14 April,2024 11:24 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
If anything, CSK`s bowlers could be put to sword by the rampaging MI batters who have gone hammer and tongs at the flat pitches (Pic: AFP)
The legendary Mahendra Singh Dhoni returns to the hallowed turf of Wankhede for the first time ever as a non-captain of the CSK, potentially in his last IPL season. It will also be his first appearance as just a player for any team since November 2005.
CSK would also hope their recent record against MI, four wins in last five matches including their seven-wicket win here last season, holds them in good stead.
Two of IPL's most successful teams with five titles each, both sides are witnessing a tectonic shift of leadership change with Hardik Pandya taking over the mantle from Rohit Sharma at MI and Ruturaj Gaikwad succeeding Dhoni at CSK, but there is nothing that suggests their intense rivalry would expect any such shift.
If anything, CSK's bowlers could be put to sword by the rampaging MI batters who have gone hammer and tongs at the flat pitches, scoring in excess of 230 against Delhi Capitals and chasing down nearly 200 against Royal Challengers Bengaluru with more than four overs to spare.
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Pandya's MI have found their footing after a jittery start. Their batters have done well in the last two outings and Suryakumar Yadav's 17-ball fifty against RCB provides an ominous sign to CSK bowlers, who have shown mastery on slow, turning pitches at the Chepauk but remain untested on flat, batting-friendly surfaces.
Ishan Kishan (161 runs) and Rohit's opening stand would thus be crucial in the scheme of things but CSK would also have a lot of assurance with their own batting.
Skipper Gaikwad may not be a marauder with the bat but he can be the silent enforcer in the CSK line-up, which has the exuberance of Rachin Ravindra at the top, sturdiness of Daryl Mitchell in the middle and explosiveness of Shivam Dube (176 runs), Ravindra Jadeja and Dhoni in the death overs.
CSK would also be aware that seeing off the dexterous Jasprit Bumrah (10 wickets) and going after the rest of the MI bowling would be the key, since the others have given away runs at alarming rate while struggling with their line and lengths on placid surfaces.
Despite Bumrah's five-wicket haul, MI leaked runs at a high rate to allow RCB get closer to the 200-run mark here a few nights ago.
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Mumbai Indians: Hardik Pandya (c), Rohit Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav, Dewald Brevis, Jasprit Bumrah, Piyush Chawla, Gerald Coetzee, Tim David, Shreyas Gopal, Ishan Kishan (wk), Anshul Kamboj, Kumar Kartikeya, Akash Madhwal, Kwena Maphaka, Mohammad Nabi, Shams Mulani, Naman Dhir, Shivalik Sharma, Romario Shepherd, Arjun Tendulkar, Nuwan Thushara, Tilak Varma, Vishnu Vinod, Nehal Wadhera, Luke Wood.
Chennai Super Kings: MS Dhoni (wk), Aravelly Avanish (wk), Devon Conway, Ruturaj Gaikwad (c), Ajinkya Rahane, Shaik Rasheed, Moeen Ali, Shivam Dube, RS Hangargekar, Ravindra Jadeja, Ajay Jadav Mandal, Daryl Mitchell, Rachin Ravindra, Mitchell Santner, Nishant Sindhu, Deepak Chahar, Tushar Deshpande, Mukesh Choudhary, Mustafizur Rahman, Matheesha Pathirana, Simarjeet Singh, Prashant Solanki, Shardul Thakur, Maheesh Theekshana, Sameer Rizvi.
