The 11th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) is all set to get underway on Saturday as defending champions Mumbai Indians take on two-time winners Chennai Super Kings at the Wankhede Stadium.
For the Rohit Sharma led Mumbai Indians, it will be a case of getting their IPL campaign off to the perfect start in front of a packed home crowd. On the other hand, the MS Dhoni led Chennai Super Kings are making an emotional return to the IPL after serving a two-year suspension.
As two of the most successful sides in IPL history get ready to lock horns, we look at the key battles that could decide the outcome on Saturday.
SURESH RAINA V JASPRIT BUMRAH
One man has been synonymous with CSK’s success over the years and that is Suresh Raina. He has been the batting lynchpin for the franchise for some time and is the highest run-scorer in the history of the competition with 4,540 runs.
He will face up against his India T20 side team-mate Jasprit Bumrah, one of the best T20 bowlers in international cricket at the moment, let alone the IPL. With Bumrah’s ability to pick up early wickets and his excellent bowling at the death, his battle with IPL maestro Raina will be a rather intriguing one. With Lasith Malinga now taking up the role of a mentor, the onus of powering Mumbai’s bowling attack will lie on the young shoulders of Bumrah.
HARDIK PANDYA V HARBHAJAN SINGH
Ever since the IPL started, Harbhajan Singh has been a key figure for the Mumbai Indians. The off-spinner is the third most successful bowler in the tournament’s history with 127 wickets and has played a vital role in all three of the side’s title wins.
He will now line up for a different franchise and as fate has it, he will square up against his former employers in his very first outing in CSK colours.
His battle against Hardik Pandya will be a very important one given how destructive the India all-rounder is against the spinners. There is nothing Pandya likes more than using the long handle against the slower bowlers and Harbhajan will have to use all his experience to get the better of the 24-year-old Mumbai Indians star.
SHANE WATSON V PAT CUMMINS
If Australia’s Pat Cummins does lead Mumbai’s pace attack in the match, CSK opener Shane Watson will be up against his compatriot.
Cummins has been excellent in the past one year in the Test arena and gave a great account of himself in the subcontinent during Australia’s tours of India and Bangladesh. A fast-bowler willing to bend his back and bowl his heart out in every spell is what makes Cummins such a formidable foe for any batsman.
IPL veteran Watson, who will be making his debut for CSK, will burden the responsibility of getting the side off to a great start. The all-rounder was the player of the tournament in the inaugural edition in 2008 and will want to show that he is still a force to be reckoned with in T20 cricket.