IPL 2018: It's action time

Mumbai: Defending champions Mumbai Indians open their Indian Premier League -11 campaign with a mouth-watering clash against Chennai Super Kings at Wankhede Stadium here on Saturday. Mahendra Singh Dhoni, who played for Rising Pune Supergiant in the last two seasons, is back to lead the yellow brigade again. The two sides — who met in the IPL-3 final at DY Patil Stadium — are the most successful IPL franchises. MI have won it thrice and CSK it twice. Rohit Sharma’s side have, however, enjoyed more success in their duels and they have an excellent record at home.   The much anticipated game marks the return of two-time champions CSK to the IPL fold after a two-year ban. 

Mumbai Indians have retained the core of their squad but they have usually been poor starters which they would like to change on Saturday. Rohit, who has led the side thrice will be key in the top-order along with new recruits in West Indian batsman Evin Lewis and exciting wicket-keeper batsman Ishan Kishan. 

The Pandya brothers (Hardik and Krunal) and Kieron Pollard have the big hitting ability in the death overs and they have done it successfully for the home side in the past. J.P. Duminy, Suryakumar Yadav, Saurabh Tiwary are set to form the middle-order. 

Dhoni has reunited with Suresh Raina, Ravindra Jadeja and Dwayne Bravo who were part of Gujarat Lions in the last two seasons. They also have Harbhajan Singh and Ambati Rayudu in their ranks who were part of Mumbai Indians for long and know the franchise through and through. 

CSK have bought back a few old players but selection of the XI will be tough for Dhoni and coach Stephen Fleming. Dhoni, Raina and Rayudu will be key to their batting though they also have Kedar Jadhav and Murali Vijay along with experienced allrounders Shane Watson and Bravo. Sam Billings and Faf du Plessis are also options but du Plessis is a doubtful starter with a finger injury picked up in the last Test match against Australia.

With Jadeja, Harbhajan and former MI leg-spinner Karn Sharma available as slow ball options, South African leg-spinner Imran Tahir and New Zealand left-arm spinner Mitchell Santner will struggle to find a place in the XI. CSK’s pace bowling lacks teeth and the likes of local boy Shardul Thakur will want to repeat the disciplined performances he gave for finalists Rising Pune Supergiant last season. He will have the likes of Mark Wood or Lungi Ngidi for support. If CSK have a strong batting lineup boosted by experienced all rounders, Mumbai Indians have a ruthless pace attack in the form of consistent performers Jasprit Bumrah and Mitchell McClenaghan. They have included Pat Cummins and Mustafizur Rehman, this year to bolster the pace department. Medium pacers Hardik Pandya and Kieron Pollard provide support. 

Mumbai Indians though don’t have same bite in the spin department they used to have with Harbhajan leading the pack. Krunal Pandya, Akila Dananjaya, Anukul Roy and Duminy are the options. The defending champions can unleash their pace battery at the Wankhede which offers true bounce but spinners will have greater role to play on slow turning tracks as the tournament progresses. IPL-11 incidentally will see DRS in use for the first time.