Former Delhi Capitals mentor Kevin Pietersen went on to pick the best XI from among the IPL franchises. He picked MS Dhoni as the captain of the side and also picked the majority of the RCB and CSK stars in the side.
The IPL has been one of the most decorated franchise leagues in the world for over two decades. Entering its 19th edition, former player turned mentor Kevin Pietersen picked the best XI from the IPL to form a dream XI.
Pietersen himself played for franchises like the Royal Challengers Bengaluru and the Delhi Daredevils, and then later worked closely with the Delhi Capitals as a mentor back in IPL 2025.
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Kevin Pietersen picked the XI on the ‘For the Love of Cricket’ YT channel
The former Delhi Capitals mentor picked Chris Gayle, the former RCBian, and Virat Kohli as the two openers in the side. The duo had a memorable run in the IPL in the past, sharing a total of nine century partnerships between them.
He then picked former RCB legend AB de Villiers and CSK legend Suresh Raina as the two players who transitioned between the top order and the middle order. Both of these players scored 5000+ runs in the middle order in the history of the IPL.
He then picked five-time champions CSK skipper MS Dhoni as the captain and wicket-keeper in the side, and then moved to the all-rounder deck. He picked Andre Russell, Ravindra Jadeja and Sunil Narine as the three all-rounders.
Lastly, in the bowling deck, they picked Lasith Malinga and Jasprit Bumrah, the two MI greats and Yuzvendra Chahal, the highest IPL wicket-taker, as the lead spinner on his side.
Kevin Pietersen’s dream XI: Virat Kohli, Chris Gayle, AB de Villiers, Suresh Raina, MS Dhoni (c & wk), Andre Russell, Ravindra Jadeja, Sunil Narine, Yuzvendra Chahal, Lasith Malinga and Jasprit Bumrah.
Pietersen sidelined Rohit Sharma, Jos Buttler and David Warner from the all-time playing XI
Kevin Pietersen snubbed the likes of former Mumbai Indians skipper Rohit Sharma, who has led them to five IPL titles. The veteran star is the third-highest run getter in the IPL and has amassed several runs over the years, highlighting his impact in the IPL.
On the other hand, Englishman Jos Buttler also played several seasons successfully with the bat. Buttler has been one of the nearest competitors for Kohli for his unique IPL records. Buttler will be playing the upcoming season for the Gujarat Titans.
David Warner was another big name who was also snubbed from the team by the Englishman. This might be because he simply could not keep Chris Gayle out of the team; otherwise, Warner remains the most successful overseas player in the history of the IPL.
Kevin Pietersen explained the snub of DC batter KL Rahul
The former England batter, Kevin Pietersen, decided not to pick KL Rahul in the playing XI, as he was not backed for either the top order or the middle order as well. He emphasized that the batter was more ideal for an opening spot; however, it was already sealed by the two legends of T20 cricket.
Even when he mentored the Delhi Capitals in 2025, he revealed that he fought hard to get Rahul back to the top of the order. He said in the same video:
“We fought so hard to get him to the top of the order last season. He did, and got a hundred that next game. I was like, ‘Maybe you should listen.'”
However, the English great stepped down from his role ahead of the IPL 2026 season. The season starts on the 28th of March.
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