CSK vs MI: New chapter of rivalry in IPL 2026, Mumbai Indians will fight to maintain the last hope, know the equation of the game.

Chennai: Once again, two old rivals will face each other in the 44th match of IPL 2026. Chennai Super Kings (CSK) will face Mumbai Indians (MI) at home and will also try to defeat them for the second time in the season. Mumbai, which has lost six out of eight matches this season, will also try to avenge its crushing defeat at home in Chepauk. However, it is not going to be easy for them. This match is the last hope for Mumbai while a win will keep Chennai in the race for the playoffs. Chennai has three wins and six points from eight matches and is placed sixth in the table.

Bumrah and Boult will test CSK’s opening pair. Jasprit Bumrah and Trent Boult will try to dismiss CSK’s opening pair Ruturaj Gaikwad and Sanju Samson early in the powerplay. Boult has already dismissed both of them three times each, which makes them a big threat. Gaikwad has scored only 34 runs in six innings against Boult and has been out three times. During this period his strike rate is 110. Whereas against Bumrah, Gaikwad has scored 29 runs in four innings and was not out even once and his strike rate was 153.

Whereas Samson’s record against Bumrah is 84 runs in 14 innings and he has been out twice while he has scored runs at a strike rate of 114. He has scored 32 runs in eight innings against Boult and has been out three times. His strike rate has been 119. Challenge of spinners in front of Mumbai’s middle order: Mumbai’s middle order Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Verma and Hardik Pandya will have to face challenge against spinners like Noor Ahmed and Akil Hussain. Suryakumar has scored 65 runs at a strike rate of 133 in six innings against Noor and has been out twice, while against Akeel he has scored 64 runs at a strike rate of 114 in eight innings and has been out twice. Tilak has scored only 20 runs in five innings against Akil at a strike rate of 87 and has been out twice. Hardik has scored 25 runs in seven innings and has not been out, but his strike rate has remained only 81.

Ghazanfar’s impact in the middle overs

Allah Ghazanfar has been Mumbai’s most effective bowler this season and can prove crucial against CSK’s middle order of Shivam Dubey, Dewald Brevis and Sarfaraz Khan. Dubey has been out twice against spin in IPL 2026, averaging 18.5 and strike rate 142. Sarfaraz has been out four times, averaging just 9.8 and a strike rate of 122, while Brevis has been out twice, averaging 22 and a strike rate of 138. Ghazanfar has bowled 71 per cent of his overs (between overs 7 and 16) this season, taking six wickets, with an economy of 9.3 and a strike rate of 15.

Hardik’s different form Hardik’s performance this season has been a bit up and down, which is different from the matches he has played for India. In the T20 before the IPL in 2026, Hardik had scored 286 runs at a strike rate of 165, which included 20 sixes. But in this IPL, only 128 runs have come from his bat at a strike rate of 152 and he has been able to hit only four sixes. The difference is clearly visible in bowling also. Before the IPL, there were 13 wickets and an economy of 8.7 in 13 innings, whereas in this IPL, there were only four wickets in seven innings and an expensive economy of 12.3.