All these years, we have been selecting our squads and the playing XIs in the IPL. All our players have received adulation from a lot of you over the last 9 seasons. It is indeed a tough job selecting the eleven to play a game. We thought, we’d put you on the spot and get you to choose a Mumbai Indians Dream Team – eleven of the best players you think should form an all-time line-up. Having run the activity on Facebook and Twitter, here is the MI Dream Team you have chosen.

We must admit that you guys have chosen wisely and intelligently. The MI Dream Team can take on any T20 side in the world, on any given day. Let’s take a look at the eleven select players who have made it to this team through your votes.

Lendl Simmons (Foreign Player):

When Mumbai Indians’ backs were against the wall, Lendl Simmons rose with a string of consistent performances. He was a major cog in our wheel when we won the IPL for the second time, in 2015. The Calypso flavour is quite evident in the way he bats – flamboyantly without any fear. Simmons has been one of the best openers for us and continues to do so.

Sachin Tendulkar:

Any Mumbai team will be incomplete if this name doesn’t feature in it, right? Well, there are no surprises that you have chosen the Master Blaster, Sachin Tendulkar in the MI Dream Team. He was the second MI batsman to score an IPL century and could turn the tide in our favour right at the top. Tendulkar has also captained MI on many occasions.

Rohit Sharma:

Two titles under his name and the most runs for Mumbai Indians in the IPL – enough said! Our current skipper has been the brain of our batting line-up for many years now. Be it quick runs or stabilising the innings, Rohit has played both roles, depending on the match situation.

Ambati Rayudu:

Ambati Rayudu has seen Mumbai Indians out of many a sticky situation, since 2010. He is the spine of the middle-order, even today. From consistent performances to last ball finishes, Rayudu has been there, conquered a lot and continues to be a valuable part of MI. No wonder he has made it to the Dream Team.

Kieron Pollard (Foreign Player):

No boundary can hold back the towering Kieron Pollard! The Trinidadian has won many matches for us with the bat, ball, and his fielding too. Pollard’s mere presence on the field can emanate authority over the opposition and confidence among the MI boys.

Parthiv Patel:

MI has had several wicket-keepers over the past 9 years and this category was indeed a tough one for you to fill. The fight was pretty close, but Parthiv Patel edged ahead. The diminutive, yet explosive keeper has opened for Mumbai Indians with success in the last two seasons and has a safe pair of hands behind the wickets.

Harbhajan Singh:

Harbhajan Singh has been a part of the MI setup since the beginning of the IPL. Nobody has more experience than the ‘Turbanator’ who has led the side through ups and downs. Bhajji has been the leading spinner for the team and has been more than handy with the bat on many occasions.

Lasith Malinga (Foreign Player):

The name and the mane is enough! One of the most feared T20 bowlers in the world, Lasith Malinga would walk into any limited overs side, anywhere in the world. His yorkers and variations make him one of the deadliest weapons that Mumbai Indians has possessed since 2008. Malinga has single-handedly won games for MI with the ball and is the leading wicket-taker in the IPL.

Mitchell Johnson (Foreign Player):

When in full flow, batsmen are left hopping and in uncomfortable positions while facing Mitchell Johnson. The left-arm pacer has rattled many oppositions with his aggressive bowling and has just returned to the MI squad after being purchased in the 2017 auction. He may have retired from international cricket, but the bite in his bowling is still penetrative.

Jasprit Bumrah:

His action may not be right out of the text book, but his yorkers sure are! Jasprit Bumrah is from the Malinga clan of bowlers who can unsettle batsmen with pace, lack of it and other variations. Bumrah was one of the finds for Mumbai Indians in 2013, from where he made a lot of progress in his career. Any bowling attack would love to have him in their flanks.

Zaheer Khan:

It is highly unlikely for any team in India to go in with four quicks and a spinner. But, can we beat fans’ demands? We can’t! Zaheer Khan has been one of the shrewdest bowlers in Indian cricket. His ability to control the game with the ball has indeed got him a look in, into the Mumbai Indians Dream Team.

While we’re aware that some of the fans may have voted for other players, we live in a world that favours democracy and had to go with the majority. Without doubt, the eleven you have chosen is capable of impressing all the Mumbai Indians fans. As we head into the 10th edition of the IPL, many of these players are still part of the squad and will be gunning for the title once again. It is fans that make a sport and the sportspersons great. So Paltan, continue backing our boys!