Dhoni's Rising Pune Supergiants are struggling in their first IPL season, yet opportunities have been scarce for former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan, who has played just one game so far.
Dale Steyn's omission from Gujarat Lions' playing eleven has left many stunned. Equally stunning is Kiwi pacer Trent Boult's exclusion from the Sunrisers Hyderabad eleven.
Bangladesh pacer Mustafizur Rahman's superb performance and a host of left-arm pacers in the Sunrisers squad meant Boult has not even come close to getting a game.
The Sunrisers have relied on pace this season which has meant limited game time for leg-spinner Karn Sharma, who has featured in just two matches this season.
Kolkata Knight Riders's chinaman bowler Kuldeep Yadav has suffered the same fate, getting just one game, in which he took one wicket.
If one had to select a non-playing eleven from IPL 9, we could have a pretty strong team.
Guptill and Gayle could form a strong opening partnership. Both batsmen can win games single-handedly.
The middle order will have a strong Indian influence with youngsters Mandeep, Gurkeerat and Tare, who have proved themselves in domestic cricket.
Sarfaraz is capable of providing the late boost in the death overs. Pathan can be handy late down-the-order with his ability to hit boundaries.
Leg-spinner Karn and chinaman Kuldeep bring in variety in the spin department, while Steyn and Boult are destructive in any conditions.
The Non-Playing XI:
Martin Guptill
Chris Gayle
Mandeep Singh
Gurkeerat Mann
Aditya Tare (wicket-keeper)
Sarfaraz Khan
Irfan Pathan
Karn Sharma
Kuldeep Yadav
Dale Steyn
Trent Boult.
12th man: Eoin Morgan.
Who would captain this team? Please tell us in the Message Board below.
