JOIN USIPL 2020: Key players to watch out for in Mumbai Indians vs Chennai Super Kings rivalry
After many delays, the 13th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) will begin as the Mumbai Indians take on the Chennai Super Kings in the opening clash at Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi on Saturday. The star-studded opening game between the two most successful teams in the tournament comes as a huge relief to cricket fans who have not seen CSK skipper MS Dhoni in action after his retirement from international cricket.
Here are key players to look out for:
The UAE pitches are likely to benefit the spin-heavy line-up of the Chennai team. Imran Tahir and Ravindra Jadeja will look forward to enjoying the conditions. In addition, Dwayne Bravo, who has been a key match-winner on several occasions, will also be a player to watch out for with his aggressive attack bowling.
And as far as aggressive bowling is concerned, the Rohit Sharma-led Mumbai Indians are blessed with Jasprit Bumrah, who has been a pain for batsmen of all teams in the IPL. He will be supported by Trent Boult, Nathan Coulter-Nile, James Pattinson, Kieron Pollard, Dhawal Kulkarni and the Pandyas -- Hardik and Krunal -- who make up a very strong bowling attack.
On the other end, CSK's batsmen Ambati Rayudu and Murali Vijay will be key factors in building good starts. The legendary finisher will once again be a treat to watch -- Dhoni has brought back certain matches from the brink in the past.
Suresh Raina's absence will create multiple problems for CSK. Along with his ferocious performances with the bat, CSK will miss his agility in the field.
Rohit Sharma, while being a key part of the batting line-up, has not managed to match his own high standards. With only seven fifties in the last three seasons, Sharma would want to improve his IPL record.
Although overseas cricket began a while ago, many say that the IPL is the jump-start that cricket fans need in a year that international cricket has suffered due to the Covid-19 pandemic.