CSK will come all guns blazing: Rohit

It was a night of high drama and excitement when Mumbai Indians defeated Chennai Super Kings by one run in last year’s final of the Indian Premier League in Hyderabad. Come to think of it, this has been the theme of the clashes between these two teams since the inaugural season. And it’s only befitting the occasion that the long-awaited 13th edition of the IPL gets rolling with the annual renewal this famous rivalry.

Both the teams have had contrasting build-ups to the IPL. Barring Lasith Malinga’s withdrawal, there is no real worry for Mumbai’s think-tank as their players have warmed up for the tournament in smooth fashion. CSK, on the other hand, have been rocked by news of players and officials testing positive for Covid-19 and big names pulling out of the league.

Yet, Mumbai Indians captain Rohit Sharma warned his team not to doubt Chennai’s fighting spirit. “CSK will come out all guns blazing,” said Mumbai captain Rohit Sharma at a virtual press conference on Thursday. “They are one of the most successful IPL teams and you can’t take them for granted. They have got some quality players in their squad. We want to start off on a high and I am expecting a great contest between the two teams,” he said.

Chennai will bank on captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni, a past master at wriggling his team out of difficult situations, to put together a balanced XI in the absence of senior duo Suresh Raina and Harbhajan Singh. Promising batsman Ruturaj Gaikwad’s delayed recovery has thrown a fresh challenge at the three-time champions.

Against an uncertain CSK, Mumbai appears rock-solid. They have all bases covered with the Pandya brothers -- Hardik and Krunal – bringing the X Factor. “Both players have been fantastic for MI over the last three-four years. They bring great energy to the group. Hardik is coming from an injury so we will be mindful of that. He was looking very good in the ‘nets’. We have used Hardik as a finisher in the past but he fits into many roles,” said Mumbai coach Mahela Jayawardene.

Though Rohit reiterated that nobody can fill the vacuum created by Malinga, Mumbai know they can rely on the guile of Indian pacer Jasprit Bumrah in daunting situations.

“For IPL, Bumrah looks sharp as he had been training really hard during the lockdown period. Following IPL, there is a Test series for the Indian boys and he has tried to keep up the load. He has looked after himself very well and is quite eager to get going,” explained Jayawardene.

Despite starting in a deceptively slow fashion, Mumbai’s terrific bench strength has helped them enter the knockouts often. “Having a great squad is good. But I think while we are best on paper, it’s all about how you perform on that day against your opposition. To execute our plans is the challenge,” said Jayawardene.

Chennai, known to embrace adversity with a gutsy attitude, could indeed prove to be a big test for Mumbai.