Hardik Pandya won the toss and chose to bowl as Mumbai Indians took on Chennai Super Kings in the first “El Clasico” matchup of IPL 2026. The decision meant MI went with the same combination that delivered a win over Gujarat Titans three days earlier, keeping Rohit Sharma on the injury list. CSK, meanwhile, made a single confirmed tweak to their lineup, but not the one fans were hoping for—MS Dhoni was again unavailable. It is also the first time in this rivalry’s history that neither Rohit nor Dhoni features in the same MI vs CSK contest.
Key takeaways
- Hardik Pandya won the toss and opted to field first against Chennai in IPL 2026.
- Rohit Sharma remains sidelined, with MI retaining the XI that beat Gujarat Titans three days earlier.
- CSK’s change does not involve MS Dhoni, who stays out of the match.
- This is the first MI vs CSK game where both Rohit Sharma and MS Dhoni are absent.
- Ruturaj Gaikwad’s captaincy has brought four defeats in six games, with his batting form under pressure.
Captains choose to bowl and discuss the pitch
Both skippers went in wanting to bowl first in this meeting between the five-time champions. Ruturaj Gaikwad explained that Prashant Veer had been brought in in place of Matt Short. However, the listed team sheet still showed Kartik Sharma in the playing XI rather than Veer, adding a layer of confusion ahead of the first delivery.
Hardik, after the toss, described the surface as looking green but playing well—language that suggested movement could be on offer while still allowing batters to settle once they find timing.
Form, pressure and injury concerns
With both sides sitting near the lower end of the points table, their brand of cricket has come under scrutiny. For CSK, Gaikwad has faced additional pressure as his runs have dried up, and his leadership has coincided with four losses from his last six matches.
Injuries have also shaped both teams’ recent planning. Gaikwad has had to absorb setbacks from multiple key absences, including Mumbai-born batter Ayush Mhatre and new-ball bowler Khaleel Ahmed, both ruled out due to injury.
Playing XIs and impact player options
MI XI: 1 Quinton de Kock (wk), 2 Naman Dhir, 3 Suryakumar Yadav, 4 Tilak Varma, 5 Hardik Pandya (capt), 6 Sherfane Rutherford, 7 Mitchell Santner, 8 Krish Bhagat, 9 Jasprit Bumrah, 10 AM Ghazanfar, 11 Ashwani Kumar
Impact Player options: Will Jacks, Raj Bawa, Shardul Thakur, Danish Malewar, Mayank Rawat
CSK XI: 1 Ruturaj Gaikwad (capt), 2 Sanju Samson (wk), 3 Sarfaraz Khan, 4 Dewald Brevis, 5 Shivam Dube, 6 Kartik Sharma, 7 Jamie Overton, 8 Anshul Kamboj, 9 Noor Ahmad, 10 Gurjapneet Singh, 11 Mukesh Choudhary
Impact Player options: Prashant Veer, Matt Short, Matt Henry, Akeal Hosein, Urvil Patel
