CSK vs MI IPL Match Prediction: Who will win today's Chennai vs Mumbai IPL 2022 match?
A vintage MS Dhoni finish was what separated the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and the Mumbai Indians (MI) the last time they met in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022. Twenty days down the line, the two most decorated franchises in the history of the IPL are now four points apart, but right next to each other at the bottom of the IPL point table.
MS Dhoni's return to CSK captaincy has seen a brief upswing in performances with two wins in the last three games, but the sample size is too small to arrive at accurate conclusions. Ravindra Jadeja, who suffered a rib injury while fielding against the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB), has been ruled out of the competition as the Super Kings make one final playoff push against all odds.
MI, on the other hand, revived hopes of salvaging some pride with a two-match win streak but collapsed spectacularly against the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) to arrest all momentum. They have an injury concern of their own, with Suryakumar Yadav having been ruled out of the remainder of IPL 2022 with a forearm injury.
Irrespective of the lack of context this encounter has in the IPL 2022 playoff battle, the tournament's 'El Clasico' is bound to be a highly charged and competitive encounter.
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IPL 2022 Match Prediction: CSK vs MI
CSK's bowling attack is slowly coming together in IPL 2022. Maheesh Theekshana has bowled difficult overs with aplomb and Dwayne Bravo remains as canny as ever at the death. Mukesh Choudhary, who ran through the MI top order in the reverse fixture, has been a consistent wicket-taker of late, while even Simarjeet Singh harried the Delhi Capitals (DC) batters with pace and bounce in the previous game.
With Moeen Ali becoming a force to be reckoned with as the pitches wear on, the Super Kings' bowling line-up looks much more formidable than it did at the start of the season, even without Jadeja. Rohit Sharma and Ishan Kishan will not have fond memories of a powerplay against the CSK bowlers, and the duo have remained inconsistent despite the odd electric partnership.
MI's middle order looks thoroughly depleted without Suryakumar, with Ramandeep Singh appearing to be completely out of his depth. Kieron Pollard has the highest score of 25 in over 11 games, and he might be dropped from the playing XI even though he's playing one of his favorite opponents on his birthday. If Mumbai look past Pollard, either Dewald Brevis or Tristan Stubbs could be the West Indian's replacement as they look to build for the future.
CSK's opening combination could be the difference between the two sides. Devon Conway has notched up three half-centuries on the trot and Ruturaj Gaikwad seems to be finding his IPL Orange Cap-winning form. They'll be up against an MI bowling attack that doesn't boast a great deal of threat in the powerplay.
MI are on the back of a harrowing loss to KKR, whereas CSK put up a complete display against DC. With momentum on their side and their playing XI looking far more settled, the Men in Yellow could complete the double over their eternal rivals.
Prediction: CSK to win Match 59 of IPL 2022