Preview: The home team is coming into the game on the back of two consecutive losses against Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Rajasthan Royals by 50 runs and six runs, respectively. However, they will be happy to play in front of their home crowd and put on a show for them. On the other hand, DC has looked like a formidable squad so far, winning two matches in a row. Currently placed second in the points table, the Axar Patel-led side will be hoping to extend their winning streak and claim the top spot. The Capitals, who have built a well-balanced squad this year, appear to be the dark horses of the season and strong contenders for the title.
Indian Premier League 2025, 17th Match, CSK vs DC
Venue: MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai
Date & Time: Saturday, April 5, 03:30 PM
Pitch Report: The pitch at the MA Chidambaram Stadium is expected to be solid and well-prepared. While it may initially appear batter-friendly, its true nature will change as the game progresses. Last season’s average score was around 170, but scores could be higher this time.
Interestingly, good-length areas without much grass tend to grip slightly, bringing spinners into play. A score of around 160-170 is considered par, while anything close to 185 could be match-winning. Captains will need to factor this into their decisions at the toss.
PROBABLE PLAYING XI
Chennai Super Kings (CSK): Rachin Ravindra, Rahul Tripathi, Ruturaj Gaikwad (c), Vijay Shankar, Ravindra Jadeja, MS Dhoni (wk), Jamie Overton, Ravichandran Ashwin, Noor Ahmad, Matheesha Pathirana, Khaleel Ahmed.
Delhi Capitals (DC): Jake Fraser-McGurk, Faf du Plessis, Abishek Porel, KL Rahul (wk), Axar Patel (c), Tristan Stubbs, Vipraj Nigam, Mitchell Starc, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohit Sharma, Mukesh Kumar.
