Hope and hard work are two things constant in success. Though they are languishing at the bottom of the points table with two wins and six defeats in eight matches in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025, Chennai Super Kings still have faint chances of making it to the playoffs.
They need to win all their final six games in the league.
Well, we are hopeful of winning six out of six (last league games). Some will laugh at that, but RCB set a blueprint for that in 2024. So while there’s still a chance, we have one eye on making sure we have the best players for this game playing.
Chennai Super Kings have faced a tough time adjusting to the conditions at their home turf, the MA Chidambaram Stadium this season. Despite their experience and strong core, CSK have struggled to read the pitch conditions, leading to unexpected defeats.
Their batting line-up, once considered their strength, has been inconsistent, and their bowling unit has lacked the impact needed in critical moments. Captain MS Dhoni and his team will need to quickly adapt and turn things around to revive their fading playoff hopes.
CSK strives on balance, haven't neglected young players but IPL is such a tournament that is bossed by players who have some experience.
If you see the top 20 batters in the top scorers' list, how many youngsters will you find? We have a tendency to create a mix of players who play cricket in a monotonous manner along with the guys who have the experience because can't let the youngsters lead the side into one singular direction.
CSK will once again depend on MS Dhoni to lead them out of this predicament. Dhoni is getting back his form and also explained his approach going forward.
We need to be practical, not emotional. To be successful, you have to play good, smart cricket. We also dropped a few catches today, which hurt us. It’s important to take it one game at a time. Even if we lose a couple, the goal is to find the right combination moving forward. We don’t want to make too many changes. Of course, we’re aiming to make the playoffs. But if we don’t, our focus will shift to building a settled XI and coming back stronger next season.
Their opponents in Friday's clash, Sunrisers Hyderabad are also struggling with their performance. They also need to win all their matches to maintain their chances of making it to the playoffs.
Sunrisers have been plagued by early batting collapses, especially in the powerplay, and the failure to form key partnerships. They have depended too much on their openers but their inconsistency has put too much pressure on the middle-order which has collapsed repeatedly.
SRH's strategy of being ultra-aggressive in the early overs has often backfired, leaving them in vulnerable positions. Although batters like Heinrich Klaasen and Abhinav Manohar have tried to hold the middle-order together, like in their last match against Mumbai Indians, they too have struggled to find consistency. They need to pull up their socks and play at their best to maintain their slim hopes.
Both teams are not only on the same points in the standings, but they come into the match with four defeats in their last five matches.
Overall, Chennai Super Kings have dominated the head-to-head series, winning 15 matches and losing six out of 21 clashes.
With pressure on both sides, their clash promises to be a tense and exciting affair. CSK are hoping to capitalize on their home advantage, while SRH will aim to bounce back and put one across their old nemesis.
Probable Playing XIs: Chennai Super Kings: Rachin Ravindra, Shaik Rasheed, Ayush Mhatre, Ravindra Jadeja, Shivam Dube, Vijay Shankar, MS Dhoni (capt & wk), Jamie Overton, R. Ashwin, Noor Ahmad, Khaleel Ahmad.
Sunrisers Hyderabad: Abhishek Sharma, Travis Head, Ishan Kishan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Heinrich Klaasen, Aniket Verma, Abhinav Manohar, Pat Cummins, Jaydev Unadkat, Rahul Chahar, Kamindu Mendis.
