IPL 2019: David Warner, Virat Kohli and MS Dhoni make team of the season

Chitrabhanu Kadalayil has selected his best XI from this season's matches

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

The Indian Premier League may have attracted some controversy this season, like it does every season, yet it has thrown up some fascinating stories worth telling and retelling.

David Warner of Sunrisers Hyderabad and Mumbai Indians' Hardik Pandya returned to form, letting their performances talk for themselves after the duo were punished for ball-tampering and making sexist remarks, respectively, while on national duty. So was the case of Kings XI Punjab opener Lokesh Rahul, who struggled with the bat throughout the past season before he, too, faced punitive action for his comparatively less distasteful remarks about women in the show he appeared with Pandya.

The season will also be remembered for Imran Tahir's sensational form with the ball - and for some - his remarkable, made-for-television celebrations. Veteran MS Dhoni continued to prove his relevance at this level, while Kagiso Rabada showed the world why he is the world's best fast bowler.

Also, who can forget the Ashes bromance between Warner and opening partner Jonny Bairstow which bloomed for much of the season.

All these players, and more, have made it to our IPL team of 2019.

There are admittedly some glaring omissions, including those of Parthiv Patel, Quinton de Kock and Jos Buttler - wicketkeeper-batsmen. But Dhoni's place in the side is also down to his leadership skills.

To find out who else did and why, browse through the photo gallery above. To move on to the next position, click the arrows on the photo, or if using a mobile device simply swipe left/right.