IPL 2022, CSK vs MI: 3 player battles to watch out for

It has been a forgettable IPL 2022 journey for both the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and the Mumbai Indians (MI). Rohit Sharma and Co. will use their remaining games to salvage some lost pride and end the season on a high.

Chennai picked up a crucial three-wicket win in the reverse fixture to keep their slim IPL playoff hopes alive. Although CSK are still within a chance of finishing in the top four, it's not totally in their hands.

It's hard to call Thursday's (12 May) contest between the two most successful IPL franchises a dead rubber. Both CSK and MI will head into the clash without key stars Ravindra Jadeja (bruised rib) and Suryakumar Yadav (forearm injury).

That said, there is still plenty of talent who can step up and make the clash at the Wankhede Stadium worth tuning into.

So without further ado, here are the player battles to watch out for tonight.

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#1 Rohit Sharma vs Mukesh Choudhary

Rohit Sharma is yet to hit a half-century in IPL 2022. The MI skipper has managed 200 runs in 11 games at an average of 18.18 and will hope to strike form as MI look to play spoilsport in CSK's last-ditch effort to make the playoffs.

Up against him will be an impressive Mukesh Choudhary, who can bother Rohit quite a bit considering his struggles against left-arm seamers. The Maharashtra quick has been good this season, bagging 13 wickets from 10 matches.

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#2 Jasprit Bumrah vs CSK's Ruturaj Gaikwad

Jasprit Bumrah returned to form with a fifer against the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). However, his devastating spell of 5/10 was still not enough as Kolkata won the contest.

Ruturaj Gaikwad, meanwhile, has repeated his pattern of finding form in the second half of the edition with scores of 99, 28, and 41 in his last three games. The CSK opener's ability to dig out yorkers and play shots while also combating sheer pace with succulent drives, makes his contest with Bumrah a spicy one.

Click here to view the purple cap in IPL 2022.

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#3 Kieron Pollard vs Maheesh Theekshana

Kieron Pollard has not had the greatest of IPLs this time around, and hoping to extend his lean patch will be CSK's Sri Lankan tweaker Maheesh Theekshana. The big-hitting West Indian's numbers against spin are woeful - five dismissals at an average of just 6.80.

Theekshana has had a good IPL stint, picking up 12 wickets from eight games. He will look to get the better of Pollard by capitalizing on the all-rounder's struggles against the slow bowlers.