Picking a combined CSK-MI playing 11 with impact sub ahead of IPL 2025 clash ft. Ruturaj Gaikwad, Trent Boult

Chennai Super Kings (CSK) will take on Mumbai Indians (MI) in the first El Clásico clash of IPL 2025 at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on Sunday, March 23. Both CSK and MI failed to make the playoffs last season and thus will be keen to put up a much better show this year. Chennai narrowly missed out on a playoff spot, finishing fifth. Mumbai were last, with only four wins in the league stage.

CSK retained their core players ahead of the IPL 2025 auction - Ruturaj Gaikwad (₹18 crore), Shivam Dube (₹12 crore), Ravindra Jadeja (₹18 crore) Matheesha Pathirana (₹13 crore) and MS Dhoni (₹4 crore). At the auction, Chennai Super Kings purchased Afghanistan wrist spinner Noor Ahmad for ₹10 crore and veteran off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin for ₹6.25 crore.

MI also retained their key players ahead of the mega auction - Jasprit Bumrah (₹18 crore), Suryakumar Yadav (₹16.35 crore), Hardik Pandya (₹16.35 crore), Rohit Sharma (₹16.30 crore) and Tilak Varma (₹8 crore). At the auction, they purchased left-arm pacer Trent Boult for ₹12.5 crore and Deepak Chahar for ₹9.25 crore.

As the old rivals gear up for the battle on Sunday, we pick a combined XI of the franchises that have won the IPL five times each.

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Top-order: Ruturaj Gaikwad (c), Rohit Sharma, Rachin Ravindra

CSK skipper Gaikwad would open the innings with seasoned MI batter Rohit in the combined XI, while Rachin Ravindra could come in as the one-down batter. Gaikwad has featured in 66 IPL games, scoring 2,380 runs at an impressive average of 41.75 and a strike rate of 136.86, with two tons and 18 fifties.

Rohit has the experience of 257 IPL games and has notched up 6,628 runs at an average of 29.72 and a strike rate of 131.14, with two hundreds and 43 half-centuries. As for Rachin, the Kiwi played 10 matches for CSK last season, scoring 222 runs at a strike rate of 160.86. He had a fantastic 2025 Champions Trophy, walking away with the Player of the Tournament award.

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Middle-order & All-rounders: Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya, MS Dhoni (wk), Ravindra Jadeja

Suryakumar has not been in great form for India of late. However, he would walk into any combined CSK-MI playing XI on the sheer weight of his performances. In 150 IPL matches so far, he has scored 3,594 runs at an average of 32.08 and a strike rate of 145.32, with two hundreds and 24 half-centuries. Mumbai Indians would want him back in form as early as possible.

All-rounder Hardik will miss the IPL 2025 clash against CSK due to an over-rate suspension. However, he would also make it to the combined CSK-MI IPL 2025 XI on the basis of his current form. Pandya played key roles in India's 2024 T20 World Cup triumph and the 2025 Champions Trophy victory.

Veteran star Dhoni would be the keeper-batter and finisher in the combined Chennai-Mumbai IPL 2025 XI. He can come in towards the end of the innings and throw his bat at everything. All-rounder Jadeja is not known for his big hitting. However, he can contribute key cameos at the end of the innings. Jadeja is also a very canny left-arm spinner and a superb fielder.

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Bowlers: Jasprit Bumrah, Trent Boult, Matheesha Pathirana, Mitchell Santner

Bumrah, Boult and Pathirana would be the pacers in the combined CSK-MI playing XI for IPL 2025, while Mitchell Santner would be the main spinner. Bumrah is unlikely to feature in MI's opening match against CSK but is an automatic choice in any playing XI. In 133 matches, he has 165 wickets at an average of 22.51 and an economy rate of 7.30, with two four-fers and two five-fers.

Seasoned Kiwi left-arm pacer Boult has the experience of 104 IPL matches and has picked up 121 wickets at an average of 26.69 and an economy rate of 8.29. CSK's Pathirana has been a key bowler for the franchise in the last couple of seasons. With his slinging action, he claimed 19 wickets in 2023 and 13 in 2024.

New Zealand's left-arm spinner Santner had an impressive 2025 Champions Trophy campaign while leading the side. He can pick up crucial wickets, keep things extremely tight and can be a match-winner on his day.

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Impact sub: Tilak Varma/ Ravichandran Ashwin

Depending on whether the team needs a batter or a bowler, Varma or Ashwin could come in as the Impact Player. Varma has the ability to play game-changing knocks with the willow, while the wily Ashwin can maintain a stranglehold on the batters with his off spin and can also pick up key wickets.