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According to Smart Stats Sam Curran’s efforts with the ball came at a time when the opposition had a higher chance to win.

ESPNcricinfo stats team19-Apr-20212:58

Stephen Fleming: Moeen Ali has been ‘instrumental’ in us getting big scores

One allrounder takes 3 for 7 and hits 26 off 20, while other takes 2 for 24 and tonks a 6-ball 13. Who would be your Player of the Match? The former? Well, that indeed was the official choice for the award in the game between Chennai Super Kings and Rajasthan Royals. That performance had come from Moeen Ali, and the latter, were Sam Curran’s stats in the match.However, ESPNcricinfo’s Smarts Stats rates that Curran’s impact on the match was higher than Ali’s. Smarts Stats not only takes into account the quality of the batters dismissed, but also the situation in which a bowler bowls, among other things, to arrive at an impact value for the bowling performance. The match situation is quantified and fed into the calculations through ESPNcricinfo’s Forecaster tool, according to which, Rajasthan Royals’ chances of winning the match were at their highest during the Powerplay. Curran sent down three overs during that period and took out Royals’ captain Sanju Samson, in addition to dismissing Manan Vohra. Curran’s two wickets were worth 3.04 Smart Wickets, including Samson’s wicket which was valued at 1.71.ESPNcricinfo LtdBut surely the wickets taken by Ali – of David Miller, Chris Morris and Riyan Parag – were bigger than those taken by Curran? That’s where the Smart Stats looks at the ‘context’. When Jos Buttler got out to Ravindra Jadeja in the 12th over, Royals were already facing an uphill task: they needed 102 runs off 54 deliveries. Historical data in major leagues and internationals between top teams pegs the win probability of the chasing team at 30%. Smart Stats further adjusts this win probability for the batting quality left and the bowling quality it is up against in the current match. It pegged Royals’ chances at only 19% at the start of the 12th over. By the time Ali took Miller’s wicket in the next over Royals’ chances of winning had dropped to single digits. Ali twin strike in his next over – that of Morris and Parag – came at a time when the match was lost, statistically at least, according to the Forecaster. That’s why Ali’s three wickets were worth only 1.85 Smart Wickets.Curran seemingly was less economical than Ali, but he bowled three over upfront, conceding only 12 runs from this first three overs. By the time he bowled his last over – an expensive one, off which he conceded 12 runs – Super Kings had already won the match. Overall, Curran’s impact with the ball earned him 66.7 impact points, while Ali’s earned 34.7 points.
Ali managed to bridge some gap through his efforts with the bat – his 26 runs were worth 31.7 impact points, while Curran’s cameo was worth 21.5 – but Curran’s exploits with the ball meant that he was the Smart Stats player of the match.ESPNcricinfo Ltd

Tottenham have reportedly entered pole position to sign a “big striker” for manager Thomas Frank in January, coming amid reports that the unfit Dominic Solanke now faces an uncertain future at the club.

Thomas Frank unimpressed by Dominic Solanke at Tottenham

Spurs’ club-record signing has played just 49 minutes in all competitions so far this campaign, with a niggling ankle problem keeping him out of action since their 2-0 win at Man City in August.

His ankle issue required minor surgery and Frank has confirmed that the England striker could soon return to the field, having made decent progress in his recovery, but we can still only estimate when he will be fit and available for selection once again.

Dejan Kulusevski

Knee

22/11/2025

James Maddison

ACL

01/06/2026

Radu Dragusin

Knee

22/11/2025

Ben Davies

Thigh

23/11/2025

Yves Bissouma

Ankle/Foot

08/11/2025

Cristian Romero

Groin

01/11/2025

Destiny Udogie

Knee

08/11/2025

Dominic Solanke

Ankle

08/11/2025

via Premier Injuries

Fitness issues have been commonplace at Spurs since Solanke made the £65 million move from Bournemouth last year, and he hasn’t had a chance to showcase his worth to Frank just yet.

The 28-year-old finished 24/25 as Tottenham’s second-top goalscorer behind Brennan Johnson with 16 goals in all competitions, but a combination of knee, thigh and ankle problems limited his availability.

Interestingly, according to a report from Football Insider this week, Frank has already seen enough.

It is believed that Frank has been left unimpressed by Solanke and a January exit could be on the cards for him, as Tottenham’s manager decides that he wants a new striker to come in.

