Mumbai: After a sluggish start to their IPL 2025 campaign, Mumbai Indians have bounced back with consecutive victories, while Chennai Super Kings are struggling near the bottom of the points table with just two wins from seven outings.
As the two most successful franchises in IPL history lock horns at the Wankhede Stadium on Sunday night, the form disparity between them sets the tone for a high-stakes clash with contrasting ambitions.
Match 38 of the season brings together two storied rivals in vastly different moods. Mumbai, five-time champions, appear to have hit their stride with allround performances against Delhi Capitals and Sunrisers Hyderabad. Their bowlers restricted SRH to 162-5 in the last outing, which MI chased down with four wickets in hand.
Key contributions have come from Suryakumar Yadav, who has amassed 265 runs from seven matches at a strike rate of 151.42, and Tilak Varma, who has struck two fifties in his last three innings. Captain Hardik Pandya is adding finishing firepower with the bat while also chipping in with 11 wickets, despite being slightly expensive.
The return of Jasprit Bumrah has bolstered the pace attack, which has been expertly complemented by Trent Boult at the death and Mitchell Santner through the middle overs.
Meanwhile, Chennai are facing a critical phase in their season. The five-time champions are reeling from a string of losses, with their only bright spot being a recent win against Lucknow Super Giants that broke a five-match losing streak. The absence of opener Ruturaj Gaikwad due to injury has further compounded their woes.
Promising 20-year-old Shaik Rasheed impressed with a quick-fire 27 against LSG, while Shivam Dube continues to be their most consistent batsman with three valuable contributions in his last three innings. Veteran Mahendra Singh Dhoni showed glimpses of his old self with a finishing cameo (26* off 11), but the middle order remains fragile.
Chennai's bowling has been erratic, Khaleel Ahmed and Noor Ahmad have picked up wickets (11 and 12 respectively), but others like Ravichandran Ashwin, Rabvindra Jadeja, and Matheesha Pathirana have struggled either with containment or economy. Unless the bowlers find their rhythm at Wankhede, Chennai could face another uphill task.
The rivalry between Mumbai and Chennai is among the most celebrated in the league. At the Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai hold a 7-5 advantage in 12 previous encounters against Chennai. Earlier this season, CSK managed a four-wicket win over MI, but current form heavily tilts the scales in favour of the hosts.
The Wankhede pitch is expected to be batting-friendly, with some assistance for seamers early on. While it has shown variable character this season, ranging from scores of 116 to 221—teams batting first are likely to aim for 180-190.
Dew could play a significant role in the second innings, which makes the toss crucial. Teams chasing have won 2 out of 3 games here this season, and both captains are expected to opt to bowl first.
Weather will be typically hot and humid, with no rain forecast.
While past encounters between Mumbai and Chennai have always drawn attention, the 2025 edition finds the two giants on diverging paths.
With momentum, home advantage, and a more balanced unit, Mumbai start as clear favourites. Chennai's best hope lie in early wickets and containing Mumbai to a chaseable total, but given the depth of Mumbai's lineup, that will take a near-perfect performance.
The match will commence at 1930 hrs IST.
Probable Playing XIs:
Mumbai Indians: Ryan Rickelton (wk), Will Jacks, Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya (c), Naman Dhir, Mitchell Santner, Deepak Chahar, Trent Boult, Jasprit Bumrah, Karn Sharma
Impact Player: Rohit Sharma
Chennai Super Kings: Shaik Rasheed, Rachin Ravindra, Rahul Tripathi, Vijay Shankar, Ravindra Jadeja, Jamie Overton, MS Dhoni (c & wk), Anshul Kamboj, Noor Ahmad, Khaleel Ahmed, Matheesha Pathirana