Chennai Super Kings will host Punjab Kings at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on Wednesday in a must-win encounter.
The five-time champion’s recent home record hasn’t been great, with just one win in their last five matches. The Mahendra Singh Dhoni-led side is placed at the bottom of the table with four points from nine games.
With five matches left, their hopes of making it to the playoffs look bleak. However, CSK are keen to finish the season on a high by playing their best cricket in the remaining matches.
Batting has been CSK’s main problem. It has been well documented in the fact that Shivam Dube is the only CSK batter with 200-plus runs this season (242 at 34.57). What has been most disheartening is their inability to master the home conditions at the Chepauk, considered a fortress for a long time.
The Chepauk pitch has been known to assist the spinners, with the conditions getting more and more conducive for them as the match progresses. Noor Ahmad is the leading wicket-taker for CSK with 14 wickets at 17.78.
Punjab Kings, on the other hand, have five wins from nine matches.
The most entertaining battle will be how the CSK batters counter the guile of Yuzvendra Chahal in the middle overs. Chahal has been in magnificent form in the second half with nine wickets.