In the build up to the next transfer window, reports have suggested that Tottenham could bring Ivan Toney back to the Premier League on loan from Al-Ahli, with Frank’s ex-star at Brentford looking to battle his way back into Thomas Tuchel’s England squad.

Some media sources claim that Frank has personally contacted Toney about a temporary move to Spurs, but there are other options.

With his contract expiring in 2026, Spurs have also been touted as suitors for Juventus star Dušan Vlahović.

Tottenham "leading the race" to sign Juventus striker Dušan Vlahović

According to reliable Bundesliga journalist and Bayern Munich expert Christian Falk, there’s been an update, and one which suits the north Londoners down to the ground.

While Bayern were continuously linked, it is actually Tottenham who are “leading the race” to sign Vlahovic, as Falk tells Bayern Insider that Vincent Kompany’s side have now backed off.

The 25-year-old, who reportedly earns a whopping £375,000-per-week in Turin, has managed to score at least 14 goals per season since his magnificent breakout campaign at Fiorentina in 2020/2021.

Vlahovic can be a big-game player as well, with strikes coming in the Champions League against Borussia Dortmund and Man City over the last two seasons, as well as in crucial Serie A matches against the likes of Inter Milan.

On a free transfer or for a cut-price in January, Vlahovic could be a real coup, but he’ll almost certainly have to take a massive pay cut.

كشف هشام نصر، نائب رئيس مجلس إدارة نادي الزمالك، حقيقة فسخ محمود بنتايج، لاعب الفريق الأول لكرة القدم بالقلعة البيضاء، تعاقده بسبب تأخر المستحقات.

وقال هشام نصر، في تصريحات عبر قناة الزمالك: “كل ما يُثار مؤخرًا عن الزمالك غير صحيح، محمود بنتايج أكد أنه لم يرسل إنذارًا بفسخ عقده، لكنه يطالب بمستحقاته، وقد حصل على ما يقرب من نصف مستحقاته من الزمالك”.

وتابع: “سنعقد جلسة مع الجهات المسؤولة الأسبوع المقبل لمناقشة ما يخص مستجدات أرض الزمالك بـ6 أكتوبر”.

طالع.. خاص | بعد معالي وصلاح مصدق.. 4 لاعبين ينذرون الزمالك بفسخ العقد

وأكمل: “قدمنا المسار القضائي فيما يخص موقف الزمالك من أرض النادي بـ6 أكتوبر، وما زلنا متمسكين بها”. 

وأضاف: “شركة الكرة من الحلول الهامة للحفاظ على موارد فريق كرة القدم وأمور أخرى، والزمالك في طريقه لإنشائها خلال أسبوعين وهناك أسماء كثيرة مطروحة لشركة الكرة، لكن سيتم تحديد الأمر بعد الحصول على الموافقة، والزمالك لم يتلقَّ أي خطابات بشأن رفض عودة أرض النادي”.

واستكمل: “مما لا شك فيه أن هناك مشاكل متواجدة بنادي الزمالك، وأرجو من جماهير الزمالك التي لها حق علينا كبير جدًا، أن تعلم أن كل الشاعرات التي تُقال على السوشيال ميديا ليست صادقة، وسيكون هناك ردود على كل هذه الأمور، كل واحد في تخصصه”.

وواصل: “لا يوجد شيء رسمي حتى الآن بشأن أرض 6 أكتوبر، واليوم تلقيت معلومة أن لجنة التحقيق في الجهات النيابية أكملت الملف، والمفترض أن الملف اكتمل ويُرفع التقرير لاتخاذ القرار”.

وأفاد: “لم تتم إدانة الزمالك في أي شيء متعلق بإهدار المال العام أو التربح، ماذا نربح أيه؟ نحن ندفع من جيوبنا لمساعدة نادينا، لا توجد إدانة في أي إجراء تم، غير صحيح أن هناك تربحًا أو كسبًا غير مشروع”.

وأكمل: “نتمنى أن نستمر لأننا بدأنا مشوارًا نريد أن نكمله، ومن لديه حل أو شيء يقدمه لنادي الزمالك، أهلاً وسهلاً به، ليس من مصلحة النادي أن تدخل لجان أخرى وتعيّن في هذا النفق المظلم، كل شيء تحت أمر الجمعية العمومية ونادي الزمالك”.

