Chennai: Chennai Super Kings (CSK) take on Mumbai Indians (MI) in the 44th match of IPL season 2026 on 2nd May at MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai, at 7:30 PM. This high-stakes clash, often called the “El Clásico” of the IPL, will see both five-time champions facing each other in a crucial battle for playoff survival. The iconic players of both teams, MS Dhoni and Rohit Sharma, with regard to their availability for featuring in the clash, still remains uncertain.
The veteran rivals face each other for the second time this season. In their previous clash on April 23, 2026, CSK crushed MI by 103 runs at Wankhede Stadium. Sanju Samson (101*) and Akeal Hosein (4/17) were the architects of MI’s heaviest-ever defeat by runs.
Both MI and CSK are in a critical situation in the league, with both struggling at the bottom half of the table. CSK currently hold 7th position with 6 points from 8 matches, winning 3 and losing 5. MI are in 9th position with just 4 points from 8 matches, winning 2 and losing 6. MI have been badly affected in both batting and bowling in their previous matches. In their second-last match, their batting order collapsed against CSK’s bowling attack, while in the last match they recovered strongly with the bat—Rickleton scoring a blazing unbeaten century as they posted 243 runs—but their bowlers were unable to defend the total. This reflects a clear imbalance and rhythm issue within the team. They are now in a very crucial phase of the league, where they must win most of their remaining matches to qualify for the playoffs. Their bowling attack has looked weak despite having Jasprit Bumrah, who has not been at his best form and has not contributed significantly in taking wickets, while Ashwani Kumar has been expensive in recent games. In batting, the opening duo of Rickelton and Will Jacks has performed well, but the middle order—Suryakumar Yadav, Naman Dhir, and Tilak Varma—has struggled with consistency. Hardik Pandya showed some good form in the last match, but overall MI need quick improvements to make a comeback before time runs out.
Rohit Sharma’s return is highly anticipated. Head coach Mahela Jayawardene has provided a cautious yet intriguing update. Rohit, who has missed the last four matches due to a hamstring injury, was seen batting in the nets in Chennai on Friday, raising hopes of a possible return. However, Jayawardene stopped short of confirming his inclusion, stating that the final decision remains with the medical team. “It’s progressed well. He’s working really hard to get back at it. For us, with the medical team, it’s on a daily basis,” Jayawardene said. “We see how he feels, how he pulls up the next day. So we’ll make a decision. We’ll see him practising today as well. Let’s see how he feels tomorrow and what the medical team will tell us,” he added ahead of the crucial encounter at Chepauk.
On the other hand, CSK also lost their last match against GT at the same venue. Their batting order collapsed and the bowlers were unable to defend the target, despite skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad’s solid contribution helping them set a competitive total.
On the other hand, CSK also lost their last match against GT at the same venue. Their batting order collapsed and the bowlers were unable to defend the target, despite skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad’s solid contribution helping them set a competitive total.
Another major question is whether MS Dhoni will play today’s clash. CSK batting coach Michael Hussey has offered an encouraging update, revealing that Dhoni is making steady progress in his recovery from a calf injury that has kept him out for the past three weeks. “Hopefully he’ll be back as soon as possible. I don’t know if it’s tomorrow or maybe the next match after that, but he’s progressing really well,” Hussey said in the pre-match press conference ahead of the clash at Chepauk.
In IPL history, the rivals have faced each other in 40 matches, where MI have won 21 encounters and CSK have won 19.
Mumbai Indians Squad: Rohit Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav, Robin Minz, Sherfane Rutherford, Ryan Rickelton, Quinton de Kock, Danish Malewar, Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Naman Dhir, Mitchell Santner, Raj Angad Bawa, Atharva Ankolekar, Mayank Rawat, Corbin Bosch, Will Jacks, Shardul Thakur, Trent Boult, Mayank Markande, Deepak Chahar, Ashwani Kumar, Raghu Sharma, Mohammad Izhar, Allah Ghazanfar, Jasprit Bumrah.
Mumbai Indians Predicted Playing XI: Ryan Rickelton (wk), Will Jacks, Suryakumar Yadav, Naman Dhir, Hardik Pandya (capt), Tilak Varma, Robin Minz, Shardul Thakur/Krish Bhagat, Trent Boult, Jasprit Bumrah, A.M. Ghazanfar. Impact Player: Ashwani Kumar.
Chennai Super Kings Squad: Ruturaj Gaikwad, MS Dhoni, Sanju Samson, Dewald Brevis, Ayush Mhatre, Kartik Sharma, Sarfaraz Khan, Urvil Patel, Jamie Overton, Ramakrishna Ghosh, Prashant Veer, Matthew Short, Aman Khan, Zak Foulkes, Shivam Dube, Khaleel Ahmed, Noor Ahmad, Anshul Kamboj, Mukesh Choudhary, Shreyas Gopal, Gurjapneet Singh, Akeal Hosein, Matt Henry, Rahul Chahar, Spencer Johnson.
Chennai Super Kings Predicted Playing XI: Sanju Samson (wk), Ruturaj Gaikwad (capt), Sarfaraz Khan/Urvil Patel, Dewald Brevis, Shivam Dube, Kartik Sharma, Jamie Overton, Akeal Hosein, Anshul Kamboj, Mukesh Choudhary/Ramakrishna Ghosh, Gurjapneet Singh. Impact Player: Noor Ahmad.
The weather in Chennai is expected to be hot and humid throughout the evening. Temperatures during match time will likely remain around 30–35°C after peaking near 40°C during the day, with humidity levels between 55% and 70%, making conditions quite challenging for players. The sky is expected to remain partly cloudy with very little chance of rain, so a full match is likely. Dew is expected in the second innings, which may make the ball slippery and give an advantage to the chasing side. The pitch at MA Chidambaram Stadium is expected to be slow and spin-friendly, as usual. It generally offers good grip for spinners, especially as the match progresses, making stroke play difficult. Batters who spend time at the crease can score runs, but the surface tends to slow down. With expected dew in the second innings, batting may become easier later, slightly reducing the impact of spin. In this highly interesting clash, it remains to be seen whether MI can take revenge for their previous defeat and stage a comeback, or whether CSK will once again dominate this rivalry at home.
