IPL 2026 Today's Match: CSK vs MI playing 11, batters vs bowlers matchups

Both MI and CSK will be aiming for their third win of the season when they take the field against each other at Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai

The iconic rivalry between Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Mumbai Indians (MI) takes centre stage once again in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026, with both teams fighting to keep their playoff hopes alive with a win in match 44 of the season today at the MA Chidambaram Stadium.

 

Traditionally a high-profile clash in the Indian Premier League, this contest now carries added pressure as both sides sit in the bottom half of the table.

 

CSK are placed sixth with three wins and five defeats, while MI are struggling in ninth with just two wins. The margin for error is minimal, making this a virtual knockout encounter.

 

Injuries have hurt CSK badly, especially with in-form Ayush Mhatre getting ruled out. Their attempts to plug the gap have not delivered results, and the absence of MS Dhoni further weakens their setup. Captain Ruturaj Gaikwad will need to lead from the front again.

 

MI, on the other hand, are missing Rohit Sharma, while Jasprit Bumrah has struggled for rhythm. With both teams under pressure, this clash could define their seasons.

 

Now, before the two sides finally take the ground, let’s take a look at the captaincy record of both skippers, their expected playing 11 combinations, and key player match-ups for the game. 

Ruturaj Gaikwad's captaincy record in IPL (CSK)

• Matches: 27
• Wins: 11
• Losses: 16
• N/R: 0
• Win percentage: 42.30%

Hardik Pandya’s captaincy record in IPL (MI)

• Matches: 66
• Wins: 37
• Losses: 29
• N/R: 0
• Win percentage: 56.06%

IPL 2026: CSK playing 11 vs MI

Ruturaj Gaikwad continues to lead Chennai Super Kings through a turbulent IPL 2026 campaign, with the side struggling to find consistency. The prolonged absence of MS Dhoni due to a calf strain has disrupted their balance, particularly in leadership and finishing roles.

 

However, Sanju Samson has emerged as their standout performer, scoring over 300 runs with two centuries and anchoring the batting unit. The bowling has shown promise, especially through Jamie Overton and Anshul Kamboj, but lacks consistency in crunch moments. CSK will rely heavily on their spin attack and home conditions at Chepauk to revive their playoff hopes.

 

Chennai Super Kings playing 11 (probable): Sanju Samson (w), Ruturaj Gaikwad (c), Urvil Patel, Dewald Brevis, Shivam Dube, Kartik Sharma, Jamie Overton, Akeal Hosein, Noor Ahmad, Anshul Kamboj, Gurjapneet Singh

 

Impact players: Sarfaraz Khan, Mukesh Choudhary, Prashant Veer, Ramakrishnan Ghosh

 

CSK squad for IPL 2026: 

Sanju Samson (w), Ruturaj Gaikwad (c), Sarfaraz Khan, Shivam Dube, Dewald Brevis, Jamie Overton, Noor Ahmad, Anshul Kamboj, Gurjapneet Singh, Matthew Short, Akeal Hosein, Kartik Sharma, Prashant Veer, Matt Henry, Ramakrishna Ghosh, MS Dhoni, Shreyas Gopal, Rahul Chahar, Spencer Johnson, Mukesh Choudhary, Urvil Patel, Aman Khan, Zakary Foulkes, Akash Madhwal

IPL 2026: MI playing 11 vs CSK

Mumbai Indians, led by Hardik Pandya, are under immense pressure after a string of inconsistent performances that have left them near the bottom of the table. Their campaign took a major hit after failing to defend a massive total against Sunrisers Hyderabad, exposing serious flaws in their bowling attack.

 

While the top order, featuring Rohit Sharma and Suryakumar Yadav, has delivered in patches, the middle order has struggled to provide stability. The bowling unit, despite having stars like Jasprit Bumrah, has lacked collective execution. MI now face a must-win situation, needing near-perfect performances in remaining matches to stay in playoff contention.

 

Mumbai Indians playing 11 (probable): Ryan Rickelton (w), Will Jacks, Naman Dhir, Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya (c), Robin Minz, Trent Boult, Jasprit Bumrah, AM Ghazanfar, Ashwani Kumar

 

Impact players: Mayank Rawat, Raghu Sharma, Shardul Thakur, Kris Bhagat

 

MI squad for IPL 2026: 

Naman Dhir, Sherfane Rutherford, Ryan Rickelton, Rohit Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya (C), Raj Bawa, Will Jacks, Corbin Bosch, Keshav Maharaj, Tilak Varma, Trent Boult, Ashwani Kumar, Jasprit Bumrah, Deepak Chahar, Mayank Markande, Shardul Thakur, Quinton de Kock, AM Ghazanfar, Robin Minz, Atharva Ankolekar, Danish Malewar, Mayank Rawat, Mohammed Salahuddin Izhar, Raghu Sharma

IPL 2026: CSK vs MI key player battles

CSK batters vs MI bowlers

 

Batter (CSK)	Bowler (MI)	Inns	Runs	Outs	SR
Ruturaj Gaikwad	Jasprit Bumrah	8	52	2	124
Sanju Samson	Jasprit Bumrah	13	68	4	118
Sanju Samson	Trent Boult	11	86	2	142
Shivam Dube	Jasprit Bumrah	7	31	3	129
Dewald Brevis	Jasprit Bumrah	3	19	1	136
Dewald Brevis	Trent Boult	2	21	1	162
Jamie Overton	Jasprit Bumrah	2	11	1	122

 

MI batters vs CSK bowlers

 

Batter (MI)	Bowler (CSK)	Inns	Runs	Outs	SR
Suryakumar Yadav	Noor Ahmad	6	58	1	165
Suryakumar Yadav	Akeal Hosein	4	36	1	150
Tilak Varma	Noor Ahmad	4	24	1	133
Hardik Pandya	Noor Ahmad	5	29	2	126
Hardik Pandya	Akeal Hosein	6	41	1	146
Will Jacks	Noor Ahmad	3	22	1	146
Ryan Rickelton	Noor Ahmad	2	14	1	127
Naman Dhir	Akeal Hosein	2	16	1	133

 

---

Check IPL 2026 latest news and statistical video highlights of the day here Check IPL 2026 full schedule here Check IPL 2026 points table here