The Indian Premier League (IPL) has given birth to many rivalries, but only a few are engraved in stone. The tussle between teams on the ground also transforms into fan wars and boils over across social media platforms.
Three iconic rivalries in the IPL draw the attention of even the most casual fan. The Mumbai Indians (MI) and Chennai Super Kings (CSK) showdown is the gold standard of duels in the cash-rich league. Renowned as the El Clásico of the marquee tournament, the MI vs CSK battle is steeped in history.
MI vs CSK
The first-ever face-off between the two sides in the IPL unfolded on April 23, 2008, at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai. Fans of both sides were hooked to the internet and television channels to gather all the cricket news from both camps in the lead-up to the fixture.
Electing to field first, Mumbai couldn’t prevent Chennai from going past 200 (208/5). In reply, MI managed 202 in their 20 overs for the loss of seven wickets and fell short by six runs.
Moreover, Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings have locked horns as many as four times in IPL finals. While CSK won their maiden encounter in an IPL final in 2010, MI have since beaten them thrice (2013, 2015 and 2019) in the ultimate showdown. Overall, the two sides have crossed paths 41 times in the IPL, with CSK winning 20 matches and MI taking the honours 21 times.
MI vs RCB
The MI vs RCB rivalry was very lopsided in favour of the five-time IPL champions in its initial years. Mumbai Indians have always been a formidable force in the lucrative tournament, but the same was not quite the case with Royal Challengers Bengaluru.
The first-ever match between the two outfits transpired on April 20, 2008, at Wankhede in Mumbai. After calling it correctly at the toss, Mumbai elected to bat first and posted 165 for the loss of six wickets. RCB chased it down with five wickets and two deliveries to spare.
The head-to-head record is slightly in favour of Mumbai Indians. MI have won 19 of the 36 games, whereas RCB have emerged victorious on 17 occasions.
RCB vs SRH
The combat between RCB and Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) may not seem as popular as the other two rivalries mentioned on this list. But it has given a few invigorating contests lately. Only the hardcore fans know that the first-ever IPL encounter between the two sides on April 7, 2013, was settled in a super over. SRH posted 20 in the super over, and the batting pair of Chris Gayle and Virat Kohli could only manage to score 15 against Dale Steyn in reply.
Their duels in the 2026 IPL season were fairly even too. RCB hammered SRH by six wickets in their first meeting before the Pat Cummins-led side turned the tables around, thrashing the eventual champions by 55 runs.
SRH beat RCB by eight runs in the final of the 2016 season to clinch their maiden IPL silverware. Additionally, SRH have a 15-12 head-to-head record against RCB in the tournament.