2 min readMar 21, 2026 07:27 PM IST
It’s one of the biggest debates in the Indian Premier League, one that keeps fan armies from both sides occupied on social media: which is the greatest team in the IPL between Mumbai Indians and the Chennai Super Kings?
Both franchises have won the IPL title a record five times each in 18 seasons. Both teams have given the country some of the best T20 talents. But former India pacer Irfan Pathan believes that Mumbai Indians are slightly ahead than the Chennai franchise based on one aspect.
“On picking a side between CSK and MI as the greatest team in the IPL, this will always be debatable,” Pathan said on a JioStar show before laying out the case for each of the two teams. “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 Mumbai Indians started winning from 2013, they kept winning after every alternate year. Then they won the IPL trophy back-to-back in 2019 and 2020.”
Pathan then spoke about why he had picked MI.
“What I like about Mumbai is their contribution to Indian cricket. The number of match winners they have produced for the Indian team is absolutely tremendous. How do you achieve that? First, you make your franchise big. Second, you deliver results with the team you have. Even now, Mumbai Indians had a great squad last season that could have easily won the trophy, but they couldn’t for different reasons. CSK don’t have four Indian captains, Mumbai Indians do. In that respect, assembling a team and contributing to a bigger cause, I think Mumbai Indians 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 Mumbai Indians take the edge because they have given so many wonderful cricketers and young talents to Indian cricket,” Pathan concluded.
