Chennai looks to bounce back at Chepauk after consecutive defeats.
CSK vs DC: Three matches into IPL 2025, and Chennai Super Kings (CSK) already find themselves under pressure. A narrow defeat at home to Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) followed by a hammering at the hands of Rajasthan Royals in Guwahati has left the five-time champions with a lot of soul-searching to do.
Despite the overwhelming spotlight on MS Dhoni, the team’s issues appear to go well beyond the iconic former skipper. Long considered CSK’s strongest department, the bowling department struggled against RCB on a surface with some grip. They allowed close to 200 runs, while against the Royals, they conceded a massive 129 runs in the first 12 overs despite finishing strongly.
Batting Fragility: A Major Concern for Chennai
However, the more concerning aspect is CSK’s insufficient batting power. Their top order has not been a cohesive unit. Ruturaj Gaikwad remains the lone beacon of hope, but even his availability for the upcoming game is uncertain due to a fitness concern. At training, Gaikwad only faced throwdowns briefly and did not bat in the nets—casting doubt on his readiness for the clash.
Rachin Ravindra has shown glimpses of form in the opening fixtures, but Rahul Tripathi and Shivam Dube are yet to make any notable impact. Uncharacteristically, CSK have already begun to shuffle their lineup, with players like Deepak Hooda, Vijay Shankar, Jamie Overton, and Sam Curran being rotated in and out.
A Confident Delhi Capitals Await
Conversely, Delhi Capitals (DC) come into this match with a winning streak of back-to-back games. They pulled off a thrilling win in their season opener despite a failure from the top order, thanks to an inspired performance from the middle order. The second game saw the top order making amends by bulldozing Sunrisers Hyderabad with a dominant display.
DC’s spin-heavy bowling unit, featuring Kuldeep Yadav, Axar Patel, and the youthful Vipraj Nigam, is eagerly anticipating the afternoon encounter on the traditionally slow Chepauk track. If the surface behaves as expected, the conditions could suit DC more than the hosts.
CSK vs DC IPL 2025: Match Details
- When: April 5, 2025, 3:30 PM IST
- Where: MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai
- Conditions: Traditionally slow pitch; afternoon heat may assist spinners. However, RCB’s pacers did extract some bounce earlier in the tournament.
CSK vs DC IPL 2025: Team News and Strategy
Chennai Super Kings
Injury Watch: Ruturaj Gaikwad’s availability remains uncertain. If he is ruled out, there’s speculation that Mike Hussey could step into a leadership role temporarily or a younger player may be handed more responsibility.
Tactical Angle: Rahul Tripathi could be pushed down the order to play spin, especially since he boasts a strong strike rate of 200 against Kuldeep Yadav. MS Dhoni may be asked to play. Depending on the team’s top-order collapse scenario, the team may ask MS Dhoni to play a more prominent role.
Probable XII:
Dra, Rahul Tripathi, Ruturaj Gaikwad (C)*, Shivam Dube, Sam Curran, Vijay Shankar, Ravindra Jadeja, MS Dhoni (WK), Noor Ahmad, Matheesha Pathirana, Khaleel Ahmed
(*Subject to fitness)
Delhi Capitals
Injury Watch: Pacer T Natarajan is nearing match readiness but is unlikely to be available for this game, as per Kuldeep Yadav’s latest comments.
Tactical Angle: Noor Ahmad’s battle with Faf du Plessis will be a key matchup—he has already dismissed the veteran three times in just 10 balls. Expect skipper Axar Patel to play a bigger role with the ball in Chennai’s turning conditions.
Probable XII:
Jake Fraser-McGurk, Faf du Plessis, Abishek Porel, KL Rahul (WK), Axar Patel (C), Tristan Stubbs, Ashutosh Sharma, Vipraj Nigam, Mitchell Starc, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohit Sharma, Mukesh K • CSK has won seven straight matches against the Delhi Capitals in Chepauk. r
Did You Know?
- CSK have won against Delhi Capitals at Chepauk.
- ve wonhas won i itswo games of an IPL season for just the fifth time in history.
- CSK’s PowerPlay run rate of 7.44 is the lowest among all teams in IPL 2025, significantly below the tournament average of 9.58.
What They Said
Kuldeep Yadav on Noor Ahmad:
“He is bowling really well. His wrong wrong’uwrongs areto pick and especially dangerous in Chennai. It’s never easy for batters against quality wrist spin sspinhere.”
Mike Hussey on CM Ike Hussey discusses the leadership of CSK in the event that Gaikwad is excluded:
“I haven’t really thought about it much. Maybe one of the younger guys will step up behind the stumps. We’ll see what the management decides.” Source cricbuzz
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