Chennai Super Kings Against Mumbai Indians Is As Big As It Gets In IPL

Irrespective of where Chennai Super Kings (CSK) or Mumbai Indians (MI) find themselves in any edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL), their clash is invariably one of the big-ticket contests.

New Delhi: Irrespective of where Chennai Super Kings (CSK) or Mumbai Indians (MI) find themselves in any edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL), their clash is invariably one of the big-ticket contests. The IPL 2023 season too sees both sides in the middle of the points table, with qualification still not certain, but it really doesn’t matter on the given day all that matters is which of this star parades will end up with the bragging rights. CSK won’t be too pleased that they had to share points in their last match, but there is little that even their Thala, Mahendra Singh Dhoni, could do about the weather. As for MI, they re reaching some fearsome level as a batting unit, but they will be playing in the CSK fortress. This one will really be one to watch.

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CSK looked all set to send Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) packing in their last away match, with the Lucknow side struggling at 125/7 with two deliveries to spare when the heavens opened up and eventually the match was called off. CSK had to settle for split points.

That put them of 3rd place in the IPL points tally but with MI in surging form, it will be very interesting to see how it all pans out over the last few league matches and where both sides find themselves at the end of it all.

Mumbai are now looking like a runaway train, at least in the batting department. Suffice it to say that skipper Rohit Sharma’s contribution to the cause has been minimal but such is the batting depth and hitting power that this doesn’t faze them one bit.

In the match with Punjab Kings (PBKS) at Mohali, MI were facing a steep 215-run target, made that much more difficult with Sharma departing for an early duck.

But the top order as well as the middle seems tuned into not being too bothered. Even in their previous match against Rajasthan Royals, they were facing 212 runs and Sharma got only three while chasing. They still sailed through with six wickets, as they thereafter also did against PBKS.

Between Ishan Kishan, Cameron Green, Suryakumar Yadav, Tim David and Tilak Varma, this is a formidable hitting squad. All of them are finding the middle of the bat and the top tiers with equal aplomb, and no target seems to be big enough.

If MI have an Achilles heel, it is their bowling. Piyush Chawla is the mainstay of the bowling and has been almost from the beginning of IPL 2023. The rest have had good and bad days, but Jofra Archers really needs to deliver.

As for CSK, they too boast quite a batting line-up, in the shape of Ruturaj Gaikwad and Devon Conway at the top, with Ajinkya Rahane, Shivam Dube, Moeen Ali, Ravindra Jadeja and Dhoni really adding teeth. But somehow, they still do not seem to be as overpowering as MI.

CSK’s bowling has been a revelation after the initial stages, though their last completed match saw them end second-best. Tushar Deshpande had taken up the job of taking the new ball with aplomb along with Akash Singh, though Deepak Chahar’s return to action is great news. Matheesha Pathirana has been a revelation. Jadeja, Moeen and Maheesh Theekshana make for a good spin combination.

This is a big one to start the weekend with. CSK will have a full house behind them, but that may not be enough to stop MI. This could well be one of the matches of IPL 2023.