New Delhi [India], March 23: Former Australian cricketer Matthew Hayden has called the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) match between Mumbai Indians (MI) and Chennai Super Kings (CSK) one of the most exciting fixtures of the season. The two heavyweights of IPL cricket, both five-time champions, will face off in a highly anticipated clash at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai.
Speaking on Jio Hotstar, Hayden highlighted the rich history between the two teams, noting their fierce rivalry and the unique atmosphere at Chepauk. “It’s such a great fixture. These two sides have so much history together. And at Chepauk, CSK has controlled the game, just like Mumbai does at Wankhede. A win there would be significant,” Hayden said.
He also emphasized the pivotal role that CSK’s spin department, one of the strongest in the competition, would play in today’s match. Hayden pointed out the return of Ravichandran Ashwin to the CSK squad, saying, “They’ve got their old friend back, Ravichandran Ashwin, which is great to see. He could be key on a wicket that I expect to offer turn.” Ashwin’s return to CSK, after stints with several other IPL franchises, is expected to add a wealth of experience and skill to the team’s bowling attack.
Ashwin, who announced his retirement from international cricket in December 2024, had made his debut for CSK in 2009 and was part of their title-winning campaigns in 2010 and 2011. The 38-year-old ace spinner is now back with the franchise after playing for Kings XI Punjab (now Punjab Kings), Rising Pune Supergiants, Delhi Capitals, and Rajasthan Royals.
As the two IPL giants prepare to lock horns today, the match is set to be a thrilling contest between some of the best players in the history of Indian cricket. One player to watch is MS Dhoni, the CSK stalwart, who is just 19 runs shy of becoming the franchise’s highest run-scorer in the IPL, a record currently held by former franchise icon Suresh Raina with 4687 runs.
CSK Squad:
Ruturaj Gaikwad (c), MS Dhoni, Ravindra Jadeja, Shivam Dube, Matheesha Pathirana, Noor Ahmad, Ravichandran Ashwin, Devon Conway, Syed Khaleel Ahmed, Rachin Ravindra, Rahul Tripathi, Vijay Shankar, Sam Curran, Shaik Rashid, Anshul Kamboj, Mukesh Choudhary, Deepak Hooda, Gurjanpreet Singh, Nathan Ellis, Jamie Overton, Kamlesh Nagarkoti, Ramakrishnan Ghosh, Shreyas Gopal, Vansh Bedi, Andre Siddarth.
Mumbai Indians Squad:
Rohit Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav, Robin Minz, Ryan Rickleton, Shrijith Krishnan, Bevon Jacobs, Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Naman Dhir, Will Jacks, Mitchell Santner, Raj Angad Bawa, Vignesh Puthur, Corbin Bosch, Trent Boult, Karn Sharma, Deepak Chahar, Ashwani Kumar, Reece Topley, Satyanarayana Penmetsa, Arjun Tendulkar, Mubeeb-ur-Rahman, Jasprit Bumrah.
As MI and CSK take to the field for this epic rivalry, the match promises to deliver high drama, with both teams eager to make their mark in the 2025 IPL season.