IPL 2025 CSK vs PBKS: Probable Playing XIs, Key Players To Watch: Azmatullah Omarzai To Replace Marcus Stoinis?
Punjab Kings vs Chennai Super Kings, IPL 2025: Expected Playing XIs & Top Players To Watch Out For
IPL 2025 CSK vs PBKS: Probable Playing XIs, Key Players To Watch: In a battle of the Kings, Punjab and Chennai will face off at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Stadium in Mullanpur in Match 22 of the Indian Premier League on Tuesday, April 8, in an evening game.
PBKS are coming off a 50-run defeat to the Rajasthan Royals at home but playing again at the same venue, they will hope to draw some confidence and put up a better show.
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PBKS are currently placed fourth on the points table, with four points from three games and a net run rate of 0.07. CSK, on the other hand, are placed a lowly ninth, with just two points from four games and an NRR of -0.89.
Chennai are coming off a 25-run defeat to the Delhi Capitals and will have to be very careful of the venue, not having played any matches in the Mullanpur Stadium earlier.
Under the scanner will be none other than former India captain MS Dhoni, who has received immense backlash for his slow batting over the last week.
The distinct lack of firepower in Dhoni’s death overs batting is a sensitive area that Chennai need to address ahead of their away IPL clash against Punjab.
In one of their worst starts to an IPL season, Chennai have now completed a hat-trick of losses, all while chasing.
While Punjab lost their previous match against the Rajasthan Royals at home but on current form as well as on paper, Shreyas Iyer’s team looks more well-rounded than Chennai, who are grappling with combination problems.
Dhoni’s presence at the back-end, which once was considered a boon, is turning into a bane for the ‘Yellow Brigade’.
But such is the aura of the man playing his 18th IPL season (only one apart from Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma), that no one in the Chennai ranks can walk up to the man and show him the mirror.
PBKS’ Likely Playing XI:
Coming off a big loss to Rajasthan, Punjab might look to bench Marcus Stoinis and bring in Azmatullah Omarzai, who played in the first match but hasn’t been seen since then. The rest of the team is expected to remain the same.
Punjab Kings Probable Playing XI: Prabhsimran Singh (wk), Shreyas Iyer (c), Azmatullah Omarzai, Nehal Wadhera, Glenn Maxwell, Shashank Singh, Suryansh Shedge, Marco Jansen, Arshdeep Singh, Lockie Ferguson, Yuzvendra Chahal
CSK’s Likely Playing XI:
With no win in sight, Chennai might like to try out another combination, bringing in Gurjapneet Singh in place of Mukesh Choudhary. He was Tamil Nadu’s highest wicket-taker in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, although he was a tad bit expensive.
Chennai Super Kings Probable Playing XI: Rachin Ravindra, Devon Conway, Ruturaj Gaikwad (c), Vijay Shankar, Ravindra Jadeja, MS Dhoni (wk), Ravichandran Ashwin, Noor Ahmad, Gurjapneet Singh, Khaleel Ahmed, Matheesha Pathirana
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