Mumbai: Back in the fray after serving out a two-year suspension, two-time champions Chennai Super Kings will take on reigning champions Mumbai Indians in the lung-opener of the Indian Premier League, here, on Saturday.

The needle clash, expected to be watched by a capacity crowd at the Wankhede, looks set to raise the curtains on the decade-old T20 League in grand fashion after a formal opening ceremony. Incidentally, MI were the team the Super Kings had played against in their last appearance in the IPL, before being banned for two seasons.

That was the the decider in 2015, at Eden Gardens. 

MI, led by Rohit Sharma, appear to face an arduous task against the Super Kings, led by their charismatic captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni who is back at the helm. The visitors would surely like to begin their campaign with a bang against their rivals in the latter’s backyard. 

To give an extra dimension to the contest will be the sight of off-spinner Harbhajan Singh turning out in Super Kings colours against a side he served with distinction for so many years. MI will certainly be banking on their skipper Rohit, who has kept the number of his batting position under wraps for this game. His role, no doubt, will be crucial. 

Rohit has showed that when he gets going, then few bowling attacks can keep him at bay in the limited-overs version. For sure, he would hope for a big knock in the first game itself to boost his and the team’s confidence. 

Apart from Rohit, MI have a good batting-line up with the likes of West Indians Elvin Lewis and Kieron Pollard, young Ishan Kishan, Suryakumar Yadav and Siddesh Lad. The role of the Pandya brothers — Hardik and Krunal — as all-rounders will also be crucial. But this time MI will miss the services of not only Harbhajan, but also pacer Lasith Malinga as a player although the Sri Lankan continues his association with the hosts as their bowling mentor. 

MI also have one of the finest death bowlers currently in the world in the form of Jasprit Bumrah. Coach Mahela Jayawardane would expect other bowlers like Australian Pat Cummins and Bangladesh pacer Mustafizur Rahman to deliver and aid Bumrah. 

MI’s spin department is inexperienced, but young spinners Rahul Chahar, Anukul Roy and Sri Lankan Akila Dananjaya are expected to deliver the goods on a track likely to provide spin as well as bounce. 

Match starts: 8 pm.

PTI