MI Opt To Bat vs CSK In IPL 2026 Clash; Both Teams Eye Playoff Push

Mumbai Indians (MI) secured the toss and chose to bat first against Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in Match 44 of the IPL 2026 season at Chennai’s MA Chidambaram Stadium.

With both sides aiming to stay alive in the playoff race, the contest is high-stakes.

Captain Hardik Pandya confirmed that leg-spinner Raghu Sharma will make his first appearance, set to feature as an Impact Player later in the game.

The side also welcomes back Krish Bhagat into the starting XI, adding depth to the bowling unit. He previously served as a support player in the squad before the team brought him in as a replacement last season.

Pandya remarked that the pitch looks promising for batting and emphasised the need to give the top order another opportunity to perform. He added that the team remains determined to compete strongly despite recent setbacks.

Chennai Super Kings skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad announced two changes, with Ramakrishna Ghosh replacing Gurjapneet Singh and Prashant Veer coming in for Akeal Hosein. He observed that the surface appears slightly dry and may not change much over the course of the match.

Gaikwad also highlighted that the team’s confidence remains intact and stressed the importance of following their game plan to achieve the desired result.

Both teams head into this encounter knowing that a defeat could significantly dent their chances of qualifying for the playoffs.

The fixture is expected to be fiercely contested as each side looks to keep its campaign on track.

Playing XIs

Chennai Super Kings: Sanju Samson (wk), Ruturaj Gaikwad (c), Urvil Patel, Dewald Brevis, Shivam Dube, Jamie Overton, Ramakrishna Ghosh, Prashant Veer, Noor Ahmad, Anshul Kamboj, Mukesh Choudhary.

Mumbai Indians: Will Jacks, Ryan Rickelton (wk), Suryakumar Yadav, Naman Dhir, Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya (c), Robin Minz, Trent Boult, Krish Bhagat, Jasprit Bumrah, AM Ghazanfar.

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