Chennai: The 18th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) gets underway tonight with excitement reaching fever pitch among cricket enthusiasts.
However, the real highlight comes on Sunday when Mumbai Indians (MI) take on Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in a much-anticipated encounter. Both franchises, tied with five IPL titles each, will be eyeing a historic sixth championship.
Chennai enter IPL 2025 with a renewed squad and fresh leadership under Ruturaj Gaikwad. After missing out on a playoff berth last season, CSK is keen to reclaim its dominance.
Gaikwad, with an IPL tally of 2380 runs in 65 innings at an average of 41.75 and a strike rate of 137, will be the linchpin of CSK’s batting lineup. He is likely to open with Rachin Ravindra, who has a superior strike rate of 140.46 compared to Gaikwad’s 131.90, hinting at an aggressive start. Rahul Tripathi is expected to slot in at No.3, replacing Ajinkya Rahane.
CSK’s middle order, featuring Shivam Dube and the ever-reliable MS Dhoni, will play a crucial role in finishing games. The allrounder department gets a boost with the return of Ravichandran Ashwin after a decade and Sam Curran after four years, adding invaluable experience.
Spin will be a key weapon for CSK at Chepauk. The trio of Ravindra Jadeja, Ashwin, and Afghanistan’s Noor Ahmad will look to strangle the opposition during the middle overs. Meanwhile, the pace attack will be spearheaded by Matheesha Pathirana and Curran, with Pathirana’s death-over yorkers being a potent threat.
MI, under the leadership of Hardik Pandya, enter the season determined to bounce back from last year’s struggles. However, for their opening game, Pandya will be absent due to a slow over-rate suspension from the previous season. Suryakumar Yadav will take the captain’s mantle in his absence.
MI have retained their core players, including Rohit Sharma, Suryakumar, Jasprit Bumrah, and Tilak Varma, while making significant acquisitions in the Jeddah auction. England’s Will Jacks, New Zealand’s Trent Boult, South Africa’s Ryan Rickelton, and experienced spinner Mitchell Santner have bolstered the squad.
Suryakumar, despite an underwhelming run in recent T20 internationals, remains a game-changer. Alongside Rohit, Rickelton, and Tilak, he will be expected to provide a strong foundation for MI’s innings. The middle order, featuring Jacks and Naman Dhir, adds firepower in the death overs.
With Pandya absent, the bowling attack will be led by Boult, supported by spinner Santner and pacers Karn Sharma and Deepak Chahar. Santner’s recent form might give him an edge over Jacks for the spin allrounder role.
The surface at Chepauk has historically favoured spinners, but recent seasons have seen higher scores. The average first-innings total stands at 159, but in IPL 2024, four totals exceeded 200. Batting first is expected to be the preferred option, with teams likely aiming for a score in the range of 190-200 to gain a strategic advantage.
The weather in Chennai is forecasted to be hot and humid, with clear skies ensuring a full game.
Given the nature of the track here, the team winning the toss is expected to opt for batting first. As the pitch slows down later in the game, setting a target and applying scoreboard pressure has often been a successful formula at this venue.
As IPL 2025 kicks off, the CSK vs MI showdown promises to be an early blockbuster, setting the tone for what is expected to be another thrilling season of the world's most popular T20 league.
Teams
Chennai Super Kings: Ruturaj Gaikwad (captain), Shaik Rasheed, Andre Siddarth C, Rahul Tripathi, Shivam Dube, Vijay Shankar, Deepak Hooda, Rachin Ravindra, Ramakrishna Ghosh, Ravindra Jadeja, Anshul Kamboj, Ravichandran Ashwin, Sam Curran, Devon Conway, MS Dhoni, Vansh Bedi, Jamie Overton, Kamlesh Nagarkoti, Matheesha Pathirana, Shreyas Gopal, Mukesh Choudhary, Nathan Ellis, Gurjapneet Singh, Noor Ahmad, Khaleel Ahmad.
Mumbai Indians: Suryakumar Yadav (stand-in captain), Rohit Sharma, Tilak Varma, Naman Dhir; Bevon Jacobs, Hardik Pandya, Raj Bawa, Vignesh Puthur, Will Jacks, Satyanarayana Raju, Mitchell Santner, Arjun Tendulkar; Ryan Rickelton, Robin Minz, Krishnan Shrijith; Jasprit Bumrah, Ashwani Kumar, AM Ghazanfar, Reece Topley, Lizaad Williams, Karn Sharma, Trent Boult, Deepak Chahar.
