Picking an all-time MI XI ahead of IPL 2025 ft. Rohit Sharma, Hardik Pandya

Mumbai Indians (MI) will begin their IPL 2025 campaign with a much-awaited clash against Chennai Super Kings (CSK) at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on Sunday, March 23. MI had a horrendous IPL 2024 campaign. They finished last in the points table, winning only four out of their 14 matches.

Mumbai Indians will be keen to come up with a much better effort in the upcoming season. Ahead of the IPL 2025 mega auction, they retained five players - Jasprit Bumrah (₹18 crore), Suryakumar Yadav (₹16.35 crore), Pandya (₹16.35 crore), Rohit Sharma (₹16.30 crore), and Tilak Varma (₹8 crore). At the auction, they bought pacers Trent Boult for ₹12.50 crore and Deepak Chahar for ₹9.25 crore.

As MI gear up for the IPL 2025 season, we pick an all-time XI of the franchise that has won the T20 league five times.

---

Top-order: Rohit Sharma (c), Sachin Tendulkar, Quinton de Kock (wk)

Rohit Sharma and Sachin Tendulkar would form a terrific opening combination in the all-time MI XI. Rohit would also lead the dream team. He is the leading run-getter for the Mumbai Indians franchise, having smashed 5,731 runs in 221 games at an average of 29.69 and a strike rate of 131.05, with two tons and 36 fifties.

Looking at Tendulkar's stats, he scored 2,599 runs in 91 matches at an average of 32.48 and a strike rate of 118.62, with one hundred and 14 half-centuries. The two Mumbai legends would perfectly complement each other at the top. South Africa's Quinton de Kock would be the keeper-batter in the all-time XI. In 43 games, he scored 1,329 runs at an average of 34.07 and a strike rate of 131.32.

---

Middle-order & All-rounders: Suryakumar Yadav, Ambati Rayudu, Hardik Pandya, Kieron Pollard

Suryakumar Yadav and Ambati Rayudu would be the big hitters for MI in the all-time XI in the middle-order, while all-rounders Hardik Pandya and Kieron Pollard would play the role of finishers.

Suryakumar, the 360-degree batter, has smashed 3,033 runs in 98 matches at an average of 35.26 and a strike rate of 148.09. He has won a number of games for MI with his sensational hitting skills. Rayudu was a key batter for Mumbai Indians from 2010 to 2017. In 136 matches, he contributed 2,635 runs at an average of 24.39 and a strike rate of 123.36, playing a number of crucial cameos.

Pandya has featured in 106 matches so far for MI. Batting in the middle and lower-order, he has smacked 1,692 at an impressive strike rate of 152.43. With the ball, he has picked up 53 wickets, with a best of 3-20. Pollard played a similar role for MI. In 211 matches, he scored 3,915 runs at a strike rate of 147.01. With his medium pace, he claimed 79 scalps. Pollard was also a brilliant fielder.

---

Bowlers: Harbhajan Singh, Lasith Malinga, Jasprit Bumrah, Mitchell McClenaghan

Lasith Malinga and Jasprit Bumrah would be the main pacers in the all-time MI XI, while Mitchell McClenaghan would be the third pacer. Sri Lankan legend Malinga holds the record for having claimed the most number of wickets for MI. In 139 matches, he picked up 195 scalps at an average of 19.35 and an economy rate of 7.12, with as many as seven four-fers and two five-fers.

Not surprisingly, Bumrah is second on the list of bowlers with most wickets for the Mumbai Indians franchise. He has played 136 matches so far for the team and has claimed 168 wickets at an average of 22.61 and a strike rate of 18.55, with two five-fers and two four-fers. Mumbai would be hoping that he can regain fitness as soon as possible and not miss too many matches in IPL 2025.

New Zealand's McClenaghan might seem a somewhat surprising choice in the all-time MI XI. However, he is among the top five wicket-takers for the franchise. In 56 matches from 2015 to 2019, the left-arm pacer picked up 71 scalps at an average of 25.39, with a best of 4-21.

Former captain Harbhajan Singh would be the main spinner in the all-time MI XI. In 158 matches, the former off spinner picked up 147 wickets at an average of 26.55 and an economy rate of 6.96, with two four fers and one five-fer.

(Note: Stats include CLT20 matches)