Mumbai Indians (Mi) and Chennai Super Kings (CSK) are the most successful teams in the history of the Indian Premier League (IPL), who have won five titles in each. However, the two sides are recently undergoing a recession, which failed to qualify for the playoffs in the previous season, and currently sit at the lower half of the points table. While Mi ranks seventh with six points, CSK Rock Bottom with just two wins so far. CSK defeated MI when both sides met before this season, but the victory came under the leadership of Ruturaj Gikwad.
Gaikwad entered the CSK icon MS Dhoni as captain, with Gaikwad going out for the rest of the season. In two matches, he won one and lost several games.
Ahead of the game against MI on Sunday, Dhoni saw some banquet with former CSK’s former CSK Deepak Char, which is now part of the team in Blue.
In a viral video, Dhoni can be seen chasing Chahar with the bat in his hand. It seems that four will have something cheerful for Dhoni.
Make Meera with Namma Cherry! #Mivcsk #WHISTLEPODU pic.twitter.com/oooevfs9img
– Chennai Super Kings (@chennaiipl) 19 April, 2025
Prior to the match, MI spinner Mitchell Santner said that a “good wicket” for Sunday competition may be expected after a slow turn against SRH.
“I don’t really take a look at the pitch, but we know how good Hyderabad is on flat wickets. I think it was an option to slow down a little and I felt that our bowlers have done a great job. As you said, as you said, a little reduced on the wicket, slightly reduced the speed, using dimensions,” he said.
“It’s not sure what it is going to play like (against Chennai), but we speak as a unit, the faster we can do.
“If this is so, we know how to bowl and then if it is flat, like Bangalore (RCB) game, we know (also) – try and exit the overs. The only way to slow down the teams is the wicket because we have seen this IPL,” he said.
Santner said that he was not sure if fellow spinner Karn Sharma would be available for the competition against CSK.
“He has found some stitches in his hand. He is here today, I am not sure if he is bowling or if he is available for yesterday, but it seemed like a very low cut and it’s ashamed,” Santner said.
(With PTI input)
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