CSK vs PBKS Playing-11: Chennai's claim will be strengthened by victory over Punjab, Bairstow-Shashank and Ashutosh can become a threat

 

Chennai Super Kings vs Punjab Kings Playing 11 Prediction: 

 Chennai has 10 points from nine matches which is the same as Sunrisers Hyderabad and Delhi Capitals and the defending champion team will definitely try to overtake these teams with a win.

In the 49th match of IPL 2024, five-time champion Chennai Super Kings will face Punjab Kings. This match will be played at home ground Chepauk, Chennai. When the Chennai team, which is struggling with lack of consistency in performance, will face Punjab, its eyes will be fixed on a united performance in all departments of the game.

Victory in this match will strengthen CSK's position and also strengthen their claim for the playoffs. In this match, CSK will have to survive against Jonny Bairstow, Shashank Singh and finisher Ashutosh Sharma who have returned to form. The bats of Shashank and Ashutosh have spoken well this season, while Bairstow had scored a century in his last match against Kolkata and helped in the record chase.

Chennai has 10 points from nine matches which is the same as Sunrisers Hyderabad and Delhi Capitals and the defending champions will definitely try to overtake these teams with a win. However, their worries have increased as the Punjab team is entering this match after achieving the biggest target in T20 cricket history of 262 runs against Kolkata. Punjab Kings have six points from nine matches. Chepauk is a Super Kings bastion where the bowlers are favored by the pitch and the hosts had registered a comfortable 78-run win over Sunrisers in the last match.

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There was no dew in Chennai that night and after the batsmen scored over 200, the CSK bowlers destroyed the strong Sunrisers batting unit with their accurate and varied bowling. Chennai will have to repeat this performance against Punjab and all eyes will be on captain Ruturaj Gaikwad who has returned to form.

Gaikwad has scored 108 and 98 runs in his last two innings and New Zealand's Daryl Mitchell has also found his rhythm at the right time by scoring 52 runs in 32 balls against Hyderabad. However, the real storm in the Super Kings' batting line-up is Shivam Dubey, who has thrashed the opposition bowlers by coming in as an impact player. Dubey, a left-handed batsman who plays well against spin, has now added another dimension to his batting by performing effectively against fast bowlers in the current season.

Dubey has scored 350 runs so far, which is the second highest score for Super Kings after Gaikwad's 447 runs. He has scored these runs at a strike rate of 172.41 and in this case is second in the team after Mahendra Singh Dhoni (259.45). However, the opening of Super Kings has not been good so far this season. Gaikwad has performed well, but now-dropped Rachin Ravindra and Ajinkya Rahane have not been able to support their captain.

As an opening batsman, Rahane scored 05, 36, 01 and 09 in the last four innings which is not in line with his experience and skills. There is every possibility that the team will give him more chances. Batting coach Michael Hussey had also said that this 35-year-old batsman is close to playing a big innings.

Punjab team will keep an eye on them

On the other hand, Punjab Kings team will be eager to continue the momentum after achieving the record target and move ahead from the current eighth position in the points table. For this, the team once again expects a united performance from the batsmen. The responsibility will once again be on the shoulders of Jonny Bairstow, Shashank Singh and Prabhsimran Singh, who scored centuries against Knight Riders. However, the team would like a more impressive performance from wicketkeeper batsman Jitesh Sharma.

The bowling attack of Punjab Kings looks a bit weak despite the presence of experienced bowlers like Kagiso Rabada, Harshal Patel, Arshdeep Singh and Sam Curran. The visiting team also needs a better performance from its spinners Harpreet Brar and Rahul Chahar as they have taken only seven wickets this season. Apart from this, it also remains to be seen whether regular captain Shikhar Dhawan returns or not.

Chennai Super Kings: Ruturaj Gaikwad, Ajinkya Rahane, Daryl Mitchell, Shivam Dubey, Ravindra Jadeja, MS Dhoni, Moeen Ali, Deepak Chahar, Tushar Deshpande, Mathisha Pathirana, Mustafizur Rahman [Impact Sub: Shardul Thakur/Sameer Rizvi]

Punjab Kings: Prabhsimran Singh/Shikhar Dhawan, Jonny Bairstow, Riley Rousseau, Shashank Singh, Sam Curran, Jitesh Sharma, Ashutosh Sharma, Harpreet Brar, Harshal Patel, Kagiso Rabada, Arshdeep Singh [Impact Sub: Rahul Chahar]