IPL 2024: MS Dhoni in spotlight as MI and CSK resume rivalry

MS Dhoni (Pic: File Pic)

Former Indian captain MS Dhoni will be in the spotlight in what could be his final game at the iconic Wankhede Stadium. Chennai Super Kings will clash with Mumbai Indians in the IPL 2024 match on April 14. Dhoni returns to the hallowed turf of Wankhede for the first time as a non-captain of the CSK, potentially in his last IPL season. It will also be his first appearance as just a player for any team since November 2005.

Even at 42, Dhoni's glove work remains impeccable and so does his assessment of the game like always. But CSK will hope that his tactical acumen also helps them improve a dismal away record this season, having suffered two defeats on the road. CSK would also hope their recent record against MI four wins in the last five matches including their seven-wicket win here last season holds them in good stead.

Both teams having five IPL titles will face each other with a captaincy shift with Hardik Pandya replacing Rohit Sharma for MI and Ruturaj Gaikwad taking over in place of MS Dhoni.

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If anything, CSK's bowlers could be put to the sword by the rampaging MI batters who have gone hammer and tongs at the flat pitches here, scoring in excess of 230 against Delhi Capitals and chasing down nearly 200 against Royal Challengers Bengaluru with more than four overs to spare.

Hardik Pandya-led MI has secured the first win of the IPL 2024 after a disappointing start. Suryakumar Yadav, Ishan Kishan and Rohit Sharma seeming to be in decent form is a sign to CSK bowlers, who have shown mastery on slow, turning pitches at the Chepauk but remain untested on flat, batting-friendly surfaces.

Ishan Kishan (161 runs) and Rohit's opening stand would thus be crucial in the scheme of things but CSK would also have a lot of assurance with their own batting.

Skipper Gaikwad may not be a marauder with the bat but he can be the silent enforcer in the CSK line-up, which has the exuberance of Rachin Ravindra at the top, sturdiness of Daryl Mitchell in the middle and explosiveness of Shivam Dube (176 runs), Ravindra Jadeja and Dhoni in the death overs.

CSK batsmen would be aware of Jasprit Bumrah being in tremendous form with the ball in the IPL 2024. Despite Bumrah's five-wicket haul, MI leaked runs at a high rate to allow RCB to get closer to the 200-run mark here a few nights ago.

A lot will be riding on Shardul Thakur and Tushar Deshpande for CSK, who both return to their home ground, but Mustafizur Rahman (9 wickets) and the wily Jadeja would be the ones to watch out for given their recent exploits.

Squads for the IPL 2024 match between MI and CSK:

Mumbai Indians: Hardik Pandya (c), Rohit Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav, Dewald Brevis, Jasprit Bumrah, Piyush Chawla, Gerald Coetzee, Tim David, Shreyas Gopal, Ishan Kishan (wk), Anshul Kamboj, Kumar Kartikeya, Akash Madhwal, Kwena Maphaka, Mohammad Nabi, Shams Mulani, Naman Dhir, Shivalik Sharma, Romario Shepherd, Arjun Tendulkar, Nuwan Thushara, Tilak Varma, Vishnu Vinod, Nehal Wadhera, Luke Wood.

Chennai Super Kings: MS Dhoni (wk), Aravelly Avanish (wk), Devon Conway, Ruturaj Gaikwad (c), Ajinkya Rahane, Shaik Rasheed, Moeen Ali, Shivam Dube, RS Hangargekar, Ravindra Jadeja, Ajay Jadav Mandal, Daryl Mitchell, Rachin Ravindra, Mitchell Santner, Nishant Sindhu, Deepak Chahar, Tushar Deshpande, Mukesh Choudhary, Mustafizur Rahman, Matheesha Pathirana, Simarjeet Singh, Prashant Solanki, Shardul Thakur, Maheesh Theekshana, Sameer Rizvi.

(With PTI Inputs)