Chennai Super Kings and Delhi Capitals will face each other in the 17th game of the Indian Premier League (IPL) on 5th April at Chepauk.
Match Preview:
Chennai Super Kings will be looking to bounce back when they take on Delhi Capitals on Saturday afternoon in the IPL 2025. The five-time champions haven’t had the best start this season, losing two of their first three games. In their last outing, CSK went down narrowly to Rajasthan Royals by just six runs. With pressure building, Ruturaj Gaikwad and his team will be eager to find some winning rhythm.
Delhi Capitals, on the other hand, have made a solid start under new skipper Axar Patel. They began their campaign with a thrilling win over Lucknow SuperGiants and followed it up with another victory against Sunrisers Hyderabad. With two wins in two, DC are full of confidence heading into this clash.
CSK are still trying to figure out their best playing XI. Rahul Tripathi hasn’t fired at the top of the order, and Vijay Shankar, brought in for Deepak Hooda in Guwahati, didn’t make much of an impact either. Jamie Overton, more known for his skills with the older ball, struggled with the new ball, conceding 30 runs in just two powerplay overs.
Adding to their concerns, there’s uncertainty around captain Ruturaj Gaikwad’s fitness. If he doesn’t play, MS Dhoni could once again step in as skipper, which would certainly bring a different kind of energy to the team.
In contrast, Delhi Capitals look well-balanced and in good form. Their mix of experience and young talent is clicking nicely. Faf du Plessis is still going strong at 40, providing solidity at the top. Mitchell Starc has been on fire with the ball—eight wickets in two matches at an average of 9.62. Youngsters like Vipraj Nigam and Ashutosh Sharma have slotted in effortlessly and have already made key contributions.
As things stand, CSK are under a bit of pressure, both with form and selection, while DC look settled and confident. It should be an exciting contest as one team looks to stay unbeaten and the other tries to get its campaign back on track.
Probable Playing XIIs:
Chennai Super Kings: 1 Devon Conway, 2 Rahul Tripathi, 3 Ruturaj Gaikwad (capt)/Rachin Ravindra, 4 Shivam Dube, 5 Vijay Shankar, 6 Ravindra Jadeja, 7 Jamie Overton/Anshul Kamboj, 8 MS Dhoni (wk), 9 R Ashwin, 10 Khaleel Ahmed, 11 Noor Ahmad, 12 Matheesha Pathirana
Delhi Capitals: 1 Faf du Plessis, 2 Jake Fraser-McGurk, 3 Abhishek Porel (wk), 4 KL Rahul, 5 Axar Patel (capt), 6 Tristan Stubbs, 7 Ashutosh Sharma, 8 Vipraj Nigam, 9 Kuldeep Yadav, 10 Mitchell Starc, 11 Mukesh Kumar, 12 Mohit Sharma/T Natarajan
Pitch and weather report:
The Chepauk track remains an enigma, with CSK coach Stephen Fleming acknowledging that the team doesn’t possess a distinct “home advantage” due to the unpredictable nature of the pitch.
As the teams prepare for the only daytime match in Chennai this season, they can expect a sweltering and humid afternoon, adding an extra layer of challenge to the contest.
Head-to-head record:
CSK and DC have clashed 30 times in the IPL, with Chennai holding the upper hand. CSK have won 19 of those encounters, while Delhi have managed 11 victories.
Prediction:
Given recent performances, DC are favourite to win
Where to Watch:
India: Star Sports Network, JioHotstar
Australia: Kayo TV, FoxTel Go
Bangladesh: T Sports, Toffee app
New Zealand: Sky Sports NZ
South Africa: SuperSport
Sri Lanka: Dialog
UK: Sky Sports, SkyGo
USA: Willow TV
Afghanistan: ATN
MENA: Cricbuzz
