CSK head into the contest under immense pressure. The five-time champions are currently placed sixth on the points table with six wins and six defeats from 12 matches. After losing their opening three games of the season, Chennai staged an impressive comeback to revive their playoff hopes. However, a recent seven-wicket defeat against Lucknow Super Giants has left Ruturaj Gaikwad’s men with no room for error. To keep their qualification hopes alive, CSK must win both of their remaining league matches and depend on other results going in their favour.
Sunrisers Hyderabad have experienced a similar turnaround this season. After losing three of their first four matches, Pat Cummins’ side recovered strongly and currently occupy third position with seven victories from 12 games. A win over Chennai would bring SRH significantly closer to sealing a playoff berth. Hyderabad, though, will also be eager to bounce back after suffering a crushing 87-run loss against Gujarat Titans in their previous fixture.
The battle in the powerplay is expected to be crucial, especially with SRH openers Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma enjoying excellent seasons. CSK pacer Spencer Johnson admitted Chennai have specific plans to counter the dangerous duo and believes Chepauk’s conditions could favour the home side’s pace attack.
Another major point of attention is the uncertainty surrounding MS Dhoni. The legendary wicketkeeper-batter has yet to play this season while recovering from a calf injury. While Ravichandran Ashwin expressed hope that Dhoni could feature as an Impact Player, Sunil Gavaskar questioned whether CSK would risk bringing back a player who has been away from competitive cricket for more than a year in such a must-win encounter.
