Two straight victories in their last pair of matches would put Chennai Super Kings on 16 points and put them firmly back in the playoff conversation, even though qualification would still hinge on how other results pan out. CSK would have taken this position with both hands weeks earlier, when their campaign looked directionless after a poor start that saw them lose their opening three games. Back then, it hardly seemed plausible that they would still be battling for a top-four finish with games to spare. Since then, however, they have largely benefited from more favourable outcomes, even as injuries have continued to disrupt their plans.
Despite navigating those obstacles, the five-time champions could have been even better placed going into this vital final home outing against Sunrisers Hyderabad, had they managed to get the better of Lucknow Super Giants in the previous match. If they slip again, their playoff hopes will take a serious hit. Although SRH dismantled CSK’s bowling in their most recent meeting, the overall picture for CSK’s attack has been encouraging. The arrival of Spencer Johnson has added further sting, something they will likely need when facing SRH’s imposing top-order.
On the batting front, the spotlight will once more be on CSK’s lineup, with Ruturaj Gaikwad and Dewald Brevis in particular expected to deliver crucial runs. Kartik Sharma has shown encouraging signs in recent games after an inconsistent beginning, but runs in the latter part of the innings have remained hard to come by. SRH’s trajectory has been remarkably similar: they lost three of their first four matches, and their home win against CSK is one of the reasons they have stayed ahead of CSK in the points table.
Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan and Heinrich Klaasen have carried much of the batting burden for SRH, but as with CSK, questions continue to linger about whether the lower middle order can reliably get the job done when the match tightens. SRH’s last outing in Ahmedabad was a major shock, as they were bowled out for just 86. They will be hoping it was a one-off, because another repeat would deal a heavy blow to their net run rate. With the points table already so finely poised, that margin could end up deciding everything in the final reckoning.
When: CSK vs SRH, May 18 at 7:30 PM
Where: MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai
What to expect: Chennai’s weather has been slightly uneven in recent days, but rain is not expected on match day. The game will be played on the same type of pitch surface used against Mumbai Indians.
Head-to-head: CSK 15 – 8 SRH
Team news, likely roles and key matchups
Chennai Super Kings
Injuries/Unavailabilities: Most members of the CSK squad stayed away from the pre-match practice session, but MS Dhoni once again had time in the nets, with the intrigue around his future continuing to grow. It will also be worth watching whether CSK decide to use Dian Forrester immediately to strengthen the lower middle order.
Tactics & Matchups: While Mukesh Choudhary has struggled against Abhishek Sharma in prior encounters, he has enjoyed a strong record against Ishan Kishan, dismissing him three times in only seven balls.
Probable XI: Sanju Samson (wk), Ruturaj Gaikwad (c), Urvil Patel, Kartik Sharma, Dewald Brevis, Shivam Dube, Prashant Veer, Dian Forrester/MS Dhoni, Noor Ahmad, Anshul Kamboj, Spencer Johnson, Mukesh Choudhary
Sunrisers Hyderabad
Injuries/Unavailabilities: No fresh injuries have been reported in the SRH camp. However, they may consider bringing back Aniket Verma to add depth to their batting lower down the order.
Tactics & Matchups: Pat Cummins holds a favourable matchup against Sanju Samson and Shivam Dube. Because the two batters come in during different phases of the innings, Cummins will need to manage his spell lengths and timings carefully. After batting at No. 5 in the last game, Heinrich Klaasen may have to shift back to No. 4 to counter Noor Ahmad, given Klaasen’s impressive track record against the wrist spinner.
Probable XI: Abhishek Sharma, Travis Head, Ishan Kishan (w), Smaran Ravichandran, Heinrich Klaasen, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Salil Arora/Aniket Verma, Pat Cummins (c), Shivang Kumar, Eshan Malinga, Sakib Hussain, Praful Hinge
Numbers to know and the latest word from Johnson
- SRH have dropped 24 catches, the highest by any side, and their catching efficiency sits at 72.7%, the second-lowest figure of any team this season.
- CSK’s opening partnership has the lowest run rate (8.84) and the second-worst average (25.54) in the tournament so far.
- Heinrich Klaasen became only the fifth player in IPL history to exceed 500 runs in a single season while batting at No. 4 or lower.
What they said: “Jamie (Overton) was unbelievable for us and when you’re kind of watching from the sidelines, I’m thinking if I get an opportunity that’s the role I’m going to be in—bowling that sort of back-of-the-length heavy ball. So I guess you can see how much success he had, and that’s what I wanted to do when I came in.” — Spencer Johnson on his role in the side.
