With skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni in red-hot form, Chennai Super Kings will start favourites against the slightly off-colour Mumbai Indians when the IPL's two most successful teams have their first showdown of the season on Wednesday.
The Super Kings, three-time winners of the T20 League like the hosts, have been on a roll with three wins on the trot that have boosted them to the top of the table.
Mumbai Indians, on the other hand, had a familiar stuttering start with a victory sandwiched between two defeats.
Player Battle to Watch Out for: Rohit Sharma vs Imran Tahir Imran Tahir: The South African spinner has been in red-hot form this year for the Chennai Super Kings. The bowler&nbsp;is one of the leading wicket-takers so far in the IPL 2019 with 6 wickets in 3 matches. Three of those six wickets came in the IPL 2019 opener, where along-with Harbhajan Singh, Imran Tahir ran Royal Challengers Bangalore ragged with an exhibition of top-class spin bowling. In the match against Mumbai Indians at the Wankhede, Imran Tahir will have to bowl another top-class spell against the likes of Rohit Sharma and Co. to take Chennai Super Kings to another win in the IPL 2019.
Rohit Sharma: The Hitman of Mumbai, Rohit Sharma has not yet set the IPL 2019 on fire. In the three matches so far, Rohit Sharma has only been able to muster up 94 runs with the highest score of 48. The Mumbai Indians captain is due for a big one and what better time then a home match against arch-rivals Chennai Super Kings to get back in form.
Head to Head:&nbsp; Out of the overall 26 matches between the two teams, Mumbai Indians has won 14 and Chennai Super Kings has won 12. At the Wankhede, in matches between MI and CSK, Mumbai Indians has won 5 and Chennai Super Kings has won 3 matches.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
Head to head <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MIvCSK?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MIvCSK</a> Overall : Mat - 26 | MI - 14 | CSK - 12 At Wankhede Stadium : Mat - 8 | MI - 5 | CSK - 3 In the last 10 matches : MI - 5 | CSK - 5 On Wednesday : Mat - 5 | MI - 2 | CSK - 3<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/IPL2019?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#IPL2019</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ROHITvsDHONI?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ROHITvsDHONI</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/IPL2019?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#IPL2019</a> <a href="https://t.co/OLFlTEepyP">pic.twitter.com/OLFlTEepyP</a> <a href="https://t.co/ruNQr1gjPd">pic.twitter.com/ruNQr1gjPd</a>
&mdash; Mr.V (@cherry9143) <a href="https://twitter.com/cherry9143/status/1113383043279011840?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 3, 2019</a></blockquote>
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Teams (from): Mumbai Indians: Rohit Sharma (capt), Jasprit Bumrah, Hardik Pandya, Krunal Pandya, Yuvraj Singh, Kieron Pollard, Lasith Malinga, Rahul Chahar, Ben Cutting, Pankaj Jaiswal, Ishan Kishan, Siddhesh Lad, Evin Lewis, Mayank Markande, Mitchell McClenaghan, Alzarri Joseph, Jason Behrendorff, Anukul Roy, Rasikh Salam, Anmolpreet Singh, Barinder Sran, Aditya Tare, Suryakumar Yadav, Jayant Yadav, Quinton de Kock.
Chennai Super Kings: MS Dhoni (captain &amp; WK), Suresh Raina, Ambati Rayudu, Shane Watson, Faf du Plessis, Murali Vijay, Kedar Jadhav, Sam Billings, Ravindra Jadeja, Dhruv Shorey, Chaitanya Bishnoi, Rituraj Gaikwad, Dwayne Bravo, Karn Sharma, Imran Tahir, Harbhajan Singh, Mitchell Santner, Shardul Thakur, Mohit Sharma, K M Asif, Deepak Chahar, N Jagadeesan (wk), Scott Kuggeleign.
Here's how fans on Twitter are prepping up for the big game:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
It's time for the El Cl&aacute;sico of the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/IPL2019?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#IPL2019</a>. It's the match between the two most successful franchisees in the history of <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/VIVOIPL?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#VIVOIPL</a>. It's <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MIvCSK?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MIvCSK</a>. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Yellove?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Yellove</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WhistlePodu?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WhistlePodu</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CricketMeriJaan?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CricketMeriJaan</a>
&mdash; Krishit Goyal (@GoyalKrishit) <a href="https://twitter.com/GoyalKrishit/status/1113403396080447488?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 3, 2019</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" data-lang="en">
Get rid of those 2 Strategic Time Outs, it's just a wastage of time. If coach/team management wants to send some advice, they can do it by conveying it to the fielders standing close to the boundary ropes. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MIvCSK?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MIvCSK</a>
