IPL 2025
In this fixture last season, Dhoni smashed 20 runs off four deliveries © BCCI
Circa 2024: Hardik Pandya to MS Dhoni – 19.3 6, 19.4 6, 19.5 6, 19.6 2. Dhoni smashes 20 off the last four deliveries and CSK finish with 26 in the final over. The stands explode in Dhoni mania. Rohit Sharma comes out and hammers a century to raise MI hopes. The home team still loses, by exactly the same margin of runs scored by Dhoni earlier.
And just like that, on a memorable night, these two IPL heavyweights played out one of the classics of the tournament.
Cut to present and, same teams and virtually same players. MS Dhoni, Rohit Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah, Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, R Ashwin… and the Wankhede. The El Clasico of the IPL season is here. More often than not, this has been one of the marquee clashes of the season. But this year, it may not exactly live up to the hype, hoopla and billing of a MI-CSK contest.
At the halfway stage of the league, Chennai Super Kings’ playoff hopes are hanging by a thread. They are still technically in contention, but it’s only a mathematical possibility. With just two wins from seven matches, they languish at the bottom of the table. They need to win at least six – if not all seven – of their remaining games. In short, they need nothing less than a miracle.
“It’s a delicate phase, isn’t it?,” a wry Stephen Fleming, coach of CSK, admitted rather disappointingly. “Unfortunately the position we find ourselves in, we have run out of time to be too patient on the other hand. We’ve got eyes on the season, but we’ve also got a little bit of a look forward, making sure that we are developing players for the future and that might be the second half of the season, if it doesn’t go well over the next couple of games.”
“Our results to date have brought all the squad members into play. It’s been our tradition in the past to stick with more experienced players and they’ve given us the results that we were after.” CSK and Fleming have not exactly given up hope, but it feels like they’re shutting the stable door after the horse has bolted.
Mumbai Indians are not in a much better position either – they have managed just one more win than CSK and have lost more games than they have won so far. However, with Bumrah, Suryakumar, and Hardik hitting form, they can still hope for a turnaround in the second half of the season.
For a turnaround to happen, Mumbai Indians will need their talisman, Rohit, to step up. The former captain has started showing signs of his true form, particularly during his brief but impactful innings against Sunrisers Hyderabad at the Wankhede. Although he faced just 16 deliveries, he still made his presence felt with a typically swashbuckling 25. With a few more overs at the crease in the upcoming games, MI’s campaign could be back on track. Unlike the pitch for the SRH game, the surface for Sunday night’s contest is expected to favor the batters, and Rohit should thrive in these conditions. An MI resurgence is difficult but not impossible.
When: Mumbai Indians vs Chennai Super Kings, IPL 2025, April 20, 19:30 IST
Where: Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai
What to expect:The pitch will be different from the one used in the previous game against Sunrisers Hyderabad, with the Wankhede expected to return to its usual, batter-friendly nature – a true belter. A high-scoring contest is likely, and the team winning the toss is expected to opt to field.
Head to Head:MI 20-18 CSK, with the home team leading 7-5 at the venue. Since 2022, it is 5-1 in favour of CSK. They had also won the first leg at Chepauk, the third match of the season. Since the start of the IPL 2021 second leg, CSK have won six out of seven games against MI, including each of the last four
Team News:
Mumbai Indians
Injury & Availability: Karn Sharma is a doubtful starter, having had stitches to his right thumb. The rest are available.
Tactics and match-ups:The pitch is expected to be a belter, which could suit the MI gameplan. They preferred a slower, more challenging surface against SRH to stifle their free-flowing batters, but the scenario is different with CSK, whose batters are not as explosive. Bumrah will be crucial in containing Rachin Ravindra, who is coming off an impactful innings vs SRH (37 off 22). Rohit Sharma will continue to play his role as the Impact Player.
Probable XII: Rohit Sharma, Ryan Rickelton (wk), Will Jacks, Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya (c), Naman Dhir, Mitchell Santner, Deepak Chahar, Trent Boult, Jasprit Bumrah, Vignesh Puthur
Chennai Super Kings
Injury & Availability: No injuries. MS Dhoni, who was seen limping in some viral videos, batted at the nets. New recruits Ayush Mhatre and Dewald Brevis have joined the squad.
Tactics & Matchups:Khaleel Ahmed has a good matchup with Rohit, Suryakumar, Hardik and Tilak Varma. R Ashwin, dropped for the last game, may come in as an Impact Player.
Probable XII: Shaik Rasheed, Rachin Ravindra, Rahul Tripathi, Shivam Dube, Vijay Shankar, Ravindra Jadeja, Jamie Overton, MS Dhoni (c & wk), Anshul Kamboj, Noor Ahmad, Khaleel Ahmed, Matheesha Pathirana
Did you know?
– Seven of Tilak Varma’s eight 50-plus scores in the IPL have come in defeats, the most recent one vs DC being the exception. He has usually stepped up when the rest of the MI batters have struggled.
– Hardik has conceded 32 off the nine full deliveries he’s bowled in Overs 16-20. Further breakdown: Three sixes off three full-tosses, four singles off four yorkers and a six and a four off half-volleys.
What they said:
“We’ll have a look at the pitch today and see if there’s any spin or anything, but we know CSK are a good outfit, even though they haven’t been playing overly well or have been on the wrong side of a couple of ones, but we know they’re a very good team and we’ve had some good battles over the years.” – Mitchell Santner on his former employers in the IPL
“We are still in the competition but we are hanging on by the thread, trying to find a balance between giving the guys an extended run to show some form and also, wanting to get results. Unfortunately the position we find ourselves in, we have run out of time to be too patient. On the other hand, we don’t want to keep chopping and changing, trying to find the magic formula, quite possibly our tournament has been that far.” – CSK coach Stephen Flemingon the team’s positioning in the league
© Cricbuzz
