IPL 2026: 'MI have the upper hand, 'says Kaif on clash vs CSK

New Delhi, May 2 (IANS) Former India cricketer Mohammad Kaif believes the Mumbai Indians (MI) hold a slight edge over Chennai Super Kings (CSK) heading into their crucial Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 encounter at MA Chidambaram Stadium on Saturday, citing their overall squad strength despite inconsistent form.

“On paper, the Mumbai Indians look stronger than the Chennai Super Kings because they have a lot of match winners and experienced campaigners in their side,” Kaif told Jio Hotstar.

However, Kaif also pointed out concerns around Mumbai’s recent performances, noting that their inability to convert games into wins could be a potential drawback.

“But when you look at recent form, a lot of questions get raised because MI haven’t been winning many games. That said, on their day, if they play a dominant brand of cricket, they can be very hard to stop,” he added.

Turning his attention to Chennai, Kaif highlighted that their overdependence on opener Sanju Samson has cost them a lot, and other players must also perform to reduce the overdependence and win the games for the team.

“Chennai, on the other hand, have only had Sanju Samson firing so far. They are relying heavily on his performances to win games,” he observed.

CSK return to action after a six-day break. They were beaten by the Gujarat Titans at the Chepauk by eight wickets in a game where their batters looked clueless against an experienced bowling attack. CSK scored just 158 runs, which was easily chased down by GT.

The Super Kings sit in sixth place on the table, with three wins and five losses from eight matches.

While the Mumbai Indians are also coming to the contest after suffering a shocking loss against Sunrisers Hyderabad, despite scoring 243 runs in 20 overs, their bowling was below par, and they lost the match by 6 wickets.

They are currently placed at ninth position in the points table with just two wins and six losses from eight matches. They are in dire need of points to save their season from a disastrous end.