&mdash; Ayush Raj (@A_R1329) <a href="https://twitter.com/A_R1329/status/1113403185270378496?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 3, 2019</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" data-lang="en">
Here is my entry.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/VIVOIPL?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#VIVOIPL</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MIvCSK?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MIvCSK</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MyGameFace?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MyGameFace</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MarutiSuzukiCricketLIVE?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MarutiSuzukiCricketLIVE</a> <a href="https://t.co/RSbNneQEMw">pic.twitter.com/RSbNneQEMw</a> <a href="https://t.co/eTtqUkNbr1">pic.twitter.com/eTtqUkNbr1</a>
&mdash; Jainam Shah (@Jainam2410) <a href="https://twitter.com/Jainam2410/status/1113402987093798915?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 3, 2019</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BREAKING?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BREAKING</a>: US President Donald Trump has an important message for <a href="https://twitter.com/mipaltan?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@mipaltan</a>.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/IPL2019?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#IPL2019</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/IPL12?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#IPL12</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MIvCSK?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MIvCSK</a> <a href="https://t.co/bDsO7JeXe7">pic.twitter.com/bDsO7JeXe7</a>
&mdash; CricBlog (@cric_blog) <a href="https://twitter.com/cric_blog/status/1113402174015279104?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 3, 2019</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
I still didn't understand with what sense these RCB fans trolling <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MI?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MI</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CSK?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CSK</a> Look at your team situation Can't even win a single match and you illiterates are crying on other teams Look at your fav player first He can't win matches for your team but u cry on other <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MIvCSK?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MIvCSK</a>
&mdash; Cricketcritic_ (@im_sharukh_) <a href="https://twitter.com/im_sharukh_/status/1113401369929469953?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 3, 2019</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/IPL?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#IPL</a> El clasico day <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MIvCSK?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MIvCSK</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TeamRohit?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TeamRohit</a> u00f0u009fu0095u00b5 <a href="https://t.co/B0MnzPkegn">pic.twitter.com/B0MnzPkegn</a>
&mdash; -CR7 Paaji- (@Kakarla07) <a href="https://twitter.com/Kakarla07/status/1113401047278542848?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 3, 2019</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
Go for it <a href="https://twitter.com/mipaltan?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@mipaltan</a> ! Best wishes for battle of characters as a team identified by the <a href="https://twitter.com/sachin_rt?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@sachin_rt</a> thus values and spirit Vs. one identified by being suspended for illegal activities! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MIvCSK?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MIvCSK</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/VIVOIPL?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#VIVOIPL</a>
&mdash; Sameer Hirekerur (@SameerHirekerur) <a href="https://twitter.com/SameerHirekerur/status/1113400979242635264?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 3, 2019</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/KalankTrailer?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#KalankTrailer</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MIvCSK?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MIvCSK</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CSKvsMI?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CSKvsMI</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CSK?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CSK</a> CSK to every team in IPL. <a href="https://t.co/CkhUrSXPk4">pic.twitter.com/CkhUrSXPk4</a>
&mdash; avanish (@av_nisHit) <a href="https://twitter.com/av_nisHit/status/1113400329515573248?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 3, 2019</a></blockquote>
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The Super Kings, three-time winners of the T20 League like the hosts, have been on a roll with three wins on the trot that have boosted them to the top of the table.

IPL 2019: It is Rohit Sharma vs Imran Tahir as MI host CSK

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IPL 2019: It is Rohit Sharma vs Imran Tahir as MI host CSK

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