Five-time IPL title holders Chennai Super Kings will aim to halt Delhi Capitals’ unbeaten run in the tournament, when the two sides face off in the first match of Saturday’s weekend doubleheader at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai.
Having lost two of their first three matches of IPL 2025, the Ruturaj Gaikwad-led CSK are desperately hoping for a turnaround in fortunes, and will bank on their experienced spin-bowling unit to get the job done on a traditionally spin-assisting surface in the sweltering Chennai heat. As such, a fascinating spin showdown between CSK’s Afghan prodigy Noor Ahmad and DC’s seasoned Kuldeep Yadav could be on the cards.
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Kuldeep, who has been in sublime form with an economy rate of 5.25, stands out among the quartet of spinners likely to feature in the afternoon fixture. On the other hand, Noor’s nine wickets at a tidy economy of 6.83 make him a potent weapon in the middle overs. Their contrasting styles, Noor’s flatter, quicker deliveries against Kuldeep’s flight and guile, add an intriguing layer to the contest.
While the spin duel could take centerstage, Delhi’s batting could give them the edge. With KL Rahul back with the unit, and in decent batting touch, and backed by youngsters like Ashutosh Sharma and Vipraj Nigam, the Capitals’ middle order looks a well-oiled unit. Veteran Faf du Plessis’ familiarity with Chepauk conditions, owing to his long stint with CSK, could also prove invaluable for the visiting side, particularly in guiding the likes of Jake Fraser-McGurk, Tristan Stubbs and Abhishek Porel.
Having chased down daunting totals on batting-friendly wickets of Visakhapatnam, the DC batters will be tested in the spin-friendly conditions of Chennai. Fraser-McGurk’s discomfort against spin could tempt CSK to use veteran Ravichandran Ashwin early in the powerplay, despite the off-spinner not being in top rhythm so far this season.
On the other hand, CSK will have a lot to work on their batting, especially in the middle and lower order, with Mahendra Singh Dhoni, though still a crowd puller, is no longer the finisher he once was. The team has been overly reliant on Shivam Dube for late-innings acceleration, with a few others displaying the big-hitting ability.
At the top, Rahul Tripathi’s repeated failures against quality pace means he could be on borrowed time, considering CSK has drafted in 17-year-old Mumbai opener Ayush Mhatre. It remains to be seen whether the Kings, traditionally not known for their chop and change approach, brings in the teen sensation at the top of the order. The home side also has the option of getting back skipper Gaikwad to the opening slot, to allow Tripathi sometime in the middle order.
Historically, Chepauk has been a fortress for CSK, who hold a 7-2 head-to-head record against DC at the venue, but CSK’s struggles to evolve with the pace of the modern T20 game was evident in all the three matches so far, and the onus will be on Stephen Fleming and the rest of the backroom staff, to come up with a fresh approach against a vibrant Delhi Capitals.
Squads:
Chennai Super Kings: Ruturaj Gaikwad (c), MS Dhoni, Ravindra Jadeja, Shivam Dube, Matheesha Pathirana, Noor Ahmad, Ravichandran Ashwin, Devon Conway, Syed Khaleel Ahmed, Rachin Ravindra, Rahul Tripathi, Vijay Shankar, Sam Curran, Shaik Rashid, Anshul Kamboj, Mukesh Choudhary, Deepak Hooda, Gurjanpreet Singh, Nathan Ellis, Jamie Overton, Kamlesh Nagarkoti, Ramakrishnan Ghosh, Shreyas Gopal, Vansh Bedi, Andre Siddarth.
Delhi Capitals: Axar Patel (c), KL Rahul (wk), Jake Fraser-McGurk, Karun Nair, Faf du Plessis, Donovan Ferreira, Abhishek Porel (wk), Tristan Stubbs (wk), Sameer Rizvi, Ashutosh Sharma, Darshan Nalkande, Vipraj Nigam, Ajay Mandal, Manvanth Kumar, Tripurana Vijay, Madhav Tiwari, Mitchell Starc, T Natarajan, Mohit Sharma, Mukesh Kumar, Dushmantha Chameera, Kuldeep Yadav.
