Chennai, March 22 (NationPress) The highly anticipated El Clasico of the Indian Premier League (IPL) is set to make its return, featuring the Chennai Super Kings taking on the Mumbai Indians in their opening clash of the 2025 season at the MA Chidambaram Stadium this Sunday.

With CSK counting on their impressive spin bowling unit and MI missing crucial players, the home team emerges as marginal favorites in a match that could shape the trajectory of both franchises this season.

Having won the IPL title five times, CSK has strategically constructed their squad to capitalize on the spin-friendly conditions at Chepauk. Their spin department was bolstered during last year’s mega auction with the acquisitions of Ravichandran Ashwin, Noor Ahmad, Shreyas Gopal, and Deepak Hooda, complementing the experience of Ravindra Jadeja.

This strategic enhancement will be vital for CSK to contain MI’s powerful batting lineup on the slow, turning surfaces.

Leading the charge will be MS Dhoni, whose enduring presence serves as a beacon of inspiration for CSK supporters. The seasoned wicketkeeper-batter, a stalwart of the franchise since the inception of the IPL, will play a pivotal role in guiding his bowlers tactically and executing plans from behind the stumps.

In contrast, the Mumbai Indians will be without their ace bowler Jasprit Bumrah, who is still recuperating from a back injury. His absence, especially during the crucial death overs, could expose MI to vulnerabilities against CSK’s aggressive middle-order batting.

Additionally, regular captain Hardik Pandya will miss this match due to a one-match suspension stemming from a slow over-rate infraction in the previous season. In his absence, Suryakumar Yadav, the T20I captain of India, will take charge of MI in this important away fixture.

CSK faces a decision regarding their opening partnership, with either Rachin Ravindra or Devon Conway likely to join captain Ruturaj Gaikwad at the top of the order. Their middle order is reinforced by a solid Indian core, including Rahul Tripathi, Shivam Dube, Vijay Shankar, and Deepak Hooda, while Dhoni and Jadeja will provide the finishing touches.

MI will depend on an explosive top-order lineup featuring Ryan Rickelton, Suryakumar, and Tilak Varma. Although the departure of Ishan Kishan has created a gap, the South African wicketkeeper-batter Rickelton possesses the ability to fill that role effectively.

MI’s bowling unit has yet to reach its full potential. While they have seasoned pacers like Trent Boult, Deepak Chahar, and Reece Topley, the team will need to manage their resources carefully without Bumrah. The all-rounder Corbin Bosch could offer additional flexibility, while former CSK spinner Mitchell Santner’s familiarity with the Chepauk conditions might be advantageous.

CSK has had the upper hand over MI in their recent matchups, winning four out of the last five encounters, including three consecutive victories. MI will be eager to reverse their fortunes after a disappointing last season, where they finished at the bottom of the table amidst Hardik’s controversial captaincy appointment over Rohit Sharma.

This match will also provide the first opportunity to observe how the new ball-change rule in the second innings affects team tactics. With CSK’s reliance on spin and MI managing significant absences, the Chepauk encounter promises an intriguing face-off between two IPL titans keen to commence their season with a victory.

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.

When: Sunday, March 23

Where: MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai

Broadcast: The match will be broadcast live on the Star Sports Network.

Streaming: The match will be available for live streaming on the JioHotstar app and website.