In the first double-header of the ongoing IPL, on Saturday, Sunrisers Hyderabad will face Rajasthan Royals, and Chennai Super Kings will face Mumbai Indians. The Sunrisers Hyderabad vs Rajasthan Royals match will be held at the Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium in Hyderabad from 3:30 PM. The match between traditional rivals Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings will be played at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai from 7:30 PM. As both matches are high-profile, fans are quite excited about this Sunday’s double-header.
Sunrisers Hyderabad is a strong team not only on paper but also on the field. They will also enjoy the advantage of playing at home. However, Rajasthan Royals also have many talented players. Under the leadership of Pat Cummins, Hyderabad will aim to start their campaign with a win. With the presence of players like Travis Head, Abhishek Sharma, and Nitish Kumar Reddy, the team is seen as a strong contender this season.
On the other hand, due to an injury in his finger, Sanju Samson will be replaced by Riyan Parag as the captain of Rajasthan Royals, the winner of the first IPL edition. So, this match will bring a new challenge for him personally. Rajasthan also has players like Shimron Hetmyer, Yashasvi Jaiswal, and Shivam Dube. However, by letting go of some big players in the auction, they might face some challenges. Last year, Rajasthan Royals were defeated by Sunrisers Hyderabad in Qualifier 2. This time, Rajasthan will aim to take sweet revenge for that loss.
Similarly, Chennai Super Kings and Mumbai Indians are two of the most popular teams in the IPL. Hence, Sunday’s match between them is expected to be a thrilling one. Especially since former Indian captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni is returning to cricket after a long time, fans are eagerly waiting to see him in action. Mumbai will be led by Suryakumar Yadav, and their supporters will keep a close watch on his performance. Chennai will be captained by young star Ruturaj Gaikwad, but all eyes will still be on Dhoni.
Chennai and Mumbai have had many memorable clashes in the past. In IPL history, they’ve faced each other 37 times, with Mumbai slightly ahead in terms of wins. Mumbai has won 20 matches, while Chennai has won 17. Mumbai has won the title five times and has been runners-up once. In contrast, Chennai has also won the title five times but has played in the finals all those five times.
On a spin-friendly pitch in Chennai, the team with the stronger spin attack might dominate. Chennai, who bolstered their spin unit in the last mega auction by acquiring players like R. Ashwin, Noor Ahmad, Shreyas Gopal, and Deepak Hooda, will be the favorites at home. Mumbai, on the other hand, will play without their key bowler Jasprit Bumrah and regular captain Hardik Pandya. Their bowling will be led by Trent Boult, Deepak Chahar, and Reece Topley. Chennai’s innings will likely begin with Rachin Ravindra and captain Gaikwad, while Rohit Sharma will open for Mumbai along with South African Ryan Rickelton.
Experts predict Chennai will go into the match as favorites due to the home conditions and strong spin attack. Chennai has won the IPL title five times and reached the finals all those times.
