Chronicling the Mumbai Indians jersey over the years

In the last few years, sports jerseys have gone from non-existent to ever present. Each team has a particular colour and design that they choose to wear for a fixed duration. The change in jerseys has seen player names printed at the back along with their chosen number while the names of sponsors adorn the front and the sides.

The IPL has seen a plethora of designer jerseys and one of its most successful teams, Mumbai Indians, has been seen sporting a new one almost every other year.

The Mumbai-based franchise is one of the most successful teams in IPL and Champions League T20 history. Let's take a journey down memory lane and look at all the jerseys Mumbai Indians have worn over the years:

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2008 and 2009

This was a pretty simple designed jersey with the colours sky blue and cobalt blue. A strip of cobalt blue in the centre was surrounded by the sky blue. With the likes of Sanath Jayasuriya and Sachin Tendulkar opening the team's batting wearing this jersey, it was much in demand.

After a slow start in which Mumbai Indians lost the first four games of their IPL history, they made a superb comeback by winning the next six. However, a win in the final four matches saw them narrowly miss out in the knockout stage as they finished fifth.

The following year, they made a slight modification to their jersey with sky blue the only colour on it with slight dashes of cobalt blue as seen in the image. A simpler and more elegant jersey.

Luck deserted them this time on the pitch, though, as the team wearing the sky blue jersey could only muster 5 wins in 14 in the second season, finishing 7th.

Safe to say that the Mumbai Indians were glad to see the back of that jersey.

2010 and 2011

After a couple of underwhelming seasons, change was the need of the hour and that was precisely what happened. Mumbai Indians made serious intent with their work in the auction hall while also revolutionizing their jersey.

They no longer donned the sky-blue, they were now more serious and it showed in their darker shade of blue mixed with golden stripes which made the jersey classier

Even though some people won’t believe in the luck factor, the jersey worked like a horseshoe for them as Mumbai Indians qualified for the semi-finals of the tournament both the times and played some incredible cricket in the process.

The Indians also won their first silverware as they lifted the Champions League T20 trophy in 2011. Their 2012 wasn’t as good, but they kept making a strong intent.

2012 and 2013

As the better years continued, Mumbai Indians were wise to not make many changes to their jersey. The basic colours blue and golden remained the same as they continued their rise in quest for IPL glory.

And it finally came in 2013.

Apart from some minor tweaks in the golden stripes, the jersey was pretty much the same. But, the golden stripe from the shoulder to the length of the jersey saw a golden period for Tendulkar’s boys.

Prior to the start of the 2013 IPL season, Mumbai Indians appointed Anil Kumble as chief mentor. Ricky Ponting began as the captain of the tournament, but dropped himself after some poor performances—a move that saw Rohit Sharma take the captain’s mantle.

In the end, the Men in Blue lifted the trophy they coveted the most – the IPL!

2014

The rise of the Indians somewhat stuttered as they lost all their 5 games in the UAE leg of the 2014 IPL. However, under the leadership of Rohit Sharma and guidance of Sachin, Ponting and Shane Bond, they managed to make themselves a force to be reckoned with.

It was a great turnaround from how they started off in 2008. The jersey was again kept the same, with just some tweaks in the golden stripes here and there.

Despite a horrendous start, they managed to qualify for the play-offs. In 2014, they fell to Chennai in the eliminator, but plenty of success was in store for them in the following year.

2015 and 2016

A new era beckoned for the Mumbai Indians as they looked to reclaim what they considered rightfully theirs. They roped in the sportswear brand of Reliance Trends to design their jersey and the giants proved to be their lucky charm.

Despite a customary slow start, the team romped home to their second IPL title wearing the blue. The kit saw bright golden stripes on the shoulders, similar to a warrior's armour. And boy, did they clinch the gold in style that season!

Last year marked the team's abilities when it came to mental strength. The comebacks they made put many in awe of their spirit. Sticking with the winning formula, they barely made any changes for the 2016 season.

This season, they will be hoping to become the first team to win 3 IPL titles and their jersey sponsors might just be the lucky charm they need.