Former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan thinks the Mumbai Indians are superior than the Chennai Super Kings in the argument over which IPL team is the best. The comparison is tight because both teams have won five titles under Rohit Sharma and MS Dhoni.
Both teams have had consistent success in the IPL, according to Pathan.
Early on, CSK was dominant, taking home consecutive titles in 2010 and 2011. MI started their run in 2013 and went on to win more titles, including two straight in 2019 and 2020. According to Pathan, trophies and consistency alone don’t really distinguish the two teams.
“On picking the side between CSK and MI as the greatest team in the IPL, this will always be debatable. CSK started winning the IPL title from 2010 onwards. They won back-to-back titles in 2010 and 2011 and were the first team to do so. But when MI started winning in 2013, they kept winning every alternate year. Then they won the IPL trophy back-to-back in 2019 & 2020,” Pathan said on JioHotstar.
The Mumbai Indians’ contribution to Indian cricket through talent development, according to Pathan, is their greatest asset.
Pathan cited important players who advanced via the MI system, including Hardik Pandya, Jasprit Bumrah, Suryakumar Yadav, Ishan Kishan, and Tilak Varma. He claimed that the national team and the franchise have both profited from this robust scouting network.
“What I like about MI is their contribution to Indian cricket. The number of match winners they have produced for the Indian team is absolutely tremendous.”
Pathan emphasized that throughout the years, MI has cultivated a strong team culture and produced a number of Indian leaders. He stated that MI stands out for their greater contribution to Indian cricket, even if he called the debate fair.
“Even now, MI had a great squad last season that could have easily won the trophy, but they could not for different reasons. CSK do not have four Indian captains, MI do. In that respect, assembling a team and contributing to a bigger cause, I think MI are the greatest IPL team.”
“I know CSK will always say they are also the greatest, having won five trophies too. There is no doubt. There will always be a debate and it is a fair debate. But I think MI take the edge because they have given so many wonderful cricketers and young talents to Indian cricket,” Pathan added.
