Aakash Chopra picks the team likely to win if IPL Champions Mumbai face Team India in T20s

Breaking the odd-year victory spell, Rohit Sharma & Co. put up a completely dominating performance as Mumbai retained the IPL trophy on Tuesday, winning the tournament for the fifth time. The formidable squad which defeated Delhi in the 2020 finale has now become the most successful franchise in IPL history. Emphasising on the franchise's winning record, cricketer-turned-commentator Aakash Chopra has opined that Mumbai would win a T20 series against Team India as well, if ever possible. 

'Best franchise team in the world'

Throwing his weight behind the 2020 IPL champions if pitted against Team India, Aakash Chopra stated that Rohit Sharma's men have so much depth that the opposition 'drowns' in that. "If you talk about batting, they have Hardik Pandya and Krunal Pandya after Kieron Pollard. They hit so much that stopping them becomes impossible,” Chopra said in a video he shared on Facebook. 

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“If you talk about their bowling, they kept on playing Rahul Chahar for the entire tournament and when the chance came they played Jayant Yadav and he also did well. Anukul Roy comes as a fielder and takes 2-3 catches and they have a plethora of fast bowlers with them,” he added. Asserting that Mumbai has no 'deficiency,' Aakash Chopra stated that it is the best franchise team in the world. 

"If they play a three-match T20 series against the Indian team where the Mumbai Indians players will play for them, i.e. Rohit Sharma, Bumrah and Hardik Pandya, I feel they will defeat Team India as well,” he said. 

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Mumbai retain their crown 

Delhi were reduced to 22/3 after winning the toss and electing to bat first in their maiden final appearance. Skipper Shreyas Iyer and Rishabh Pant then added 96 runs for the fourth-wicket stand. Skipper Iyer remained unbeaten and played a crucial knock of a 50-ball 65 as Delhi finished their innings at 156/7 from their 20 overs in the IPL finale on Tuesday.  

In reply, Iyer's opposite number Rohit Sharma successfully anchored Mumbai's run chase as he toyed around with the Delhi bowlers by smashing them to all parts of the ground. The 'Hitman' played a spectacular knock of a 51-ball 68 at a strike rate of 133.33 including five boundaries and four maximums.

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