MI and RCB combined all-time IPL XI

The Indian Premier League, a showdown involving the greatest cricketers from across the different horizons of cricket, is perhaps the most arduously fought T20 competition in the world. Besides the mouth-watering tussles, transforming nature of the game and the mathematical skirmishes that go into the cash-rich league, it’s safe to say that a fan-following of millions makes it the most desirable and anticipated championships.

In the spotlight here, are two teams that have experienced contrasting fortunes in the 12 years of IPL – Mumbai Indians and Royal Challengers Bangalore.

It took six enervating years, but an exceptional campaign in 2013 saw the mighty Mumbai Indians land their maiden IPL trophy. Since the, they’ve added three more to claim their stake as the competition’s most successful team in terms of tournament victories.

Over the last decade or so, Mumbai Indians have been referred to as arguably the most star-studded team with players such as Ricky Ponting, Sachin Tendulkar, Sanath Jayasuriya, Lasith Malinga, Mitchell Johnson and Shaun Pollock having donned the famous blue-and-gold stripes.

As for RCB, who are still only dusting off an empty trophy cabinet, have also witnessed the greats of the game in their dressing room. Jacques Kallis, Dale Steyn, Mark Boucher, Kevin Pietersen, Anil Kumble, Ross Taylor, Chris Gayle and modern-day superstars Ab de Villiers and Virat Kohli happen to have taken the burden of taking RCB as far as possible, but only overseen narrow failures in penultimate matches.

Here’s an all-time combined XI of MI and RCB, keeping in mind the stalwarts of both sides over the last 12 years:

1. Sachin Tendulkar

Sachin Tendulkar plied his trade in the IPL towards the back-end of his otherworldly career, and while many were sceptical of his approach to a different brand of cricket, he proved that class is not determined by varying versions of the game.

Widely proclaimed as an immortal figure for his particularly transcendental records in every aspect of a batsman’s achievement book, Tendulkar came into his own in the 2010 edition of the IPL when after a couple of substandard finishes in the first two seasons, Mumbai rode on his back to finish as runners-up.

Those 618 runs at a staggering average of 47.5 evoked a serious winning mentality in the MI camp; like a springboard to the subsequent success tasted by the Maharashtra-based side. Sachin, as he did throughout his career, took the burden upon himself to aid MI’s rise. The following season was when the fraternity paid witness to the Little Master’s first and only IPL century, in yet another superb season for him personally. (553 runs in 16 matches)

All in all, he recorded 2,334 in 78 matches for his home team, also lifting the coveted trophy in his final season for MI back in 2013 under Ricky Ponting’s tutelage.