IPL 2021: MI's Rohit Sharma, Hardik Pandya miss blockbuster clash against CSK, Anmolpreet makes debut
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Mumbai Indians regular skipper Rohit Sharma missed the clash against Chennai Super Kings as the second leg of the Indian Premier League 2021 kicked off on Sunday (September 19).
In the absence of Rohit, the team is being led by Kieron Pollard as the team's star all-rounder Hardik Pandya has also missed the blockbuster clash, making the way for Anmolpreet Singh's debut.
On Rohit's absence, Pollard said, "He is okay, we will see him sooner rather than later. He is the captain of this ship. I am just standing in."
"We started a couple of months back, and we were just starting to build the momentum with a couple of wins. Rohit misses out, Hardik is not playing as well. Anmolpreet makes his debut, that's about it, all others are regular players," Pollard added.
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Chennai Super Kings skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni won the toss and opted to bat against defending champions Mumbai Indians. For CSK, Faf du Plessis, Moeen Ali, Dwayne Bravo and Josh Hazlewood are the four foreigners playing in the match.
"We will bat first, looks like a good wicket. Setting a target will be a better option. It's the same for everyone," said MS Dhoni.
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On the long hiatus, Dhoni said, "I can't say if it's a good break or not. Once tournament starts, you get into some sort of rhythm but this season it's new and maybe us cricketers will start loving it. Seven games, then a break, and seven more. It comes down to how you play on that day in the shortest form."