Chennai, Mar 22: The El Clasico of Indian Premier League (IPL) between Chennai Super Kings and Mumbai Indians will return as the two most successful franchises lock horns in their opening match of the 2025 season at the MA Chidambaram Stadium on Sunday.

With CSK relying on their formidable spin attack and MI missing key players, the home side will start as slight favourites in a contest that could set the tone for both teams’ campaigns.

Five-time IPL champions CSK have built their squad with a clear focus on maximising their advantage in spin-friendly conditions at Chepauk. They strengthened their spin department in last year’s mega auction by acquiring Ravichandran Ashwin, Noor Ahmad, Shreyas Gopal and Deepak Hooda, adding to the experience of Ravindra Jadeja.

With these reinforcements, CSK’s strategy to choke opposition batters on slow, turning tracks could be crucial against MI’s power-packed batting line-up.

At the center of it all will be MS Dhoni, whose presence remains a source of inspiration for CSK fans. The veteran keeper-batter, who has been with the franchise since the IPL’s inception, will once again play a key role both behind the stumps and in guiding his bowlers tactically.

Mumbai Indians, on the other hand, will be without their pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah, who continues to recover from a back injury. His absence, particularly in the death overs, could leave MI vulnerable against CSK’s aggressive middle order.

Adding to their concerns, regular captain Hardik Pandya is also unavailable for this match due to a one-game suspension for a slow over-rate violation in the previous season. In his absence, India T20I skipper Suryakumar Yadav will lead MI in a crucial away fixture.

CSK will also have a decision to make regarding their opening pair. One of New Zealand’s dynamic batters, either Rachin Ravindra or Devon Conway, is expected to partner captain Ruturaj Gaikwad at the top. Their middle order features a strong Indian core in Rahul Tripathi, Shivam Dube, Vijay Shankar and Deepak Hooda while Dhoni and Jadeja will provide the finishing touch.

For MI, they will rely on an explosive top order featuring Ryan Rickelton, Suryakumar and Tilak Varma. The departure of Ishan Kishan has left a void, but the South African wicketkeeper-batter Rickelton has the firepower to fill that role.

MI’s bowling attack is yet to be at full strength. While they boast experienced pacers like Trent Boult, Deepak Chahar and Reece Topley, the team will have to carefully manage their resources in the absence of Bumrah. The presence of all-rounder Corbin Bosch could offer some flexibility, while former CSK spinner Mitchell Santner’s familiarity with Chepauk conditions might prove useful.

CSK have dominated MI in recent meetings, winning four of their last five encounters, including three consecutive victories. Mumbai will be eager to turn things around after finishing at the bottom of the table last season, a campaign marred by Hardik’s appointment as captain over Rohit Sharma.

The match will also offer a first glimpse at how the new ball-change rule in the second innings influences team strategies. With CSK banking on spin and MI dealing with key absences, the Chepauk showdown promises an intriguing battle between two IPL heavyweights looking to start their season on a winning note.

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 televised live on the Star Sports Network.

Streaming: The match will be live streamed on JioHotstar app and website.

(IANS)

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