Chennai Super Kings (CSK) host the Punjab Kings (PBKS) on April 30, 2025 at Chennai’s M.A. Chidambaram Stadium (Chepauk)cricbuzz.com. The game starts at 7:30 PM ISTcricbuzz.com. PBKS captain Shreyas Iyer won the toss and elected to bowl firstcricbuzz.com.
Venue & Pitch Report: Chepauk is traditionally spin-friendly, with slow, dry surfaces. Experts observe the pitch is “very hot” and dry with visible crackscricbuzz.com. Analysts expect significant turn as the match progresses, making batting more difficult in the later overs. Batsmen will need to capitalize on the first powerplay before the ball starts gripping the surface. (Dew is not forecast to be a major factor under the Chennai lights.)
Teams and Squads: Both teams have announced full squads for IPL 2025. Key players and role groups for each squad (source: official IPL site) are:
Chennai Super Kings (CSK):
Batters: MS Dhoni (wk), Dewald Brevis, Devon Conway, Rahul Tripathi, Shaik Rasheed, Vansh Bedi, Andre Siddharth, Ayush Mhatreiplt20.com.
All-rounders: Rachin Ravindra, Ravichandran Ashwin, Vijay Shankar, Sam Curran, Anshul Kamboj, Deepak Hooda, Jamie Overton, Kamlesh Nagarkoti, Ramakrishna Ghosh, Ravindra Jadeja, Shivam Dubeiplt20.com.
Bowlers: Khaleel Ahmed, Noor Ahmad, Mukesh Choudhary, Nathan Ellis, Shreyas Gopal, Matheesha Pathiranaiplt20.com.
Punjab Kings (PBKS): Captain Shreyas Iyer leads a lineup that includes veteran opener Shikhar Dhawan (5784 IPL runs)iplt20.com and wicketkeepers Prabhsimran Singh and Josh Inglis. The full squad is:
Batters: Shreyas Iyer, Nehal Wadhera, Vishnu Vinod, Josh Inglis, Harnoor Singh, Pyla Avinash, Prabhsimran Singh, Shashank Singhiplt20.com (plus Shikhar Dhawan).
All-rounders: Marcus Stoinis, Glenn Maxwell, Harpreet Brar, Marco Jansen, Azmatullah Omarzai, Priyansh Arya, Aaron Hardie, Musheer Khan, Suryansh Shedgeiplt20.com.
Bowlers: Arshdeep Singh, Yuzvendra Chahal, Vyshak Vijaykumar, Yash Thakur, Lockie Ferguson, Kuldeep Sen, Xavier Bartlett, Pravin Dubeyiplt20.com.
Probable Playing XIs: (subject to final match-day announcements)
CSK: Devon Conway, Dewald Brevis, Rahul Tripathi, Rachin Ravindra, MS Dhoni (wk, c), Ravindra Jadeja, Shivam Dube, Sam Curran, Matheesha Pathirana, Nathan Ellis, Khaleel Ahmed.
PBKS: Prabhsimran Singh (wk), Priyansh Arya, Shikhar Dhawan, Shreyas Iyer (c), Glenn Maxwell (if fit), Marcus Stoinis, Azmatullah Omarzai, Aaron Hardie, Arshdeep Singh, Yuzvendra Chahal, Kuldeep Sen.
Key Players to Watch:
For Chennai: MS Dhoni (CSK captain and finisher), Devon Conway (explosive opener), Rachin Ravindra (formidable batting all-rounder), Ravindra Jadeja (spin-bowling all-rounder) and Sam Curran (pace-bowling all-rounder) – their contributions with both bat and ball can turn the game. Fast bowler Matheesha Pathirana is also crucial on this Chepauk wicket.
For Punjab: Shikhar Dhawan (experienced opener), Priyansh Arya (in-form young batter; scored a 42-ball 103 in an earlier matchottplay.com), Shreyas Iyer (middle-order anchor and captain), Prabhsimran Singh (wicketkeeper-batsman partner at the top), plus all-rounders Marcus Stoinis and Glenn Maxwell (if he plays). Among bowlers, Arshdeep Singh and spinner Yuzvendra Chahal will be key wicket-takers on a spin-friendly pitch.
Recent Form & Predictions: CSK have struggled so far, with just 2 wins in 9 games, leaving them at the bottom of the tablecrickettimes.com. Their batting, in particular, has faltered. In contrast, PBKS sit fifth and have momentum on their side. Historically the head-to-head is nearly even (CSK won 16 of 31 IPL meetings)crickettimes.com, but current form favors Punjab. Most preview reports tip PBKS to edge this contest; for example, one analysis notes CSK’s stark struggles versus PBKS’ confidencecrickettimes.com.
Possible Turning Points: The toss and pitch conditions could be decisive. By choosing to field first, PBKS signal they want to exploit the Chepauk surface and pressure CSK in a chase. If the PBKS openers (Arya and Prabhsimran) fire aggressively, CSK will be on the back foot earlycricbuzz.com. Conversely, a quick CSK breakthrough could hand pressure back to Punjab. Late-game spin – Jadeja for CSK or Chahal for PBKS – may decide the outcome as the ball gets older. Fitness updates (e.g. Maxwell’s condition) and how CSK’s middle-order handles pressure will also be key. In short, whichever side masters the Chepauk conditions and handles the powerplay better is likely to win.
Fantasy Cricket Tips: Based on form and conditions, consider these picks:
Top-order batsmen: Prabh Simran and Priyansh Arya (PBKS) have been scoring heavily and are likely top fantasy scorerscricbuzz.com. Chennai’s Devon Conway is another solid choice for runs.
All-rounders: Ravindra Jadeja (CSK) and Marcus Stoinis (PBKS) can earn points with both bat and ball. Sam Curran (CSK) is also a regular wicket-taker.
Wicketkeepers: MS Dhoni (CSK) and Prabhsimran Singh (PBKS) both bat in the top six and also keep wickets, making them valuable picks.
Bowlers: Yuzvendra Chahal and Arshdeep Singh (PBKS) have a knack for wickets in spin-friendly games. Matheesha Pathirana (CSK) is a high-upside pick given the conditions.
Daniel Brooks, leading global journalism with integrity at The North Headlines[/caption]📧 Email: daniel@thenorthheadlines.com
