MI look to continue winning momentum against struggling CSK at Wankhede Stadium

It will be a clash between the two most successful Indian Premier League (IPL) teams when Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings (both five-time champs) take the field at the Wankhede Stadium on Sunday night for their second league game of the season.

MS Dhoni’s visiting team started IPL-18 on a winning note when they beat the Suryakumar Yadav-led MI by four wickets in Chennai on March 23. However, at the half-way mark of the tournament, they are struggling at the bottom of the table, having only a couple of wins from seven games. 

However, re-energised after back-to-back wins — against Delhi Capitals in New Delhi and Sunrisers Hyderabad at home, the Hardik Pandya-led host team are back in the competition. But to continue the winning momentum and register their third successive win will depend on how the bowling attack led by Jasprit Bumrah and opener Rohit Sharma & Co on the batting front, execute the team’s plan on Sunday.

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Spinners lead the charge

MI and CSK have quality spinners in their ranks. Though leg-spinner Karn Sharma, who suffered a split webbing in the last game, is doubtful, Kiwi left-arm spinner Mitchell Santner and English batting all-rounder Will Jacks are in good form. Jacks played a crucial role in MI’s triumph over SRH last Thursday by scoring a 26-ball 36 and claiming 2-14 with his off-spin. Young wrist spinner Vignesh Puthur, who made his IPL debut with impressive figures of 3-32 against the same CSK team, will also stand up for the hosts.

Experienced Chennai attack

But Chennai look more impressive as far as spin is concerned what with having Afghanistan’s experienced left-arm wrist spinner Noor Ahmad (12 wickets from seven games), left-arm spinner Ravindra Jadeja (four wickets from seven games) and veteran offie R Ashwin, though he has claimed just five wickets from six games this season. Former CSK spinner Santner, who was part of their 2021 and 2023 IPL-winning teams, is ready to take charge against his former team. 

Santner: IPL is tough

“There are a lot of similarities between Mumbai and Chennai — two very successful teams over the years. There is a reason why they have been successful. Yeah, we [MI] were on the wrong side of a couple of close ones [games] and we haven’t been playing at our best in a few games, but you know the IPL is a very tough competition and all teams are very close as we’ve seen with last-over wins. So it’s obviously different to be on the other side of the fence now with Mumbai,” Santner said during a pre-match press conference on Saturday.

Meanwhile, CSK head coach Stephen Fleming while admitting his team’s struggles, said: “It’s a delicate phase isn’t it? We are still in the competition, but we are hanging by a thread, trying to find a balance between giving the guys an extended run to show some form and wanting to get results,” Fleming said. “We’ve got eyes on the season, but we’ve also got a little bit of a look-forward, making sure that we are developing players for the future,” he added.