IPL 2025, CSK vs MI Preview: Can Chennai Super Kings' spin prowess outplay Mumbai Indians?
Chennai Super Kings bank on spin strength and strong record against Mumbai Indians as IPL 2025 opener promises a high-stakes clash at Chepauk.
FollowChennai Super Kings (CSK) will rely on their formidable spin attack and a strong recent record against Mumbai Indians (MI) as they open their Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 campaign at the MA Chidambaram Stadium on Sunday.
CSK, five-time IPL winners, bolstered their spin department in the last auction by acquiring Ravichandran Ashwin, Noor Ahmad, and Shreyas Gopal, in addition to retaining India veteran Ravindra Jadeja. With Chepauk’s traditionally spin-friendly conditions, CSK will look to make an impact early in the season.
MS Dhoni, who has been with the franchise since the league’s inception in 2008, remains the biggest attraction for CSK fans. Skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad is expected to have a healthy selection dilemma for the opening slot, with either Devon Conway or Rachin Ravindra set to partner him at the top. The middle order will feature the likes of Rahul Tripathi, Shivam Dube, Deepak Hooda, and Vijay Shankar, with Dhoni and Jadeja providing experience in the lower order.
IPL 2025, CSK vs MI: Bumrah, Hardik’s Absence a Concern for MI
Mumbai Indians will be missing key players, with pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah ruled out of the initial stages due to a back injury and skipper Hardik Pandya serving a one-match suspension for a slow over-rate offense from last season.
India’s T20I captain Suryakumar Yadav will lead MI in Pandya’s absence, bringing his attacking mindset to the contest. MI have a strong batting lineup, featuring the experienced Rohit Sharma, the explosive Ryan Rickelton, and young talent Tilak Varma.
Mumbai’s bowling unit is still taking shape, with their ideal pace combination of Trent Boult, Deepak Chahar, and Reece Topley yet to take full form. The presence of Corbin Bosch provides an interesting option for the MI think tank. Meanwhile, former CSK all-rounder Mitchell Santner’s experience at Chepauk, along with Karn Sharma and Mujeeb Ur Rahman, will add depth to their spin attack.
IPL 2025 CSK vs MI: CSK Hold the Edge in Recent Encounters
CSK have dominated this rivalry of late, winning four of their last five matches against MI, including a clean sweep in their previous three encounters. The reigning champions will hope to continue that momentum as they aim for another successful campaign.
For MI, the new leadership under Pandya saw turbulence last season, with the franchise finishing at the bottom of the points table. With a settled squad this time, they will look to put their past struggles behind and kickstart their campaign with a strong performance.
Sunday’s high-octane clash will also offer insights into the newly introduced ball-change rule in the second innings, which is expected to influence strategies across the tournament.
IPL 2025, CSK vs MI: Squads
Chennai Super Kings: Ruturaj Gaikwad (c), MS Dhoni (wk), Devon Conway, Rahul Tripathi, Shaik Rasheed, Vansh Bedi (wk), C Andre Siddharth, Rachin Ravindra, Ravichandran Ashwin, Vijay Shankar, Sam Curran, Anshul Kamboj, Deepak Hooda, Jamie Overton, Kamlesh Nagarkoti, Ramakrishna Ghosh, Ravindra Jadeja, Shivam Dube, Khaleel Ahmed, Noor Ahmad, Mukesh Choudhary, Gurjapneet Singh, Nathan Ellis, Shreyas Gopal, Matheesha Pathirana.
Mumbai Indians: Hardik Pandya (c), Rohit Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav, Robin Minz, Ryan Rickelton (wk), Shrijith Krishnan (wk), Bevon Jacobs, Tilak Varma, Naman Dhir, Will Jacks, Mitchell Santner, Raj Angad Bawa, Vignesh Puthur, Corbin Bosch, Trent Boult, Karn Sharma, Deepak Chahar, Ashwani Kumar, Reece Topley, VS Penmetsa, Arjun Tendulkar, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Jasprit Bumrah.
Match Details: Match starts at 7:30 PM IST, Sunday.
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