Top News

IPL 2026, MI vs CSK: Key player matchups
22 Apr 2026

Arch-rivals Mumbai Indians (MI) and Chennai Super Kings (CSK) will lock horns in Match 33 of the 2026 Indian Premier League (IPL) at Wankhede Stadium on Thursday.

MI, who returned to winning ways by thrashing Gujarat, would hope for Rohit Sharma's return. Similarly, the CSK camp could be bolstered by MS Dhoni's first game of the season.

Here are the key player battles.

Sanju Samson vs Jasprit Bumrah
#1

Jasprit Bumrah, who had a brief wicketless run, shut his critics by striking early against Gujarat Titans.

He finally bolstered MI in the Powerplay, something the hosts will definitely exploit against CSK.

Bumrah would hope to remove the dangerous Sanju Samson early on.

According to ESPNcricinfo, the former has restricted Samson's strike rate to 104.91 while dismissing him twice in 13 T20 innings.

Suryakumar Yadav vs Noor Ahmad
#2

Suryakumar Yadav is in desperate need to end his run drought. After scoring a half-century against Delhi Capitals, his scores read 6, 33, 0, and 15.

CSK can use wrist-spinner Noor Ahmad to dismiss Suryakumar, who can single-handedly turn the tide regardless of his form.

Noor has dismissed SKY twice in six T20 innings, with the latter striking at 127.08.

Shivam Dube vs Hardik Pandya
#3

Once again, Shivam Dube will have the onus to give CSK the required finish. In the last game, he was knocked over by SRH pacer Sakib Hussain, who gave him no room.

Hardik Pandya has the back-of-a-length delivery that can cramp up Dube.

Notably, Dube has a strike rate of 150 against Pandya across 18 balls in T20 cricket.