An all time classic
CSK will look back at that dropped catch. Pollard was batting on 68 then and Faf fluffed an easy chance. But you can't be hard on him because even at 36, he is one of the best fielders in world cricket. It can happen to anyone anytime. CSK's mature heads will help their side recover from this but boy this will hurt considering it came against their biggest rivals. And a win like this can pump a team up in massive fashion. MI have done this in the past pulling off heists to get their campaign back on track so don't be surprised if they do the same going forward this edition. These two teams have done it again. They have given us another memorable encounter to remember forever. They will face off again on May 16. Mark your calendar.
Toss - MI opt to bowl
Rohit Sharma wants to chase again and MI have made two changes to their XI. James Neesham has replaced Nathan Coulter-Nile and that will bolster that batting in Ishan Kishan's absence. Jayant Yadav makes way for Dhawal Kulkarni. They probably expect dew to play a big role. CSK as expected are unchanged.
Teams:
Chennai Super Kings (Playing XI): Ruturaj Gaikwad, Faf du Plessis, Moeen Ali, Suresh Raina, Ambati Rayudu, MS Dhoni(w/c), Ravindra Jadeja, Sam Curran, Shardul Thakur, Lungi Ngidi, Deepak Chahar
Mumbai Indians (Playing XI): Rohit Sharma(c), Quinton de Kock(w), Suryakumar Yadav, Kieron Pollard, Hardik Pandya, Krunal Pandya, James Neesham, Rahul Chahar, Dhawal Kulkarni, Jasprit Bumrah, Trent Boult
Past classics
The 2010 final is perhaps where it all began but who can forget Dwayne Smith's heroics in 2012 when he smashed 14 off the last 3 balls against Hilfenhaus to pull off a heist for MI? How about Bravo and a limping Kedar Jadhav stunning the Wankhede crowd on CSK's return to IPL in 2018? There have been many more. Tell us about your favourite MI-CSK clashes over the years.
Analysing trends
While we wait for the toss, take a look at the talking points from the bygone week over here where our stats man Deepu tells us how CSK are implementing the MI blueprint for success.
Build up
No other game in the IPL garners as much attention as this clash. The kind of adulation these two teams have received over the years has been unparalleled. They share eight titles between them with half of those decided over a direct face-off. The biggest of names and the greatest of memories have been witnessed whenever these two have faced each other. No wonder the fans have fondly compared it to the 'El Classico'. It is Mumbai Indians vs Chennai Super Kings for the first time this season.
More often than not, these two sides finish in the top half of the table and go on to have a third meeting in the tournament, or even a fourth one at times. But for Mumbai Indians to entertain those hopes, they will have to carry on from where they left two days ago when they brushed aside Rajasthan Royals. They have won three and lost three so far but the defending champions are known for making slow starts every year. And what better way to get that campaign rolling than stopping their arch-rivals from registering their sixth win on the trot.
CSK have indeed been on a roll ever since they lost their opening encounter. Five wins on the bounce have put them on the top of the table. The ghosts of 2020 have been brushed aside with the team adopting a new strategy with the bat where they not only bat deep but also show more intent. One thing wouldn't want now is to see this streak snapped by their fiercest rival. The fans would certainly not want that having already lost ground on the bragging rights with MI winning the last two titles. They would also love to tighten that head to head record that was widened after those four defeats in 2019. Welcome to the live blog for Round 1 of MI vs CSK in 2021. This clash has witnessed so many classics over the years. Will one more get added tonight to that list? We will find out.
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