MI vs CSK highlights, IPL 2026: Chennai Super Kings crush Mumbai Indians by 103 runs

Here are 3 potential replacements of Ayush Mhatre at no.3 for CSK


Urvil Patel


Urvil Patel is a promising domestic talent already part of the CSK squad, He was retained by the franchise for Rs 30 lakh following a breakthrough performance in the 2025 season. While he has been benched for the initial matches of the 2026 season, he is the like-to-like replacement of CSK and a strong candidate to step into the starting XI due to an injury to Mhatre. He joined CSK mid-season in 2025 as a replacement for the injured Vansh Bedi. He made an immediate impact on debut against KKR, scoring 31 runs off just 11 balls.


Sarfaraz Khan


In the ongoing season, Sarfaraz has transitioned from his red-ball dominance to a high-impact T20 role. In 6 matches so far, he has scored 147 runs at an average of 29.40 and smashed a 25-ball half-century against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) on 5 April 2026, which was his first IPL fifty in seven years. While his batting position is currently at no.4, he could replace Mhatre's position giving batting depth to team by adding an extra batter.


Kartik Sharma


Kartik Sharma is another in-squad option who could be tried as a flexible batting choice. He made his IPL debut on 30 March 2026 against the Rajasthan Royals at the ACA Stadium, Barsapara, where he scored 18 runs off 15 balls and in his first three matches, he has managed only 25 runs at a strike rate of 119.05. He played as an impact sub, but Mhatre's injury could give him a direct chance in the playing XI.

A decision on Rohit’s participation will be taken just before the toss, with the team management closely monitoring his fitness ahead of the high-profile clash. There are encouraging signs from the Mumbai Indians camp. Rohit was seen batting in the nets on Wednesday, undergoing a controlled training session. However, ESPNcricinfo suggest he mostly faced throwdowns and avoided big shots during his 25-minute stint, indicating a cautious approach in his recovery.


The injury, sustained earlier this month on April 12, has already ruled him out of MI’s last two matches against Punjab Kings and Gujarat Titans. If Rohit is deemed fit to bat but not field, MI could use him as an Impact Player to manage his workload. This would allow the team to utilize his batting strength without risking further strain on his hamstring.

A definitive decision on Dhoni’s participation will only be made just before the toss on matchday. While he has not yet been officially confirmed in the playing XI, there are encouraging signs that suggest his return could be imminent. Dhoni has been actively training at the Wankhede, spending nearly 40 minutes in intense batting and wicketkeeping drills. His presence in full-fledged practice sessions indicates steady progress and has boosted hopes within the CSK camp.

CSK bowling consultant Eric Simons made it clear that Dhoni will only play if both he and the medical staff are fully satisfied with his fitness. The veteran has been recovering from a calf strain, which ruled him out of the first six matches of the season.

"A decision on him (Dhoni) will be taken tomorrow by him and the medical staff, if he is absolutely ready to go," Simmons said on the eve of the match.

Captain Ruturaj Gaikwad also confirmed that Dhoni is “slowly and steadily” regaining full fitness, adding that the injury occurred during an intra-squad practice game when Dhoni felt discomfort while running.

In overall head-to-head meetings, Mumbai hold a slight advantage. Out of 41 matches played between the two sides, MI have won 22, while CSK have emerged victorious 19 times. The numbers underline just how closely contested this rivalry has been over the years, despite Mumbai’s marginal edge.

Looking at recent form, the gap widens slightly. Over the past year, Mumbai Indians have maintained a balanced record, winning 7 of their 14 matches for a 50 percent win rate. Chennai Super Kings, on the other hand, have struggled for consistency, managing just 4 wins in 12 matches, with a win percentage of 33.33.

Individual performances have also played a significant role in shaping outcomes. For Mumbai, Suryakumar Yadav has been the standout with the bat, amassing 505 runs, while Trent Boult has led the bowling attack with 17 wickets.

Chennai Super Kings have relied on emerging and impactful contributors. Ayush Mhatre has scored 409 runs, providing solidity in the batting lineup, while Anshul Kamboj has impressed with the ball, picking up 19 wickets.

In their recent encounters, Dube has dominated Santner, including smashing massive sixes during the January 2026 T20I series. In IPL meetings, Dube has scored 28 runs in four innings while being dismissed once. With both players now on opposing sides, this matchup could prove decisive in the middle overs.

This will be their first IPL face-off, making it an exciting new contest. De Kock has a solid record against CSK, scoring 138 runs at an average of 34.5 with a strike rate of 130, including two half-centuries. Johnson’s pace and ability to generate swing could make this Powerplay battle crucial on a batting-friendly Wankhede pitch.

The battle between Hardik Pandya and Dewald Brevis is one of the most intriguing matchups in today's MI vs CSK clash. This contest adds an interesting twist, as former teammates now face off as rivals. Historically, Pandya has had the upper hand, dismissing Brevis twice while conceding just 31 runs in 17 balls.

