CSK vs MI 49th Match Prediction

CSK vs MI Team Previews

Chennai Super Kings

The Chennai Super Kings made a solid start to the season and at one stage were cruising along. However, with 2 back-to-back losses and a washed-out match, the team has managed to gain just 1 point from the last 3 matches.

As there are plenty of teams clamoring for a top 4 slot, CSK will need to win here to stay ahead of the pack.

While Devon Conway and Ruturaj Gaikwad have been very solid as an opening pair, the batsmen lower down have struggled a bit to score runs consistently. This could be due tot the fact that CSK has batted with a lot of aggression and focussed more on strike rate rather than average or it could be that some of the batters are losing form.

Conway has scored 5 half-centuries in his last 6 innings and will be the most important cog in the CSK batting line-up.

The likes of Shivam Dube, Ajinkya Rahane, and MS Dhoni will need to step up during the middle overs here. Chennai Super Kings have a lot of depth in their batting thanks to all-rounders like Moeen Ali and Ravindra Jadeja. This depth allows them to play freely throughout.

Another aspect that the team will need to work on is their bowling, especially at the death. The team has given away 200 or more runs in 3 of its last 5 completed matches, something which rarely happens with a top team like them.

Tushar Deshpande is the joint-highest wicket-taker in the tournament with 17 wickets but has gone for close to 11 runs per over. He will once again lead the seam attack here and will be joined by Matheesha Pathirana, while Ravindra Jadeja, Moeen Ali, and Maheesh Theekshana are the 3 spinners on the team. 

CSK has struggled with its bowling attack. Deepak Chahar looks a shadown of himself and the other bowlers seem to be succeeding largely thanks to Dhoni's leadership. Defending a total is always going to be tough for CSK.

Mumbai Indians

The Mumbai Indians have made slow but steady progress this season and have 4 of their last 6 matches and have climbed up to the 6th spot, with an equal number of points as RR, RCB, and PBKS.

The Mumbai Indians have chased down 200+ scores in each of their last 2 matches and this should give them plenty of confidence as they head to this contest. While the form of Rohit Sharma remains a concern, his opening partner, Ishan Kishan, had played well in the last few matches.

Cameron Green and Tilak Varma have been consistent performers in the middle order. We are massive fans of Tilak and think it is just a matter of time before he makes it to the Indian team. MI fans will be relieved to see Suryakumar Yadav return to form over the last few matches. He has scored 3 half-centuries in his past 4 outings and will once again play an important role here.

At its best, there does not seems to be a more powerful batting lineup than MI. Tim David is another massive six-hitter than can finish off games much like Pollard would do in his prime.

Just like their opponents, the Mumbai Indians too will need to work on their bowling.

The team has given away more than 200 runs in each of its last 4 matches and is likely to struggle here as well. Piyush Chawla has been the pick of the bowlers with 15 wickets from 9 matches. The team lacks another quality spinner to support him, while the seamers, including Jofra Archer, Cameron Green, and Arshad Khan have gone for over 10 runs per over. 

Surely Archer is just short of cricket and is bound to make an impact sooner rather than later. This outing at Chepauk could be a real test for the MI bowling attack if the surface is anything similar to what we have seen in the past few matches here.