Imran Tahir (leg-spinner, Chennai Super Kings): There is little doubt Tahir rules a world full of brilliant and successful leg-spinners. He has been Chennai's most successful bowler, which is not bad for the 40-year-old who has already announced this would be his swansong international season. The world will not only miss his wicket-taking exploits but also his wild celebrations. R Parthibhan / AP Photo
David Warner (opener, Sunrisers Hyderabad): The opener made a brilliant comeback from a year-long ban from international and first-class cricket for his role in a ball-tampering scandal that rocked Australian cricket. The left-hander scored 692 runs in 12 innings, including a hundred and eight fifties. His jaw-dropping average of 69.20 and strike-rate of 143.86 put him head and shoulders over his peers, but his match-winning partnerships with opening partner Jonny Bairstow make him a candidate for MVP. Noah Seelam / AFP
Jonny Bairstow (opener, Sunrisers Hyderabad): The other half of Hyderabad's successful opening pair, Bairstow, left, aggregated 445 runs. He averaged 55.62 and had a strike-rate of 157.24, but again, it was his partnership with David Warner that set the franchise apart this season. From Ashes foes to IPL friends, Warner and Bairstow should open for the IPL 2019 composite XI. Mahesh Kumar A / AP Photo
Lokesh Rahul (top-order batsman, Kings XI Punjab): Rahul has bounced back from a disappointing season with the Indian team to score 522 runs, including a hundred and five fifties and, even though he acquired success as an opener, he will be just as effective at No 3 seeing as he can bat deep in an innings. AP Photo
Virat Kohli (middle-order batsman, Royal Challengers Bangalore): Kohli endured another disappointing season as Bangalore captain, but his contributions with the bat have been solid if not stellar. The bulk of his 464 runs have come at the top of the order, but in a team crowded by successful top-order batsmen, Kohli's value will be greater in the middle overs and perhaps at the death as well. Aijaz Rahi / AP Photo
Andre Russell (all-rounder, Kolkata Knight Riders): Russell has been the most exciting player of IPL 2019, to the extent he is the leading candidate for MVP. He set the bar even higher for batsmen of his type - his strike-rate this season is more than 200 - and completed what would previously have been considered impossible run chases. It wasn't enough to get Kolkata to the play-offs, but he kept their hopes alive until the last game. Surjeet Yadav / AP Photo
Hardik Pandya (all-rounder, Mumbai Indians): Like Warner, Pandya was under pressure to perform after getting into trouble over his sexist comments in a television show. He proved his mettle by drowning out all the noise around his hearing midway through the season, and scoring more than 350 runs and taking over 10 wickets. He has been brilliant on the field, too. Rajanish Kakade / AP Photo
MS Dhoni (wicketkeeper & captain, Chennai Super Kings): At 37, Dhoni, centre, continues to be relevant in international and club cricket. He is not the most successful wicketkeeper-batsman in IPL 2019, yet he has been the season's most crucial player, thanks to his late-innings flourishes with the bat - and of course, his leadership skills. He has been a master tactician and a decisive captain. It is one of the reasons why Chennai remain title favourites. R Parthibhan / AP Photo
Shreyas Gopal (leg-spinner, Rajasthan Royals): Even though Yuzvendra Chahal impressed for Bangalore this season, the RCB management would have been forgiven for wishing it had an additional leg-spinner in its squad - specifically Bangalore native Gopal - who enjoyed a successful stint with Rajasthan Royals. The 25-year-old all-rounder took 20 wickets to finish in the top three in the bowling chart, making it a breakout season for him. Vishal Bhatnagar / AP Photo
Kagiso Rabada (fast bowler, Delhi Capitals): Having proved over the past two years to be the best fast bowler in Test cricket, the South African has now shown his versatility in Twenty20s as well by having taken 25 wickets in the regular season and topping the bowling chart. Given Rabada will turn just 24 in a few days' time, the right-armer has put himself on the path to become a legend. Altaf Qadri / AP Photo
Khaleel Ahmed (fast bowler, Sunrisers Hyderabad): After struggling in the India jersey, Khaleel, centre, has turned his fortunes around with a successful season with Hyderabad. If Warner and Bairstow were lynchpins with the bat, Khaleel was crucial with the ball. The left-armer put behind him the disappointment of not making the World Cup squad by taking 17 wickets in the IPL. Rajanish Kakade / AP Photo