وأضاف: “هدفنا هو حماية مصالح النادي واستمرار العمل بروح الفريق الواحد، وكل قرار نتخذه يصب في مصلحة الزمالك وجماهيره، ولن نسمح لأي جهة خارجية بالتدخل في شؤوننا إلا بما يخدم النادي فقط”.

Liverpool have a remarkable aversion to confidently defending Premier League titles. This season and in 2021/22, the Reds have found themselves on a sticky wicket after reaching the top, and Arne Slot has to find the answers quickly.

In fairness, the endless rut the club have found themselves in this season looks to have abated. Liverpool have gone four games without defeat, though it would simply be incorrect to suggest that they are back to their best.

With Mohamed Salah’s uncertain future rumbling in the background, FSG are ready to reinforce the struggling champions with a winter recruit or two.

But it might be at the back, and not in attack, that Liverpool need to prioritise.

Liverpool ready to sign a centre-back

Ibrahima Konate is out of contract at the end of the season, and there is still no resolution in sight. Real Madrid have ended their interest in the French centre-back, though, such has been the severity of his dismal season.

Errors have come by the dozen. Couple that with Konate’s weakness in the build-up, exposed by Trent Alexander-Arnold’s departure, and you can see that Liverpool desperately need a new elite partner to help the ageing Virgil van Dijk.

Last summer, Crystal Palace captain Marc Guehi was the chosen man, and now, sporting director Richard Hughes is ready to return for him.

According to TEAMtalk, Liverpool remain in pole position for the Three Lions star, with FSG confident that a deal can be struck, considering that personal terms have already been agreed and the player is said to still view Anfield as his preferred destination.

However, Bayern Munich are pushing, and so if the Reds want to avoid any doubts before Guehi’s contract expires at the end of the season, they must bid around £20m to bring him over next month.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

However, Liverpool’s defensive crisis suggests that that might not be the worst idea in the world.

Why Liverpool must sign Guehi in January

Guehi, 25, is one of the best centre-backs in Europe. Over four years since leaving Chelsea and joining Crystal Palace, he has established himself as “an absolute Rolls Royce of a defender” who is “world-class calibre”, as put by academy coach David Matthews.

The England star is just now coming into his own, stretching toward a widely recognised elite status. Liverpool must ensure that they secure his services before someone else does, especially since it could revive Van Dijk.

There’s no denying that the Netherlands captain has been poor this season, lacking his typical authority and imperiousness at the back.

But then Liverpool’s dysfunctional system has promoted inconsistency, and Guehi could prove the upgrade on Konate needed to rekindle Van Dijk’s flame.

The Eagles star’s ball-playing game is more expansive and dynamic than Konate’s own, and alongside the 34-year-old Van Dijk, he would help create a wider variety of passing patterns than Liverpool fans have been treated to this year.

Looking at how Guehi compares to Konate in the Premier League this season, you can see that the Englishman has more quality on the ball while also proving more combative and mobile in protecting his backline. Palace, remember, have only conceded 12 goals in the league this season, a total bettered only by Arsenal.

Goals scored

0.14

0.00

Assists

0.14

0.00

Touches

62.50

78.88

Pass completion (%)

85.4

89.5

Progressive passes

5.21

4.26

Shot-creating actions

1.64

0.72

Progressive carries

1.21

1.16

Ball recoveries

4.00

2.96

Tackles + interceptions

3.00

2.24

Clearances

5.14

6.86

Aerial duels won

2.86

3.96

Errors

0.07

0.22

Forget all the technical frills for a second; Guehi is quite simply much more composed on the ball than his Les Bleus counterpart, who has made so many mistakes this season.

Couple that with his progressiveness and intelligence when making forward passes, Guehi could be the perfect partner for the veteran skipper, who is still one of the best centre-halves in the business but is getting on a bit and could do with a stable partner who complements his strengths and adds synergy to the wider tactical system.

Liverpool make move for £88m Semenyo upgrade who can be "Ballon d'Or level"

Liverpool may need to sign a new winger given the unsavoury Mo Salah situation.

ByAngus Sinclair 3 days ago

MatériaMais Notícias

O atacante Luciano Rodríguez, do Liverpool (URU), até agradou à comissão técnica de Abel Ferreira, mas não deve jogar pelo Palmeiras. Após colher informações sobre o jogador, a direção alviverde optou por não avançar com uma reunião em Montevidéu, onde os clubes se enfrentam às 19h desta quinta-feira (9), pela Libertadores.

