Why Mumbai Indians vs Chennai Super Kings is the biggest rivalry in the history of IPL

Humongous sixes, breath-taking catches, nail-biting finishes and a star-studded affair invigorated with a trumpet tune, crazy fans and glamour. The lucrative Indian Premier League (IPL) has got a perfect blend of all the indispensable ingredients which make it, by far, the most followed cricket league in the world.

Over its decade-long journey, the league has seen numerous memorable encounters and scintillating performances. Of course, it has also witnessed a fair share of rivalries among different franchises setting up some classic outings. Yet, the battle between Mumbai Indians (MI) and Chennai Super Kings (CSK) undoubtedly remains the most celebrated rivalry of the cash-rich IPL.

Right from the very inception of the tournament, whenever these two sides have locked horns they have captivated the minds and grabbed the eyeballs of the cricket fanatics around the globe. And there are several explanations as to why they have been successful in doing so.

First and foremost, it is the presence of the heavyweights of world cricket in their teams which has garnered them unprecedented support. From the first season itself, Mumbai Indians have possessed in their ranks, Sachin Tendulkar who happens to be statistically and arguably the greatest batsman India has ever produced. While on the other hand, Chennai has boasted its side by the presence of MS Dhoni, who is the most successful captain in the history of Indian cricket till date. Not to forget the fact that these two iconic players enjoy a herculean fan base across the boundaries of nationalities. And adding a cherry to the cake is the fact that both the teams are owned by big industrial houses which have surely helped them to attract the attention of the viewers.

Moreover, in comparison to other franchises, Chennai and their counterpart on the West Coast have managed to keep the core of the side largely the same over the years. As a result, not only have they been able to build a formidable and stable unit but it has also fetched them fan loyalty. The fans of these two teams are quite expressive and active on various social networking platforms as well. A few years back, when IPL was hit by controversies and allegations of match-fixing came into the picture, Super Kings fans were at the receiving end of it on social media by the fans of Mumbai Indians.

As far as the numbers game is concerned, MI and CSK are the only two teams in the league who have faced each other the most number of times. Out of the 24 clashes between the two sides so far, Mumbai have got the better of their counterparts on 13 occasions while the team from South has 11 wins to its credit.

They have met each other as many as three times in the grand finale of IPL, with CSK clinching the title in 2010 and MI winning it in 2013 and 2015. The Mumbai and Chennai based sides are also the most successful in the now abandoned CLT20 as both have won the tournament two times each in its 6 editions. And thus the head-to-head record quite easily sums up this intense rivalry.

Also, the one-on-one contest between the players of these two sides has always been a treat to watch. Whether it is the battle between Dhoni's famous helicopter shot and Malinga's toe-breaking yorkers (Malinga will act as the bowling mentor of MI in IPL 2018) or the Caribbean banter between Dwayne Bravo and Kieron Pollard, there is always something thrilling on the cards. In the upcoming edition of IPL the spin-wizard, Harbhajan Singh will be donning the yellow jersey after spending 10 years with MI. That is something which will surely make the clash all the more interesting this time around.

The two sides will now take the spotlight once again after a gap of 2 years at the iconic Wankhede stadium, in Mumbai on April 7 to mark the beginning of another edition of IPL. At the end of the day, quite obviously there will only be one winner but the game surely promises to be another high-voltage encounter.