R Ashwin picks his best playing XI of IPL 2026; Virat Kohli doesn't get opener's role

Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 was an action-packed affair with teams jostling for the coveted title. In the end, it was the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) who retained the silverware.

The legendary Ravichandran Ashwin picked his best playing XII from the recently concluded tournament during one of his videos on YouTube.

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, who was the MVP (Most Valuable Player) and Orange Cap winner, got picked as the opener and it was actually a no-brainer. Gujarat Titans' skipper Shubman Gill, who finished as the second-highest run-getter, was picked as Sooryavanshi's opening partner.

The talismanic Virat Kohli opened the batting for RCB and had his best season in terms of strike rate. He was also the Player of the Match in the final against the Titans. In Ashwin's side, he was given the No. 3 position.

Heinrich Klaasen, Rajat Patidar, and Nitish Kumar Reddy formed the middle order in Ashwin's team. Klaasen was impressive throughout the season for the Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH). He aggregated more than 600 runs, which is commendable for a middle-order batter. RCB skipper Patidar also had a pivotal role to play in his team's triumph.

He led from the front, playing some decisive knocks throughout the season. IPL 2026 didn't have too many all-rounders producing noteworthy performances. However, Reddy stood out, scoring over 300 runs and picking up eight wickets. He was followed by RCB all-rounder Krunal Pandya, who also had a memorable campaign.

Ashwin's bowling unit featured a plethora of overseas players. Apart from Bhuvneshwar Kumar, the former India spinner went with Jamie Overton, Sunil Narine, and Kagiso Rabada. The cricketer-turned-expert picked Jofra Archer as his overseas player. It is important to mention that Rabada, Bhuvneshar, and Archer were the top three wicket-takers in the tournament, finishing with 29, 28, and 25 wickets, respectively.

Ravichandran Ashwin's best playing XI of IPL 2026: Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Heinrich Klaasen, Rajat Patidar, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Krunal Pandya, Jamie Overton, Sunil Narine, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Kagiso Rabada.

Impact Player: Jofra Archer.