CSK vs MI: Suresh Raina on the verge of historic first in IPL

CSK currently lead the IPL charts with 16 points and a win for them will all but confirm their place in the play-offs.

Suresh Raina is on the cusp of a historic Indian Premier League (IPL) record when his team Chennai Super Kings take on Mumbai Indians at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on Wednesday.

Suresh Raina takes a catch in the IPL. (BCCI Image)

CSK currently lead the IPL charts with 16 points and a win for them will all but confirm their place in the play-offs. As for Mumbai, if they come out victorious in this clash, they will displace high-flying Delhi Capitals from the second spot.

Earlier in the season, Raina became the first cricketer to go past the 5000-run mark in the cash-rich league and the swashbuckling southpaw is now on the threshold of yet another record in the IPL.

Raina needs to pick just one catch against MI and that will make him the first cricketer in the history of the competition to take a century of catches. So far, Raina has picked 99 catches in 187 matches and he remains miles ahead of second-placed AB de Villiers, who has 84 catches in 151 matches.

Most catches in IPL

99: Suresh Raina

84: AB de Villiers

82: Rohit Sharma

79: Kieron Pollard

71: Virat Kohli

After registering a thrilling win over Sunrisers Hyderabad, Dhoni and Co will look to continue their momentum and avenge their defeat at the hands of Mumbai earlier in the season at the Wankhede Stadium.

While CSK’s must have welcomed Shane Watson’s return to form, the team would be hoping for Suresh Raina, Ambati Rayudu and Kedar Jadhav to get going ahead of the knockout phase. It is important for Jadhav to get his touch back with the World Cup looming.