Wicketkeeper: Ishan Kishan (C)
Batsmen: Ruturaj Gaikwad (vc), Rachin Ravindra, Shivam Dube, Rohit Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav
All-rounders: Ravindra Jadeja, Hardik Pandya
Bowlers: Jasprit Bumrah, Matheesha Pathirana, Mustafizur Rahman
Hardik Pandya won toss and elected to bowl first against the Chennai Super Kings
Mumbai Indians: Rohit Sharma, Ishan Kishan(w), Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya(c), Tim David, Mohammad Nabi, Romario Shepherd, Shreyas Gopal, Gerald Coetzee, Jasprit Bumrah, Akash Madhwal
Chennai Super Kings: Rachin Ravindra, Ruturaj Gaikwad(c), Ajinkya Rahane, Daryl Mitchell, Shivam Dube, Ravindra Jadeja, Sameer Rizvi, MS Dhoni(w), Shardul Thakur, Tushar Deshpande, Mustafizur Rahman
11: 24 PM: MI: 186/6 (20)
Rohit Sharma brings up his century, but Chennai Super Kings won the match by 20 runs.
11: 12 PM: MI: 160/6 (18)
Tim David also departs early. Pathirana bags his fourth wicket in the match. Mumbai is in huge trouble.
11: 00 PM: MI: 135/4 (16)
Hardik Pandya returns to the pavilion. Pressure builds on lone Rohit.
10: 45 PM: MI: 130/3 (14)
Tilak departs for 31 runs. Captain Hardik Pandya joins Rohit in run-chase.
10: 35 PM: MI: 118/2 (12)
Tilak, Rohit continues to hit boundaries, Chennai looks for another breakthrough.
10: 26 PM: MI: 90/2 (10)
Rohit completes his fifty, continues to bat with Tilak Varma. The hosts are still on the backfoot.
10: 18 PM: MI: 75/2 (8)
Matheesha Pathirana bags two wickets in his first over. Kishan departs for 23 runs followed by Suryakumar Yadav for a duck.
10: 04 PM: MI: 63/0 (6)
Mumbai ends the first powerplay with a score of 63 runs for the loss of no wicket.
9: 55 PM: MI: 38/0 (4)
The opening duo takes MI to 38 runs in 4 overs. Ishan-Rohit continues to bat aggressively.
9: 46 PM: MI: 13/0 (2)
Opening the innings for Mumbai Indians, Rohit Sharma and Ishan Kishan start on a positive note. MI accumulate 13 runs in 2 overs.
9:28 PM: 206/4 (20 Overs)
Dhoni smashes 20 off 4 balls for CSK in the last four balls off Pandya. CSK have posted a mammoth 206 runs on the board against MI at Wankhede.
9:12 PM: 173/3 (18 Overs)
Mumbai bounce back in style with some tight overs, surely, CSK would be hoping to touch the 200 run mark as we have seen what MI can do when chasing at this venue.
8:50 PM: 151/3 (16 Overs)
Gaikwad goes for the big one but gets trapped by Hardik Pandya as MI finally break the partnership. CSK bring in Daryl Mitchell at number 5.
8:45 PM: 132/2 (14 Overs)
Ruturaj Gaikwad completes his fifty. Gerald Coetzee and Romario Shepherd continue attack for the Mumbai Indians. Akash Madhwal brought in by skipper Pandya.
8:34 PM: 102/2 (12 Overs)
Gaikwad dropped on 39 by Rohit Sharma at the boundary rope. MI searching for a wicket to break this partnership.
8:26 PM: 80/2 (10 Overs)
Shivam Dube takes on MI skipper Hardik Pandya with three fours in one over for CSK. MI looking to break the partnership.
8:15 PM: 61/2 (8 Overs)
This time Rachin Ravindra bites the dust, gets caught behind by Ishan Kishan bowled by Shreyas Gopal. Shivam Dube comes in at number 4 for CSK.
7:59 PM: 52/1 (7 Overs)
CSK start steady with Gaikwad-Rachin in the middle. After the powerplay, MI continue attack with Mohammad Nabi. The batting duo looking fine with ones and twos at the moment.
7:46 PM: 18/1 (3 Overs)
Ajinkya Rahane departs as CSK lose their first wicket, caught by Hardik Pandya off Gerald Coetzee's delivery. Gaikwad joins Rachin Ravindra in the middle.
7:30 PM: Match begins!
Chennai open batting with Ajinkya Rahane and Rachin Ravindra, while Ruturaj Gaikwad will bat down the order it looks like that.
