MS Dhoni and Shreyas Iyer

With their playoff hopes hanging by a thread, Chennai Super Kings will look to salvage pride and momentum when they face Punjab Kings in a crucial IPL clash at Chepauk on Wednesday.
The five-time champions have endured a forgettable season, managing just two wins in nine games to sit at the bottom of the table. Punjab Kings, though inconsistent, are better placed at fifth with five victories and will be keen to exploit CSK’s vulnerabilities to climb further.
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Chepauk, once a fortress, has failed to inspire CSK this season. Even the return of MS Dhoni as captain, following Ruturaj Gaikwad’s elbow injury, hasn’t sparked a turnaround. Dhoni admitted the team’s struggles with combinations and poor powerplay performances.

Youngster Ayush Mhatre, who impressed on debut, will be in focus against Arshdeep Singh’s new-ball burst. A key contest could unfold between Shivam Dube and in-form Yuzvendra Chahal in the middle overs.
Who’s that IPL player?
PBKS openers Priyansh Arya and Prabhsimran Singh have been solid, while CSK will bank on Noor Ahmad and Khaleel Ahmed to contain them. CSK’s core — Ravindra Jadeja, Ashwin, and Pathirana — has underperformed, and the top order remains unsettled.
With Marco Jansen, Chahal, and Arshdeep firing, PBKS will start favourites against a demoralised CSK unit.
Pitch report for CSK vs PBKS
The playing surface in Chennai presents a mixed challenge for batters and bowlers alike. The dimensions are slightly asymmetrical — 68 metres and 65 metres square of the wicket, with 80 metres down the ground. The pitch is quite dry and expected to play slightly on the slower side. It may be a touch two-paced, offering some assistance to bowlers who vary their pace smartly. Spinners will also find some grip as the match progresses.

CSK vs PBKS Playing XI Prediction
Chennai Super Kings predicted XI: Shaik Rasheed, Ayush Mhatre, Dewald Brevis, Shivam Dube, Deepak Hooda, Sam Curran, Ravindra Jadeja, MS Dhoni (w/c), Noor Ahmad, Khaleel Ahmed, Matheesha Pathirana
Impact Player – Anshul Kamboj/Ravichandran Ashwin
Punjab Kings predicted XI: Priyansh Arya, Prabhsimran Singh, Shreyas Iyer (c), Josh Inglis (w), Nehal Wadhera, Shashank Singh, Glenn Maxwell, Azmatullah Omarzai, Marco Jansen, Arshdeep Singh, Yuzvendra Chahal
Impact Player – Harpreet Brar/Musheer Khan
CSK vs PBKS squads, IPL match Today
Chennai Super Kings: MS Dhoni (c&wk), Dewald Brevis, Devon Conway, Rahul Tripathi, Shaik Rasheed, Vansh Bedi, Andre Siddharth, Ayush Mhatre, Rachin Ravindra, Ravichandran Ashwin, VIjay Shankar, Sam Curran, Anshul Kamboj, Deepak Hooda, Jamie Overton, Kamlesh Nagarkoti, Ramakrishna Ghosh, Ravindra Jadeja, Shivam Dube, Khaleel Ahmed, Noor Ahmad, Mukesh Choudhary, Nathan Ellis, Shreyas Gopal, Matheesha Pathirana.
Punjab Kings: Shreyas Iyer (c), Yuzvendra Chahal, Arshdeep Singh, Marcus Stoinis, Nehal Wadhera, Glenn Maxwell, Vyshak Vijaykumar, Yash Thakur, Harpreet Brar, Vishnu Vinod, Marco Jansen, Lockie Ferguson, Josh Inglis, Xavier Bartlett, Kuldeep Sen, Pyla Avinash, Suryansh Shedge, Musheer Khan, Harnoor Pannu, Aaron Hardie, Priyansh Arya, Azmatullah Omarzai.
CSK vs PBKS Head-to-Head Record
Played: 32
CSK wins: 17
PBKS wins: 15
CSK vs PBKS IPL 2025, Chennai weather prediction
Expect extremely warm conditions at the MA Chidambaram Stadium on Wednesday, with daytime temperatures peaking at 36°C and a real feel of up to 43°C. The mercury is expected to drop to a low of 28°C later in the day. By evening, temperatures will likely hover around 30°C, with warm and humid conditions prevailing throughout. Rain is highly unlikely, with only a 1% chance of precipitation.