Noor Ahmad has dismissed Tilak Varma once in their IPL encounters. Across four innings, Tilak has scored 24 runs off Noor at a strike rate of 133.33. Their most notable clash came in IPL 2025, when Noor dismissed Tilak with a well-disguised googly. Tilak, however, comes into this match in top form after scoring a blistering 101* off 45 balls against Gujarat Titans, While, Noor Ahmad is expected to be CSK's primary weapon in the middle overs to counter Tilak's left-handed aggression.
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In their IPL rivalry, Bumrah has held a clear edge over Sanju Samson. The MI pacer has kept the aggressive batter in check with disciplined bowling. Samson has faced 61 balls against Bumrah without hitting a single six, scoring nine fours, and has been dismissed twice.

The MI vs CSK clash will be held at the Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai with the match set to begin at 7:30 PM IST. The game will be broadcast on the Star Sports Network, while live streaming will be available on JioHotstar.
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Mumbai Indians (Playing XI): Quinton de Kock (wk), Danish Malewar, Naman Dhir, Tilak Varma, Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya (c), Sherfane Rutherford, Krish Bharat, Mitchell Santner, Will Jacks, Jasprit Bumrah

Impact Player: Ashwani Kumar

Chennai Super Kings (Playing XI): Sanju Samson, Ruturaj Gaikwad (c), Urvil Patel, Sarfaraz Khan, Shivam Dube, Dewald Brevis, Jamie Overton, MS Dhoni (wk), Anshul Kamboj, Noor Ahmad, Spencer Johnson

Impact Player: Gurjapneet Singh

The weather in Mumbai for today's MI vs CSK clash is expected to be hot and humid with no threat of rain, ensuring a full 40-over match . While the daytime high reached approximately 34°C, evening temperatures during the game will settle into a more manageable range of 28°C to 31°C. A steady northwesterly breeze of approximately 10–16 mph is expected, which may provide slight relief to the players and could assist new-ball bowlers with some initial swing.

The pitch at Wankhede Stadium for today's match is expected to be a batting-friendly track . All six innings played at this venue so far in the 2026 season have seen scores exceeding 190 runs, with the average first-innings total reaching a massive 218 runs. New-ball bowlers may find some initial swing due to the breeze from the Arabian Sea and the floodlights . However, spinners typically struggle here as the ball doesn't turn significantly, especially with dew in the second innings.

In the current IPL 2026 standings, the Mumbai Indians (MI) are ranked 7th, while the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) follow closely in 8th place. Both teams have secured 4 points from their first six matches, but MI holds a superior Net Run Rate (NRR) of +0.067 compared to CSK's -0.780.

Matches played: 39
Mumbai Indians won: 21
Chennai Super Kings won: 19

Mumbai Indians Squad: Quinton de Kock(w), Danish Malewar, Naman Dhir, Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya(c), Sherfane Rutherford, Mitchell Santner, Krish Bhagat, Jasprit Bumrah, AM Ghazanfar, Ashwani Kumar, Raj Bawa, Corbin Bosch, Mayank Rawat, Raghu Sharma, Rohit Sharma, Deepak Chahar, Trent Boult, Shardul Thakur, Will Jacks, Mayank Markande, Ryan Rickelton, Robin Minz, Mohammed Salahuddin Izhar


Chennai Super Kings Squad: Sanju Samson(w), Ruturaj Gaikwad(c), Matthew Short, Sarfaraz Khan, Dewald Brevis, Shivam Dube, Jamie Overton, Anshul Kamboj, Noor Ahmad, Mukesh Choudhary, Gurjapneet Singh, Kartik Sharma, Prashant Veer, Ramakrishna Ghosh, Matt Henry, MS Dhoni, Akeal Hosein, Shreyas Gopal, Rahul Chahar, Spencer Johnson, Urvil Patel, Aman Khan, Zakary Foulkes.

The Mumbai Indians (MI) and Chennai Super Kings (CSK), two five-time Indian Premier League (IPL) winning teams, filled with superstars to the brim, will be taking on each other in the high-octane contest at Wankhede Stadium on Thursday, but the recent trends suggest that the biggest rivalry in the IPL could be losing the big-match feel and lustre attached to it.


MI would be brimming with confidence heading into the home clash against CSK following a sensational bowling performance and a century by Tilak Varma under pressure against the Gujarat Titans (GT), which earned them their second win of the season, while CSK will be aiming to get back to winning after a 10-run loss to Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), which was their fourth of the season.


But the performances of both franchises in two seasons could contribute to fans not viewing this exciting rivalry in the same way as before. Both MI and CSK have lost 21 matches since the 2024 season, the most among top 10 teams in the competition and have won just 15 and 13 matches respectively. In terms of win percentage and performances, both teams are at the bottom half of the table, with MI at ninth and CSK sitting at the bottom place.


This period on the other hand, has witnessed a rise of Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), the champions last year, Punjab Kings (PBKS), the last year's runners-up, Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), the finalists of the 2024 edition.


Both MI and CSK have taken turns to take the wooden spoon, with MI finishing last in 2023, while Men in Yellow took the bottom spot last year, which has led to a transition within the team and investment in young talent such as Urvil Patel, Dewald Brevis, Sanju Samson, Ayush Mhatre etc.