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➡️ Siga o Lance! Palmeiras no WhatsApp e acompanhe todas as notícias do Verdão

➡️ Iluminado! Aposte R$100 e leve R$416 no Lance! Betting para gol de Estevão a qualquer momento sobre o Liverpool-URU

O jogador não estava no radar do departamento de futebol palmeirense, mas isso mudou após o primeiro encontro com o Liverpool, pela principal competição continental. O atacante, que no Uruguai é comparado com Luisito Suárez, acabou bem avaliado por Abel.

No entanto, o que foi apurado sobre valores e condições de negócio não agradou ao Palmeiras, que considerou a pedida dos uruguaios por Luciano Rodríguez fora da realidade. O Livepool deseja 15 milhões de dólares (cerca de R$ 75 milhões, na cotação atual) e ainda permanecer com um percentual de até 30% dos direitos econômicos do atleta. Não chegou a acontecer uma abertura de negociação, e o interesse não passou de sondagem por enquanto.

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➡️ Luciano Rodríguez no Palmeiras? R$ 77 milhões e ‘novo Suárez’: conheça o atacante

Além disso, o contato com os representantes de Luciano Rodríguez não agradou aos responsáveis pelo futebol do Verdão. Houve conversa com um intermediário brasileiro, que esclareceu uma preferência de que Luciano permanecesse por mais uma temporada na América do Sul. Só depois ele se mudaria para a Europa.

MAIS INTERESSADOS

O Grupo City avalia o jogador e tem interesse em colocá-lo no Girona, da Espanha. A negociação é feita diretamente com o empresário do atleta, que é uruguaio. Outro concorrente é o River Plate, da Argentina.

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Vendo esse cenário, o Palmeiras optou por se retirar de qualquer movimentação mais firme para tentar a contratação de Luciano Rodríguez, pois não deseja entrar em “leilões” ou ser “barriga de aluguel” para jogadores.

O atacante seria uma opção para suprir a saída de Endrick, que vai para o Real Madrid em breve. Aos 20 anos, ele soma 50 partidas com a camisa do Liverpool, 14 gols marcados e uma assistência distribuída.

Tudo sobre

Luciano RodríguezPalmeiras

Longtime Boston Red Sox first baseman and 1995 American League MVP Mo Vaughn used human growth hormone in an attempt to prolong his MLB career, he told Ken Rosenthal in a recent exclusive sit-down interview.

"I was trying to do everything I could," the now-57-year-old explained. "I knew I had a bad, degenerative knee. I was shooting HGH in my knee. Whatever I could do to help the process…"

Vaughn was one of 89 players listed in the infamous 2007 Mitchell Report—an independent investigation that shed light on the league's widespread use of anabolic steroids and human growth hormone. The report indicated that Vaughn made three separate payments to former MLB bat boy and clubhouse employee Kirk Radomski, a critical witness in the investigation, in exchange for HGH in 2001.

HGH was not banned by the MLB until 2005.

Vaughn played 12 seasons from 1991 to 2003 with the Red Sox ('91 to '98), the Anaheim Angels ('99 to '00), and the New York Mets ('02 to '03). He was named an American League All-Star three times ('95, '96', '98), and in his '95 AL MVP-winning season, he won the Silver Slugger Award and was the AL's RBI leader with 126.

Vaughn was inducted into the Red Sox Hall of Fame in 2008.

Nottingham Forest have now approached an “incredible” Premier League title-winning manager, following the sacking of Ange Postecoglou on Saturday.

Forest sack Ange after just 39 days in charge

Postecoglou lasted just 39 days as Forest manager, with the Australian now second only to Sam Allardyce on the list of shortest-serving managers in top flight history, although it was an understandable decision from Evangelos Marinakis.

The 60-year-old failed to win any of the eight matches he took charge of in all competitions, with the Tricky Trees even being dumped out of the EFL Cup by Championship side Swansea City.

A relegation battle could be on the cards for Forest, who occupy 18th place in the table after a disastrous start to the season, collecting just five points from their opening eight matches.

Marinakis has certainly wasted no time finding potential replacements for Ange, with reports revealing Sean Dyche is in advanced talks about replacing the former Tottenham Hotspur boss in the dugout.

