The State of Play
Mumbai Indians have long had a reputation as the slow starters of the Indian Premier League, but they just seem to be clicking into gear ahead of Sunday’s clash with their long-time rivals, the Chennai Super Kings.
Having lost their first three games of 2024 against Gujarat Titans, Sunrisers Hyderabad and Rajasthan Royals, Hardik Pandya’s men have bounced back with successive wins over Delhi Capitals and Royal Challengers Bengaluru.
Their latest victory – a dominant seven-wicket success clinched with 27 balls remaining – owed much to a Man-of-the-Match display from Jasprit Bumrah, who posted figures of 5-21 to limit RCB to just 196 for eight.
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Reflecting on his performance – which made him just the fourth player with multiple five-wicket hauls in IPL history – Bumrah said: “You have to have bad days to learn from it.
“What I have done in the past is that whenever I’ve had a bad day, next day, on a calm mind, I’ve seen the videos. What does not work, why did it not work? For me, preparation is always the key.
“When you prepare hard and put yourself under pressure in the nets, you see how you react to stress, you see how you react to pressure. Then you find start finding answers. I had answers.”
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Like Mumbai, Chennai are also looking to build on a positive result last time out, after beating Kolkata Knight Riders to halt a two-game losing run and remain within two points of the summit.
Captain Ruturaj Gaikwad played his way back into form in Monday’s match with an unbeaten 58-ball 67, guiding his team over the line in their chase of 138 with seven wickets and 14 balls in hand.
Having taken over as skipper from MS Dhoni ahead of the campaign, Gaikwad says his goal has simply been to keep the reigning champions ticking over.
“I don’t want to be a specific kind of character, I just want to keep things flowing as they’re flowing. Keep the culture going. That’s what I feel,” he said.
Adventure awaits, and we’re in it together! 💛✨#WhistlePodu #Yellove 🦁💛 pic.twitter.com/s3hIJ3Y57F
— Chennai Super Kings (@ChennaiIPL) April 10, 2024
“The success we’ve had, the things we have been doing, I don’t want to change a single bit of it.
“I just want to take my own decisions and give as much freedom to the players as possible because that’s what has happened since I joined. Nothing really changes and I’m enjoying myself.”
Expected Line-ups
Mumbai Indians: Ishan Kishan, Rohit Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya (c), Tilak Varma, Tim David, Mohammad Nabi, Romario Shepherd, Shreyas Gopal, Jasprit Bumrah, Gerald Coetzee.
Chennai Super Kings: Rachin Ravindra, Ruturaj Gaikwad (c), Daryl Mitchell, Shivam Dube, MS Dhoni, Ajinkya Rahane, Sameer Rizvi, Ravindra Jadeja, Shardul Thakur, Tushar Deshpande, Maheesh Theekshana.
We truly are 𝐁𝐋𝐄𝐒𝐒𝐄𝐃 🧿💙#MumbaiMeriJaan #MumbaiIndians #MIvRCB pic.twitter.com/tCZTlxX5co
— Mumbai Indians (@mipaltan) April 11, 2024
How to watch
Sky have the rights to show the IPL to UK viewers in 2024 and will broadcast every game live. Sunday’s match will be shown on Sky Sports Cricket from 2.50pm BST.
In India, the games can be streamed on the Jio Cinema app and website. They are also available across the Star Sports Network.
Prediction
Meetings between the two most successful franchises in IPL history always carry plenty of intrigue, and Sunday’s matchup should be no different as both sides look to climb the standings with a statement win.
While CSK have won four of their last six matches against MI, we’re backing the hosts to claim the bragging rights on Sunday. With Bumrah leading the way with 10 wickets in the current edition of the IPL and the likes of Kishan and Rohit playing themselves into form, they may just have too much for Chennai at Wankhede Stadium.
