Chennai Super Kings (CSK) vs Mumbai Indians (MI), the epic El Clásico of the TATA Indian Premier League (IPL) returns today, Sunday, March 23, at 7:30 PM IST, in a thrilling showdown at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai.
CSK did not qualify for the playoffs in the previous IPL season. MI, on the other hand, did poorly last season, finishing last in the points standings.
CSK will enter IPL 2025 with a new squad, a composed leader in Ruturaj Gaikwad, and a desire to return to their peak. Gaikwad will lead the batting order with an amazing IPL record. The return of Ravichandran Ashwin after 10 years and Sam Curran after four enhances the all-rounder unit. Ravindra Jadeja‘s involvement helps to stabilise both batting and bowling. Chepauk’s spin-friendly tracks will make Jadeja, Ashwin, and Afghanistan’s Noor Ahmad vital in the middle overs. MS Dhoni‘s exceptional wicketkeeping abilities will be critical to the team’s success. As the icon possibly enters his final season, the spotlight will be on him like never before, with fans anxiously expecting every move from the man who defined cricketing glory.
MI, on the other side, will be missing Hardik Pandya for their first match owing to a slow over-rate punishment from the previous season. Suryakumar Yadav will serve as captain. The predicted top order of Rohit Sharma, Ryan Rickelton, Tilak Varma, and SKY should adopt an aggressive strategy. This aggressive start will help players like Will Jacks and Naman Dhir to take control of the death overs and propel the final score. Given his current form and left-arm variation, Santner might have an edge over Jacks for the spin all-rounder job.
Head-to-Head:
CSK and MI have taken on each other 37 times, of which CSK have won 17 whereas Mumbai have come out victorious on 20 occasions.
Where-to-Watch:
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