However, Dyche is not the only option on the shortlist, according to a report from The Athletic, which states Nottingham Forest have been in contact with 2011-12 Premier League title-winning manager Roberto Mancini.

Forest have held talks with the ex-Manchester City boss, who was most recently manager of Saudi Arabia, before reaching a joint agreement to exit the role a little over a year ago.

While the Italian was unsuccessful with Saudi Arabia, he certainly achieved his goals as manager of Italy, leading his home country to Euros glory back in 2021.

Nottingham Forest's most expensive sales of all time

The biggest departures from the City Ground.

ByCharlie Smith Oct 9, 2025 "Incredible" Mancini could be exactly what Forest need

Ange imposing his attacking philosophy ultimately ended up being too much too soon, given that Nuno Espirito Santo implemented a counter-attacking style of play during his time at the City Ground.

Mancini, on the other hand, is well-known for his more pragmatic approach, which could be what Forest need to avoid being exposed in defence, having conceded eight goals in their last three matches in all competitions.

The 60-year-old, who led City to the Premier League title back in 2012, was also praised by former player Yaya Toure in the wake of Italy’s Euro 2021 triumph.

Having won 14 trophies across a very successful managerial career, Mancini could be a fantastic appointment for Forest, and the fact he is currently without a club is an added bonus.

Thomas Frank issued a concerning injury update on Mohammed Kudus ahead of their Manchester United clash this weekend. The Ghanaian playmaker, who joined Spurs from West Ham United in a £55 million ($72.5m) summer move, has become one of the club’s most consistent performers this season. He has scored once and set up five goals across 15 appearances. But just as he seemed to gain momentum, disaster struck again.

• Spurs sweating on Kudus fitness

  Kudus picked up a knock during training last week, ruling him out of Tuesday’s emphatic 4-0 Champions League win over FC Copenhagen. Now, his participation against United is also uncertain. 

  Speaking in his pre-match press conference on Friday, Frank cut a cautious figure and said: "Kudus is touch and go for tomorrow, we’ll see."

  In Kudus' absence, Brennan Johnson, who started on the right flank in midweek, is expected to retain his spot. The Welshman impressed with his intensity against Copenhagen and should be a handful for United defenders. 

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  Tottenham's injury list grows longer

  The north London side’s growing injury list continues to stretch the squad thin. Radu Dragusin, Dejan Kulusevski, and James Maddison all remain long-term absentees, while Yves Bissouma and summer recruit Kota Takai are still awaiting their first minutes of the season. To make matters worse, promising youngster Lucas Bergvall will sit out the United game after suffering a concussion during last weekend’s narrow 1-0 defeat to Chelsea. 

  Frank also offered an update on Dominic Solanke’s slow recovery. The striker has been limited to a total of 59 minutes this season. Solanke’s ankle problems have kept him sidelined since pre-season, and he even underwent a minor surgery on October 1. And while his rehabilitation is progressing, Frank insists the club won’t rush his return.

  "I think the international break will be the big decider, because we have two weeks there, to push with the next steps," said Frank.

  "It was clear that he was not ready before the international break, it’s more that we look after the international break, that’s what we’re aiming for. I think you always want to get it right, I think it’s important to get it right so he’s out there, can help the team, and we need him back." 

  However, he did offer some positive updates as well. 

  "The ones that have been out for a small spell, Cuti (Cristian Romero) and Destiny (Udogie), responded well, so fit and available," he said. 

• Amicable resolution with Van de Ven and Spence

  Frank has also had to manage an internal situation involving defenders Micky van de Ven and Djed Spence. In the aftermath of the disappointing defeat to Chelsea, the Spurs head coach encouraged his players to perform a lap of appreciation for the fans. However, television cameras caught Van de Ven and Spence walking away, apparently ignoring the manager’s request. At the time, Frank refused to publicly criticise the pair, choosing instead to defuse the incident.

  "All the players are, of course, frustrated," he had said after the match. "They would like to do well, they would like to win, they would like to perform. I understand that. I think it’s difficult to be consistent in good times and bad times, that’s why I went around to the fans as I did, it’s more fun when we win, I can tell you that."

