Tired and struggling, CSK look for a quick turnaround against PBKS

CSK Reeling Once Again as PBKS Loom Large

Twice in the past five years, slow starts have spelled disaster for Chennai Super Kings (CSK) — and IPL 2025 is shaping up to follow that ominous trend.

In 2020, CSK lost three of their first four matches and slumped to a ninth-place finish with just six wins. Two years later, they began with four straight losses and finished ninth again, this time with only four wins to their name.

This season, nearly everything that could go wrong has, beginning with their lack of home advantage — a concern coach Stephen Fleming has openly acknowledged. Big-ticket Indian signings Rahul Tripathi and Deepak Hooda have underperformed and been swiftly dropped from the playing XI.

A Familiar Struggle

CSK’s reluctance to back young Indian talent like Shaik Rasheed and C Andre Siddarth has left their batting lineup over-reliant on overseas players and Ruturaj Gaikwad. Ironically, Gaikwad, who won the Orange Cap as an opener during CSK’s title-winning 2021 season, isn't even batting in his preferred position.

Meanwhile, Punjab Kings (PBKS) are in a comparatively better spot, although not without their own issues — especially at home. Mullanpur has proven a tough venue for batting, with PBKS winning just once in six matches there over the past two seasons. Their split-home arrangement across two venues has also made consistency elusive.

PBKS enter the match off a tight home defeat to Rajasthan Royals but had opened the season with two commanding wins. In contrast to CSK, PBKS’s Indian core — led by Shreyas Iyer — has been impactful. Under new coach Ricky Ponting, the franchise is showing clear faith in youth, giving extended runs to Prabhsimran Singh, Priyansh Arya, and Nehal Wadhera. It’s a stark contrast to CSK’s conservatism.

Pitch Could Suit CSK

If there’s one silver lining for CSK, it could be the pitch at Mullanpur. CSK have historically thrived on slower surfaces, and RR demonstrated how effective spin can be here, using Maheesh Theekshana, Kumar Kartikeya, and Wanindu Hasaranga to great effect. Even Sandeep Sharma’s variations proved tricky to handle. Perhaps this pitch will finally feel like “home” for CSK?

Recent Form

• Punjab Kings: Loss, Win, Win

• Chennai Super Kings: Loss, Loss, Loss

Changing Colours

This match will also see some familiar faces in new colours. Sam Curran, who led PBKS in 2024 in Dhawan’s absence, has returned to CSK after being picked up for INR 2.4 crore. He was PBKS’s most expensive signing at INR 18.5 crore in 2023.

Nathan Ellis, PBKS’s reliable death bowler from 2021 to 2024, is also now in CSK’s camp.

Possible XIs

CSK (Likely XII):
Rachin Ravindra, Devon Conway, Ruturaj Gaikwad (capt), Vijay Shankar, Shivam Dube, Ravindra Jadeja, MS Dhoni (wk), R Ashwin, Anshul Kamboj, Noor Ahmad, Matheesha Pathirana, Khaleel Ahmed

Note: Mukesh Choudhary looked undercooked in the last game against DC, potentially opening the door for Anshul Kamboj to debut.

PBKS (Likely XII):
Priyansh Arya, Prabhsimran Singh (wk), Shreyas Iyer (capt), Nehal Wadhera, Marcus Stoinis, Glenn Maxwell, Shashank Singh, Harpreet Brar, Marco Jansen, Arshdeep Singh, Lockie Ferguson, Yuzvendra Chahal

Note: Suryansh Shedge hasn’t had much impact yet; Harpreet Brar might offer a better all-round option with spin and lower-order hitting.

The Big Talking Point

Should Ruturaj Gaikwad return to the top of the order? He’s walked out to bat within the first two overs in every game this season — it might be time to officially restore him as opener.

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