IPL 2018: 5 players who will be crucial in deciding the IPL opener between MI and CSK

The most awaited cricket league, the Indian Premier League is scheduled to start today. The first match will be played between the two most successful IPL teams, Mumbai Indians, and Chennai Super Kings.

CSK and MI have gone head to head on 23 different occasions and MI is a little ahead of their opponents with 13 wins.

While the two sides have retained a number of players from the previous campaigns, there are many amazing and talented players who will be featured in the much-awaited IPL opener. It is hard to say which team has an upper hand, however, there are certain players whose performances will be crucial to deciding the result of the match.

Without much ado, let us look at five such players who will be the keys to deciding the opener between the Mumbai Indians and the Chennai Super Kings.

#5 MS Dhoni

One of the most successful captains in the history of cricket, MS Dhoni is back with his old club after they served their two years of the ban.

He led CSK to two IPL triumphs before the ban and will be looking forward to replicating the same success after signing the core back of that team.

MS Dhoni is in the 8th position on the list of IPL's highest run-scorers and has scored 3561 runs at an average of 37.88. He has an impressive strike rate of 136.75 with 70 being his highest score. The CSK captain has 17 IPL half-centuries to his name and is regarded as one the best finishers in the game.

His leadership qualities will be vital against MI as CSK is playing an IPL after two years and their fans will be looking at him to score some important runs during the concluding overs of their innings.