IPL 2022: Three key player battles to watch out for in MI vs CSK

Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Mumbai Indians (MI) are two of the most successful teams in the Indian Premier League (IPL) since its inception in 2008. These two franchises have been consistent with their performances throughout these years. CSK and MI have also had some amazing battles not only in the IPL but also in the previously held Champions League T20 (CLT20). Both the squads have won the IPL thrice and the CLT20 twice.

Mumbai hold the edge over Chennai in head-to-head records. The two titans have played each other 25 times in the biggest cricketing league. MI have won 13 games out of these. The fiercest rivals faced each other for the first time on April 23, 2008. The yellow army managed to beat MI by a bare margin of six runs in a high-scoring encounter. Australian opener Matthew Hayden was adjudged player of the match in that game.

The cricket lovers and fans will have to wait till the 33rd match of IPL 2022 to witness a cracker of a contest between the two IPL giants. To be played on April 21 (Thursday), the contest will be held at Dr DY Patil Sports Academy, Mumbai.

On that note, let us look at three key player battles to watch out for in MI vs CSK:

1. Ruturaj Gaikwad vs Jasprit Bumrah

Ruturaj Gaikwad played a scintillating knock of 88 off just 58 balls in last year’s encounter between MI and CSK. The right-handed-batter was awarded Player of the Match for his performance as the yellow army won the match by 20 runs.

To note, Gaikwad took on the best in business, Jasprit Bumrah, at the death during the first innings and smashed him for two big sixes and a boundary in Bumrah’s last two overs. Despite Gaikwad hitting the ace pacer for a few boundaries in his last two overs, Bumrah still finished with quite decent figures, scalping two vital wickets of Ravindra Jadeja and Dwayne Bravo.

Gaikwad had an excellent IPL 2021 season where he scored 635 in 16 innings. The batter hit four fifties and a century in the season, while also claiming the Orange Cap for being the top run-getter. The ace-pacer, Bumrah, also had a good outing as he scalped 21 wickets in his 14 matches. It should be a cracker of a contest between these two players in the upcoming IPL edition.