Chennai Super Kings are set to play their first home game of the season on April 3, and there is already a sense of anticipation around the return to Chepauk. After being handed a heavy defeat earlier this week in Guwahati, the Ruturaj Gaikwad-led side will be hoping familiar conditions can spark a turnaround when they take on Shreyas Iyer’s Punjab Kings on Friday.
Traditionally, Chepauk has been a nightmare for visiting teams. Slow, low surfaces paired with CSK’s spin strength have often left opponents stuck in survival mode under Chennai’s heat and humidity. But lately, that aura has taken a hit. In IPL 2025, CSK managed just one win at home, a rare dip that played a major role in their overall struggles.
Now, things feel a little different. The pitches have been more batting friendly, and with CSK in a transitional phase, the venue does not quite carry the same fear factor for either side. That shift also frames the narrative heading into this clash. Punjab Kings, still chasing their first IPL title, come in as slight favourites against the five-time champions.
Punjab, meanwhile, arrive with momentum after a win over Gujarat Titans. Yuzvendra Chahal pulled the strings beautifully in their opener, helping restrict Gujarat to 162/6 in 20 overs at Mullanpur. The chase was not entirely smooth, but youngster Cooper Connolly stepped up in style, sealing the game with a confident half century on debut.
FOCUS ON SAMSON, RUTURAJ
If Chennai are to flip the script here, it has to start with their two main men — captain Ruturaj Gaikwad and big-ticket signing Sanju Samson. Samson, returning from a high-profile move from Rajasthan Royals, had a forgettable outing against his former side, with Nandre Burger rattling his stumps early. The reset button needs to be hit quickly, and a Chepauk crowd behind him might just be the lift he needs against another sharp bowling attack.
The spotlight, though, will burn just as bright on Gaikwad. His dismissal to Jofra Archer last time out raised a few eyebrows, almost as if he was trying to create space where none existed. For a player known for his calm and clarity, that moment felt slightly out of sync.
CSK’s 127 all out against Rajasthan Royals paints a grim picture on paper, but context matters. That Guwahati pitch had plenty of life in it, with movement and zip thanks to extended covers in the lead-up. It was not the easiest place to bat.
Chepauk, however, promises a very different script. The relaid surfaces here have leaned towards high-scoring contests, especially during the T20 World Cup, and all signs suggest more of the same. If that holds, expect runs, and expect CSK’s batters to have a much fairer crack at finding their rhythm.
CAN PUNJAB BATTING AVOID COLLAPSE?
Punjab Kings nearly did everything right in their opening game, barring a period of four overs with the bat when they simply lost the plot. Chasing 163 runs at Mullanpur, they were 110/2 in 12 overs, and then somehow reduced to 118/6 in the space of 18 balls.
Gujarat, who were nowhere near winning that game, got a sniff and managed to drag it to the final over of the contest.
If Gujarat had even 20 more runs on the board, Punjab could have been in real trouble that night, and the side will be wary of that when they face Chennai on Friday.
IS MS DHONI PLAYING?
Chennai Super Kings talisman MS Dhoni missed out on the first match due to a calf injury. Dhoni did some range-hitting in the nets on the eve of the match, but is unlikely to play against Punjab. In his absence, Sanju Samson will continue to don the wicketkeeper’s role.
Dhoni’s absence was expected to be a blessing in disguise for the team against Rajasthan, helping CSK navigate their transitional phase, but the team struggled badly in Guwahati. The hosts will want to avoid that sort of implosion.
SHREYAS IYER INJURY UPDATE
Punjab were fretting over an injury to Shreyas Iyer sustained during their match against Gujarat. Iyer was at the non-striker’s end when Cooper Connolly drilled a shot at him in the final ball of the 12th over. Iyer took evasive action, trying to get out of the line of the ball, but was unable to protect his hand. He looked in severe pain and was attended by the physios straight away.
He was out on the very next ball he faced, which could have been due to a lack of concentration because of the pain.
PBKS assistant coach Brad Haddin allayed any concerns, stating that Iyer’s hand is not broken. The captain trained in Chennai the day before and looked in good touch as well. He is expected to play the match on Friday.
CSK vs PBKS: CHENNAI PITCH AND WEATHER
It is going to be a very hot day in Chennai. There is an excessive heat alert, with some weather readings suggesting that the real feel of 29 degrees Celsius is close to 40. Rain is not expected in the evening.
The pitch is expected to be a flat batting track, similar to India’s T20 World Cup Super 8 game against Zimbabwe.
CSK vs PBKS: PREDICTED PLAYING XIs
CSK: Ruturaj Gaikwad (c), Sanju Samson (wk), Ayush Mhatre, Kartik Sharma, Dewald Brevis, Shivam Dube, Jamie Overton, Noor Ahmad, Khaleel Ahmed, Anshul Kamboj, Matt Henry
Impact Player: Prashant Veer
PBKS: Prabhsimran Singh (wk), Cooper Connolly, Shreyas Iyer (c), Nehal Wadhera, Shashank Singh, Marcus Stoinis, Marco Jansen, Xavier Bartlett, Arshdeep Singh, Vijaykumar Vyshak, Yuzvendra Chahal
Impact Player: Priyansh Arya
IPL 2026 | IPL Schedule | IPL Points Table | IPL Videos | Cricket News | Live Score
– Ends
