IPL 2019: Chennai Super Kings' probable playing XI against Mumbai Indians
The biggest IPL rivalry is set to record yet another chapter as the Chennai Super Kings host the Mumbai Indians for match 43 of IPL 2019 on April 26th. Both these sides are in the top half of the points table with CSK at the very apex, but it was the visitors who won the first meeting of the season between these teams, played in Mumbai.
The Mumbai Indians return to action after a long break, before which they had lost to the Rajasthan Royals. They have to be at their A-game when they're playing CSK in Chennai and may have to tinker with their team combination as well.
Meanwhile, Chennai Super Kings looked in fine touch in their last game and with Shane Watson back in form, their batting looks much stronger. They will look to win this game to ascertain their place at the top of the table, having virtually qualified for the playoffs.
With the pitch at the home ground suiting CSK and the tactics of MS Dhoni, they will certainly have the edge in this game. Let's take a look at CSK's probable playing XI against Mumbai Indians.
Shane Watson and Faf Du Plessis are set to continue at top for the Super Kings. Watson returned to form with a well-paced and destructive innings against SRH and he will look to carry on the momentum in this match.
Du Plessis has been brilliant on the field and has taken many stunning catches, but his batting hasn't been on the same level in the last few games. He'll look to make a difference in this crunch encounter.
Suresh Raina and Ambati Rayudu are expected to continue as the side's main batsmen. Raina has played a couple of flashy, quick knocks to set the pace for CSK, and he'll want to turn them into bigger scores going forward.
Rayudu, meanwhile has been receiving a lot of flak for his slow batting and struggles under pressure. But Dhoni has a lot of faith in him and Rayudu will want to repay the debt against his former side.
MS Dhoni is the pillar on which his team leans on. He has been brilliant with the bat and has handled every single pressure situation very well. He has even been very good as captain and great behind the stumps as usual.
Kedar Jadhav and Ravindra Jadeja will likely be the team's Indian all-rounders for this match. Jadhav hasn't been used as a bowler and even as a batsman, he hasn't done much this season; he will want to do well in this game.
Jadeja on the other hand has done really well with the ball and has played a couple of quick cameos with the bat. He'll have to play a major role on this spin-friendly track.
Dwayne Bravo and Deepak Chahar will be the team's main fast bowlers for this match. Bravo has got his death bowling touch back and has been dangerous towards the end, although his big hitting skills with the bat haven't been up to the mark.
Chahar, meanwhile, has been tremendous with the new ball. He has picked up wickets at will without conceding an inch to the batsmen.
Harbhajan Singh and Imran Tahir will be the side's main spin bowlers for this match. Harbhajan has been picking up the early wickets and has been a mainstay whenever CSK have played at home here in Chennai.
Tahir has been the best bowler and trump card for CSK, and will come in whenever a wicket is most needed.
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