  He added, "I understand why you ask the question. But I think that’s one of, how you can say, small issues. We have Micky van de Ven and Djed Spence doing everything they can. They’ve performed very well so far this season. Everyone is frustrated. We do things in a different way, I don’t think it’s a big problem."

  However, the two players have apologised to the manager to reach an amicable solution.

  "Micky and Djed came into my office yesterday and just said they wanted to say sorry for the situation," he informed. "They didn't want it to look bad or any misconception that you can get in this beautiful media world. So there was no disrespect meant at all towards me or the team. They were just frustrated with the performance from us and the booing during the game."

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  A pivotal match for Spurs

  Tottenham’s 1-0 loss to Chelsea was another frustrating afternoon for the fans, who voiced their displeasure at full-time. Saturday’s showdown against United now carries enormous weight for both sides. A win could reignite Tottenham’s momentum and strengthen their Champions League ambitions. They remain sixth in the Premier League table with 17 points from 10 games and are level with Manchester United but eight behind leaders Arsenal.

Khaleel Ahmed has signed a deal with Essex for the remainder of the County Championship and the entirety of the One-Day Cup. It will be Khaleel’s first foray in County cricket. The two-month stint goes on till late September and includes six first-class games along with eight List A games, which could stretch to ten if Essex progress to the final.Khaleel will join the squad in York and will be available for selection for the County Championship match against Yorkshire starting Sunday.”I have heard a lot about the rich history of the Club, and I’m excited to be part of it and will look to make an immediate impact,” he said. “I’m looking forward to playing at Chelmsford, meeting the loyal Essex Members and fans, and delivering performances they can be proud of.”Related

• Kishan signs short-term deal with Nottinghamshire

• Tilak Varma signs a short-term deal with Hampshire

• Ruturaj Gaikwad to join Yorkshire for Championship, One-Day Cup

Essex’s director of cricket Chris Silverwood looked forward to the “new dynamic” Khaleel’s left-arm pace adds to the attack.”We were impressed with his performances for India A and firmly believe he can strengthen our already very strong seam attack,” Silverwood said. “As a left-arm seamer, he offers something different and will add a new dynamic to the squad in both the One Day Cup and the County Championship.”Khaleel has taken 15 wickets in 11 ODIs for India at an average of 31.00. He has played 20 first-class games and picked up 56 wickets at an average of 27.67. He was also part of the India A side that took on England Lions in June.Apart from Khaleel, Ishan Kishan (Nottinghamshire), Tilak Varma (Hampshire), Ruturaj Gaikwad (Yorkshire) and Yuzvendra Chahal (Northamptonshire) are the other Indians who have signed County deals.Essex currently sit at No. 8 in division one of the County Championship with one win in eight games.

CSK’s latest signing Brevis has linked up with the squad in Mumbai and will be available for selection for Sunday’s game

Vishal Dikshit19-Apr-20254:12

Boucher: Brevis is a perfect candidate for No. 5

Big picture: CSK’s hopes starting to fadeHad either of Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Mumbai Indians (MI) had a result or two not go their way in the last few days in IPL 2025, the “El Clasico” narrative of this rivalry would have turned into “L Clasico”. CSK managed to break their five-match losing streak and will look for another win on the road, against MI, on Sunday evening.If results from nearly a month ago still instill some sort of confidence, CSK could have a feel-good factor in how they had won at home last month at the start of the tournament, but MI have since got back Hardik Pandya and Jasprit Bumrah to their side.Related

IPL 2025 mid-season review: The importance of mega auction and local leagues

Fleming says poor results have forced CSK to 'bring all squad members into play'

MI themselves had been grappling with two losses at the start of IPL 2025 but have picked themselves up in all facets of the game to win both at home and away, on different kind of surfaces, and batting first and chasing. Barring Rohit Sharma, whose form continues to be a concern, their top order has started scoring freely, their middle order is hitting boundaries at a good clip, and the all-international bowling attack has started to function like a well-oiled machine, as was seen in their last game, against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH).CSK, despite beating a strong LSG side, are still trying to put their pieces together with several players still far from at their best, which has forced their think tank to look to younger options, as head coach Stephen Fleming said on match eve. After a strong bowling performance against LSG that would ease some of their worries before walking out at the Wankhede, CSK will now hope their batting steps up.Form guideMumbai Indians WWLLW
Chennai Super Kings WLLLL2:45

