A round of predictions is going on before the start of IPL 2026. All the veteran players are telling which teams can reach the top-4 this season and which team can lift the trophy. Meanwhile, former Indian cricketer Irfan Pathan has told about the franchise which is the best in IPL 2026. He has also told about the reason behind this, due to which he is calling this team the best.
The two most successful franchises of IPL are Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings. Both the teams have won 5-5 trophies. In such a situation, there is often debate in the corridors of cricket as to which of these two teams is the best.
Irfan Pathan while talking on JioHotstar said, “CSK started winning IPL titles from 2010. They won consecutive titles in 2010 and 2011 and became the first team to do so. But when Mumbai Indians started winning from 2013, they kept winning every other year. Then they won consecutive IPL trophies in 2019 and 2020.”
Mumbai Indians have always had match-winning players, who also played for Team India. Mumbai searched and nurtured players like Hardik Pandya, Jasprit Bumrah, who have been performing brilliantly for the Indian team in the recent past.
Irfan Pathan further said, “What I like best about Mumbai Indians is their contribution to Indian cricket. The number of match-winning players they have produced for the Indian team is amazing. How is this possible? First of all, you make your franchise big. Second, you give results with your team. Still, Mumbai Indians had a great team last season that could have easily won the trophy, but due to different reasons they were not able to do so.”
Irfan Pathan believes that Mumbai Indians team is the best because they currently have 4 Indian captains. He also said that Chennai considers itself the best team.
Irfan further said, “CSK does not have 4 Indian captains, which Mumbai Indians have. In that sense, in terms of building a team and contributing to a bigger goal, I think Mumbai Indians is the greatest team in the IPL. I know CSK will always call themselves great because they have also won five trophies. There is no doubt about that. There will always be debate on this and it is a fair debate, but I think Mumbai Indians have the upper hand Because he has given so many great cricketers and young talents to Indian cricket.”
