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On Friday, April 25th, the 43rd game of the current Indian Premier League (IPL) will feature Chennai Super Kings against Sunrisers Hyderabad. Chennai’s MA Chidambaram Stadium will host the captivating match.
Match Preview:
Chennai Super Kings will be desperate to turn things around at home when they face an equally under-pressure Sunrisers Hyderabad in what’s essentially a do-or-die clash in the IPL on Friday.
Both teams have had rough seasons, managing just four points from eight matches. With the playoffs now a long shot, every game is a must-win for them.
CSK, known for thriving at home, have found themselves in unfamiliar territory this season. Their usually spin-friendly Chepauk pitch has behaved unpredictably, offering more help to seamers than usual , something head coach Stephen Fleming has openly criticized.
They started the campaign on a high, beating Mumbai Indians convincingly. But that momentum quickly disappeared, with three consecutive home losses. The low point? A disastrous 103/9 against KKR, their lowest-ever IPL total at home.
Their away record hasn’t inspired confidence either, with just one win in four outings.
Batting has been a major concern, especially in the absence of skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad, who’s sidelined with injury. MS Dhoni has stepped back in as full-time captain. While his knee limits his movement, his tactical brain and finishing skills still give CSK a fighting chance.
There’s been some light at the end of the tunnel. Teenager Ayush Mhatre looked promising on debut against MI, and the franchise has brought in South African power-hitter Dewald Brevis to boost their struggling middle order.
Sunrisers Hyderabad haven’t had it much better. They came out swinging early in the season with an all-out attacking approach, but the lack of consistency has cost them.
The once-deadly duo of Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma hasn’t quite clicked this season. Sharma showed flashes of brilliance — including a match-winning knock against Punjab — but Head is still looking for his groove.
Their overreliance on these two has left the middle order exposed. Head coach Daniel Vettori admitted after their loss to Mumbai that the team is struggling to build partnerships and handle pressure when the top order fails.
“When Head and Abhishek don’t fire, the rest of the batting needs to step up — and that hasn’t really happened,” Vettori said bluntly.
With both teams clinging to slim playoff hopes, Friday’s clash at Chepauk is more than just another fixture — it’s survival mode. Expect urgency, big calls, and a lot riding on experience, leadership, and who adapts better under pressure.
Probable Playing XIIs:
Chennai Super Kings: 1 Rachin Ravindra, 2 Shaik Rasheed, 3 Ayush Mhatre, 4 Ravindra Jadeja, 5 Shivam Dube, 6 Vijay Shankar, 7 MS Dhoni (capt & wk), 8 Jamie Overton, 9 R Ashwin, 10 Noor Ahmad, 11 Khaleel Ahmad, 11 Matheesha Pathirana
Sunrisers Hyderabad: 1 Abhishek Sharma, 2 Travis Head, 3 Ishan Kishan, 4 Nitish Kumar Reddy, 5 Heinrich Klaasen, 6 Aniket Verma, 7 Abhinav Manohar, 8 Pat Cummins, 9 Harshal Patel, 10 Jaydev Unadkat, 11 Rahul Chahar/Zeeshan Ansari, 12 Kamindu Mendis/Eshan Malinga
Pitch and weather report:
Out of the 50 wickets that have fallen at Chepauk this year, 27 have been taken by spinners. However, because their own batting has struggled against spin, notably in their most recent home game against Kolkata Knight Riders, where they gave away six wickets for 55 runs in 12 overs, CSK hasn’t been able to take advantage of it.
Head-to-head record:
The IPL has seen 21 meetings between the Chennai Super Kings and Sunrisers Hyderabad thus far. CSK has a commanding 15-win record over SRH in these 21 games, while SRH has defeated them six times.
Prediction:
Given how awful SRH have been, CSK are favourite to win the game
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