Rayudu: Slower balls have worked for ‘wicket-taker’ Hardik

In the spotlight: Rohit Sharma and Shivam DubeShivam Dube has struck at 128.57 this IPL, a steep slide from his 150-plus strike rates in the last three seasons. He has improved in the last couple of games after sub-20 scores at the start, but still, scores of 43* off 37 and 31* off 29 suggest that he isn’t at his best yet. Oppositions have also started to keep spinners away from him to try and keep him quiet. Dube now returns to his domestic home ground where he once hit five sixes in an over in a Ranji Trophy game, and will hope familiar conditions help him hit the pedal.Almost everything is falling in place for MI, except for Rohit Sharma’s form. Batters around him and after him are all scoring while his average for the season has dipped to just 13.66, having faced 57 balls this IPL. Since Ryan Rickelton and Will Jacks – his partners in the top three – have looked good in the last few games, this could take some burden off Rohit’s shoulders to try and get out of this rut.Team news: Brevis links up with CSKLegspinner Karn Sharma had split a webbing in his bowling hand while fielding in their last game and is unlikely to play against CSK after getting a couple of stitches on the hand. Depending on the conditions for this game, MI could bring in either left-arm wristspinner Vignesh Puthur or left-arm quick Ashwani Kumar, who took 4 for 24 against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) the last time he played at the Wankhede.Mumbai Indians 1 Ryan Rickelton (wk), 2 Rohit Sharma, 3 Will Jacks, 4 Suryakumar Yadav, 5 Tilak Varma, 6 Hardik Pandya (capt), 7 Naman Dhir, 8 Mitchell Santner, 9 Deepak Chahar, 10 Trent Boult, 11 Jasprit Bumrah, 12 Vignesh Puthur/Ashwani KumarDewald Brevis has joined the CSK squad as a replacement player and is available for the game even though he didn’t train a whole lot since reaching India. Fleming said on Saturday that they are likely to give some of the younger players, such as bowling allrounder Ramakrishna Ghosh and fast bowler Kamlesh Nagarkoti, more chances. Ravindra Jadeja is set to continue at No. 4.Chennai Super Kings 1 Rachin Ravindra, 2 Shaik Rasheed, 3 Rahul Tripathi, 4 Ravindra Jadeja, 5 Shivam Dube, 6 Vijay Shankar, 7 MS Dhoni (capt, wk), 8 Jamie Overton, 9 Anshul Kamboj, 10 Noor Ahmad, 11 Khaleel Ahmed, 12 Matheesha PathiranaThe big questionPitch and conditionsHaving lost to CSK in their opening game on a slow turner at Chepauk, MI would not want the kind of spin-friendly pitch they played on against SRH for the CSK game, especially without Karn, and with Noor Ahmad, Jadeja and Rachin Ravindra in the opposition camp. Their batting plans are falling in place, which means a high-scoring track – like the one against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) – may suit them better. Whatever the pitch, the team winning the toss is expected to chase as there has been some dew in Mumbai in hot and humid conditions.1:03

Who will finish in the top four?

Stats and trivia: Dhoni vs Bumrah Khaleel Ahmed bowled an impressive first spell of 3-0-22-1 against LSG and he will want to bowl to Rohit on Sunday because of this match-up: 28 runs in 43 balls for three dismissals and no sixes. Jadeja could have a similar feeling while bowling to Suryakumar Yadav, which could happen in the middle overs. Jadeja has conceded just 47 runs to Suryakumar in 62 balls while removing him three times. MS Dhoni is known to prefer pace bowlers as opposed to spinners. How he tackles Jasprit Bumrah could be interesting because he has scored just 60 runs off 61 balls against Bumrah in the IPL, hitting only three fours and two sixes while also falling three times. In the death overs, Dhoni has struck at 110.25 against Bumrah, which is only marginally better. The fierce rivalry between MI and CSK reflects in their head-to-head too: MI have won 20 out of the 38 clashes between these two teams. But CSK are on a four-match winning streak right now. Quotes”This pitch has been a little bit more high-scoring this year. So that’s the first thing we look at. But the greatest thing for us is to adapt to whatever it is on the day.”
“If it is going to be a slightly slower wicket like last game, we know he’s going to be a challenge. You’ve got to be quite smart against him. If he gets on a roll, he’s pretty tough to stop. As we’ve seen, he has bowled extremely well.”