Warner, Parthiv, Amla, Bhuvi, Jasprit...
Rediff.com's Harish Kotian picks his Dream Team after IPL 10.
The IPL 10 final -- which was decided on the last ball and ended in a one run win for the champions -- was an apt end to an entertaining tournament.
Many cricketers sparkled on the biggest T20 arena of them all.
Young men unseen on the big stage before.
Veterans.
Superstars...
Some shone brightly throughout the six weeks of a hectic and tiring campaign fought in the body-sapping heat of the Indian summer.
Others glistened briefly, but tellingly.
Rediff.com's Harish Kotian picks his IPL 10 Dream Team. Let us find out who they are:
Captain: David Warner, Sunrisers Hyderabad
Scoring more than 600 runs for a second successive IPL season, 'The Reverend' proved his class yet again.
Sunrisers were very unlucky to lose to the Kolkata Knight Riders in a rain-truncated game that ended their presence this IPL season, but Big Dave's captaincy was consistently top notch.
The Aussie was the tournament's top run-getter with 641 runs in 14 games, inclusive of four fifties and a century.
He averaged more than 50 with the bat, while maintaining a high strike rate of 141.
Parthiv Patel, Mumbai Indians
Having captained Gujarat to a Ranji Trophy title, after making a comeback to the Indian Test team, Parthiv had a dream end to his season, with Mumbai Indians' title triumph.
Parthiv was consistent with the bat at the top of the MI order, scoring at a good clip to set his side's tempo right from the start.
Mumbai's top run-getter -- an impressive 395 runs in 16 games with two fifties -- was also reliable with the gloves.
Hashim Amla, Kings XI Punjab
Amla proved this IPL season why he is the best batsman across all formats of the game.
The classy South African was the only batsman to hit two centuries in IPL 10.
His team didn't go through to the play-offs, but Amla -- who scored 420 runs in 10 games (he had to leave to don national colours) at an average of 60 with two fifties and two tons -- finished a creditable sixth in the IPL 10 run-getters list.
Suresh Raina, Gujarat Lions
Even though his team struggled all season, Raina did enough to justify his billing as one of the game's T20 specialists.
He scored 307 runs in 14 games at an average of 40.
This was the first time in IPL history that Raina was not part of the play-offs.
Ben Stokes, Rising Pune Supergiant
The costliest overseas player in IPL history, Stokesy justified his price tag with impressive performances with bat and ball and in the field.
Though he had to leave for English team bonding in Spain, the redhead had done enough by then to ensure Pune's presence in the play-offs.
Stokesy scored 316 runs in 12 games, including a century and a fifty, taking 12 wickets at an economy rate of 7.18.
Despite missing the play-offs and the final, he was fittingly named the Most Valuable Player of the tournament.
Rishabh Pant, Delhi Daredevils
Rishabh won applause for his entertaining strokeplay and his sharp glovework.
I believe Rishabh will take over from Mahendra Singh Dhoni when he retires from international cricket.
Rishabh scored 366 runs at a strike rate of 165, took eight catches and had three stumpings.
Krunal Pandya, Mumbai Indians
In a playing eleven of many stars, Krunal kept his place. What does that tell you?
The elder Pandya scored 243 runs in 13 games and picked 10 wickets at an economy rate of less than seven.
He reserved his best for the last, hitting a vital 45 not out against KKR in Qualifier 2 and then played possibly the most important knock of his career so far, in the final against Pune.
His 47 was crucial in the end and he was rightly named man of the final.
Rashid Khan, Sunrisers Hyderabad
The best spinner in IPL 10.
Bought for Rs 4 crores (Rs 40 million), Rashid finished the tournament with 17 wickets from 14 games at an impressive economy rate of 6.62.
This should surely make him one of the most sought after players for other T20 leagues.
Playing for the first time in a big tournament like the IPL, the 18-year-old Afghan leg-spinner never looked out of place.
Axar Patel, Kings XI Punjab
Axar's stock as an all-rounder has risen high after IPL 10.
The left-arm spinner, who took 15 wickets in 14 games, also scored 227 runs at a strike rate of 140.
He may have been overlooked for the Champions Trophy, but he won't be ignored for long.
Jasprit Bumrah, Mumbai Indians
Easily, the best bowler in T20 cricket.
His ability to bowl yorkers in the death overs coupled with his variety of slower balls makes him a difficult bowler to deal with.
Jasprit produced one of the finest death overs in T20s when he conceded just six runs in the Super Over against the Gujarat Lions to guide the Mumbai Indians to victory.
The fast bowler finished with a rich haul of 20 wickets in 16 games.
Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Sunrisers Hyderabad
Bhuvi was IPL 10's top wicket-taker, taking 26 wickets in 14 games.
He had an economy rate of just over seven coupled with an impressive strike rate of 12.
He bowled his heart out through the tournament and we can't wait to see him bowl in next year's IPL.
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Photographs: BCCI
