CHENNAI, May 6: Handed a reality check in their last league fixture, defending champions Chennai Super Kings would bank on home advantage to seal their place in the summit clash when they take on a confident Mumbai Indians in the Qualifier 1 of the IPL here on Tuesday.
After the gruelling league phase of the ongoing IPL, the stage is set for the play-offs with CSK and MI clashing against each other for a place in May 12 final.
There is hardly anything to differentiate between the two sides as both CSK and MI have won the title three times earlier.
The Mahendra Singh Dhoni-led CSK has been patchy after a strong start and finished its league engagements with a six-wicket defeat to Kings XI Punjab at Mohali on Sunday.
But CSK will be happy to return to their den to take on table-topper MI, probably its biggest IPL rival, to decide which team seals a spot in the May 12 final.
CSK boasts of a tremendous record at home this season, winning six of its seven games at the M A Chidambaram Stadium here and come Tuesday, it will act as a big advantage for the hosts.
A defeat, however, will provide both the teams a second chance in Qualifier 2 on May 10.
The CSK top-order has fired in fits and starts in the league phase and will need to come out all guns blazing against a formidable MI bowling attack that includes Jasprit Bumrah (17 wickets), Lasith Malinga (15 wickets), the Pandya brothers (Hardik 14 wickets and Krunal 10 wickets), leggie Rahul Chahar (10 wickets) and possibly Mitchell McClenaghan.
Skipper Dhoni (CSK�s highest run-getter with 368 runs from 12 matches, 3 fifties) has been the mainstay of a rather inconsistent CSK batting unit and along with openers Shane Watson and Faf du Plessis and Suresh Raina holds the key in Saturday�s game as the usually fluent Ambati Rayudu has struggled to get going.
CSK, however, will miss the services of the Kedar Jadhav, who sustained a freak shoulder injury in the match against Kings XI.
But Jadhav wasn�t in the best of form and his absence would open up a spot for either Murali Vijay or Dhruv Shorey.
Bowling has been CSK�s strong point so far this season and becomes even more potent on MA Chidambaram stadium�s sluggish wicket. � PTI
Match starts at 7.30 pm