Imran Tahir (leg-spinner, Chennai Super Kings): There is little doubt Tahir rules a world full of brilliant and successful leg-spinners. He has been Chennai's most successful bowler, which is not bad for the 40-year-old who has already announced this would be his swansong international season. The world will not only miss his wicket-taking exploits but also his wild celebrations. R Parthibhan / AP Photo
David Warner (opener, Sunrisers Hyderabad): The opener made a brilliant comeback from a year-long ban from international and first-class cricket for his role in a ball-tampering scandal that rocked Australian cricket. The left-hander scored 692 runs in 12 innings, including a hundred and eight fifties. His jaw-dropping average of 69.20 and strike-rate of 143.86 put him head and shoulders over his peers, but his match-winning partnerships with opening partner Jonny Bairstow make him a candidate for MVP. Noah Seelam / AFP
Jonny Bairstow (opener, Sunrisers Hyderabad): The other half of Hyderabad's successful opening pair, Bairstow, left, aggregated 445 runs. He averaged 55.62 and had a strike-rate of 157.24, but again, it was his partnership with David Warner that set the franchise apart this season. From Ashes foes to IPL friends, Warner and Bairstow should open for the IPL 2019 composite XI. Mahesh Kumar A / AP Photo
Lokesh Rahul (top-order batsman, Kings XI Punjab): Rahul has bounced back from a disappointing season with the Indian team to score 522 runs, including a hundred and five fifties and, even though he acquired success as an opener, he will be just as effective at No 3 seeing as he can bat deep in an innings. AP Photo
Virat Kohli (middle-order batsman, Royal Challengers Bangalore): Kohli endured another disappointing season as Bangalore captain, but his contributions with the bat have been solid if not stellar. The bulk of his 464 runs have come at the top of the order, but in a team crowded by successful top-order batsmen, Kohli's value will be greater in the middle overs and perhaps at the death as well. Aijaz Rahi / AP Photo
Andre Russell (all-rounder, Kolkata Knight Riders): Russell has been the most exciting player of IPL 2019, to the extent he is the leading candidate for MVP. He set the bar even higher for batsmen of his type - his strike-rate this season is more than 200 - and completed what would previously have been considered impossible run chases. It wasn't enough to get Kolkata to the play-offs, but he kept their hopes alive until the last game. Surjeet Yadav / AP Photo
Hardik Pandya (all-rounder, Mumbai Indians): Like Warner, Pandya was under pressure to perform after getting into trouble over his sexist comments in a television show. He proved his mettle by drowning out all the noise around his hearing midway through the season, and scoring more than 350 runs and taking over 10 wickets. He has been brilliant on the field, too. Rajanish Kakade / AP Photo
MS Dhoni (wicketkeeper & captain, Chennai Super Kings): At 37, Dhoni, centre, continues to be relevant in international and club cricket. He is not the most successful wicketkeeper-batsman in IPL 2019, yet he has been the season's most crucial player, thanks to his late-innings flourishes with the bat - and of course, his leadership skills. He has been a master tactician and a decisive captain. It is one of the reasons why Chennai remain title favourites. R Parthibhan / AP Photo
Shreyas Gopal (leg-spinner, Rajasthan Royals): Even though Yuzvendra Chahal impressed for Bangalore this season, the RCB management would have been forgiven for wishing it had an additional leg-spinner in its squad - specifically Bangalore native Gopal - who enjoyed a successful stint with Rajasthan Royals. The 25-year-old all-rounder took 20 wickets to finish in the top three in the bowling chart, making it a breakout season for him. Vishal Bhatnagar / AP Photo
Kagiso Rabada (fast bowler, Delhi Capitals): Having proved over the past two years to be the best fast bowler in Test cricket, the South African has now shown his versatility in Twenty20s as well by having taken 25 wickets in the regular season and topping the bowling chart. Given Rabada will turn just 24 in a few days' time, the right-armer has put himself on the path to become a legend. Altaf Qadri / AP Photo
Khaleel Ahmed (fast bowler, Sunrisers Hyderabad): After struggling in the India jersey, Khaleel, centre, has turned his fortunes around with a successful season with Hyderabad. If Warner and Bairstow were lynchpins with the bat, Khaleel was crucial with the ball. The left-armer put behind him the disappointment of not making the World Cup squad by taking 17 wickets in the IPL. Rajanish Kakade / AP Photo
Imran Tahir (leg-spinner, Chennai Super Kings): There is little doubt Tahir rules a world full of brilliant and successful leg-spinners. He has been Chennai's most successful bowler, which is not bad for the 40-year-old who has already announced this would be his swansong international season. The world will not only miss his wicket-taking exploits but also his wild celebrations. R Parthibhan / AP Photo
