Chennai (Tamil Nadu), March 23: Chennai Super Kings (CSK) captain Ruturaj Gaikwad won the toss and opted to bowl first in the highly anticipated IPL encounter against Mumbai Indians (MI) at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on Sunday. This match marks another chapter in the fierce rivalry between the two most successful franchises in IPL history, often referred to as the IPL ‘El Clasico.’
MI, missing their regular captain Hardik Pandya and key fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah, will be led by stand-in skipper Suryakumar Yadav. Despite the absence of these star players, MI remains a formidable side, featuring a blend of experienced internationals and promising talents.
After winning the toss, Gaikwad shared his thoughts, saying, “We are bowling first. Playing on this pitch for the first time, so I don’t really know how it will play. So we just want to adapt and chase accordingly. Looks a good wicket to bat. The prep has been good. We had our young wicket-keeper coming back early to the camp. Noor, Ellis, Rachin, and Sam Curran are the overseas.”
Suryakumar Yadav, MI’s stand-in captain, expressed confidence in batting first, stating, “I am good with batting first. We had a lovely camp back home, we were here 2-3 days before. Both are unbelievable franchises in terms of achievements. I am sure it will be a good game.”
Playing XIs:
Chennai Super Kings (CSK):
- Ruturaj Gaikwad (c)
- Rachin Ravindra
- Deepak Hooda
- Shivam Dube
- Ravindra Jadeja
- Sam Curran
- MS Dhoni (w)
- Ravichandran Ashwin
- Noor Ahmad
- Nathan Ellis
- Khaleel Ahmed
Impact Substitutes for CSK:
- Rahul Tripathi
- Kamlesh Nagarkoti
- Vijay Shankar
- Jamie Overton
- Shaik Rasheed
Mumbai Indians (MI):
- Rohit Sharma
- Ryan Rickelton (w)
- Will Jacks
- Suryakumar Yadav (c)
- Tilak Varma
- Naman Dhir
- Robin Minz
- Mitchell Santner
- Deepak Chahar
- Trent Boult
- Satyanarayana Raju
Impact Substitutes for MI:
- Vignesh Puthur
- Ashwani Kumar
- Raj Bawa
- Corbin Bosch
- Karn Sharma
With both teams fielding strong lineups and MI having an exciting blend of youth and experience, this clash promises to be another thrilling encounter in the IPL.