The electrifying action of IPL 2025 rolls on as Punjab Kings take on Chennai Super Kings in Match 22, set to be played on Tuesday, April 8, at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Stadium in Mullanpur.
Table of Contents
Punjab Kings vs Chennai Super Kings: Preview
Chennai Super Kings (CSK) have found themselves in familiar trouble in IPL 2025, with early signs suggesting another challenging season could be unfolding—much like their struggles in 2020 and 2022. In both those editions, poor starts derailed their campaigns, as they lost three of their first four games in 2020 and finished ninth with only six wins. Two years later, a four-match losing streak to start the season led to another ninth-place finish, this time with just four victories.
Delhi Capitals remain the only side yet to be beaten both at home and on the road this season. In contrast, every other team has already stumbled at home at least once—with home teams losing 10 of the 19 matches played so far. Among the worst affected are Chennai Super Kings and Sunrisers Hyderabad, both struggling after three straight defeats. CSK’s campaign is already looking shaky, and they’ll be eager to get back on track.
Meanwhile, things haven’t been smooth for Punjab Kings either. They’ve now slumped to their fifth consecutive home defeat at the new Chandigarh venue, a losing streak that stretches back to last season. As they prepare for their second home fixture of the season, PBKS will be determined to crack the conditions and return to winning ways.
While Punjab Kings (PBKS) may not be in as precarious a position as Chennai Super Kings (CSK), they’ve faced their own set of challenges—especially at home. The New Chandigarh venue hasn’t been a high-scoring ground, and PBKS have managed just a single win in six matches there. Adding to the complexity, they split their home fixtures across two venues, making adaptation even more difficult.
PBKS are coming off a narrow home defeat to Rajasthan Royals (RR), but their campaign began with two emphatic victories. Unlike CSK, Punjab’s Indian core—spearheaded by Shreyas Iyer—is in solid form. Under new head coach Ricky Ponting, there’s a visible commitment to youth development, with players like Prabhsimran Singh, Priyansh Arya, and Nehal Wadhera receiving steady support. It’s a notable departure from CSK’s more conservative approach toward nurturing young Indian talent.
Regarded as one of the more well-rounded squads in this IPL, Punjab Kings (PBKS) may have misjudged the conditions in their previous outing against Rajasthan Royals. Their reluctance to fully utilize their spinners—something later admitted by spin coach Sunil Joshi—proved costly. The result was Mullanpur’s first 200-plus total in the IPL, followed by a faltering start in the chase that left them well short of the target.
It was a rare collective off-day for the team, one that captain Shreyas Iyer admitted was better to get out of the way early in the tournament. Still, there were a few bright spots: Nehal Wadhera showcased his prowess against spin, while Glenn Maxwell found some rhythm with a promising innings, offering PBKS positives to build on.
On the other side, Punjab Kings continue to grapple with a dismal home record. Since 2023, their home win percentage stands at a mere 13.3%—the lowest among all teams—with Sunrisers Hyderabad next on the list at 43.8%.
So far in 2025, things have gone from bad to worse for the Men in Yellow. Head coach Stephen Fleming has pointed to the absence of a true home advantage as a key issue. On the field, big-name Indian signings Rahul Tripathi and Deepak Hooda have flopped and have already been axed from the playing XI.
Their hesitancy in placing trust in young Indian talents like Shaikh Rasheed and Andre Siddarth has only added to their woes, leaving the batting line-up overly reliant on overseas players and Ruturaj Gaikwad. Even Gaikwad hasn’t been used to his full potential, as he continues to bat out of position—far from the top-order slot where he clinched the Orange Cap during CSK’s triumphant 2021 campaign.
In stark contrast to PBKS—who have looked solid this season aside from the hiccup against Rajasthan Royals—Chennai Super Kings have appeared completely out of rhythm. They’ve allowed scores of over 180 while bowling first on sluggish surfaces and have faltered in chases, with all three departments—batting, bowling, and fielding—struggling to click.
The team’s instability is evident in their constant chopping and changing; CSK have already fielded 17 different players, including all seven overseas options, across just four matches. The frequent shuffling reflects deeper issues with balance and adaptability—concerns they’ll need to address swiftly if they hope to stay competitive in the tournament.
Slower pitches have traditionally suited Chennai Super Kings, and the surface in New Chandigarh might just offer the conditions they thrive in. Rajasthan Royals recently demonstrated the impact of spin on this track, deploying Maheesh Theekshana, Kumar Kartikeya, and Wanindu Hasaranga with great success. Even Sandeep Sharma’s crafty blend of slower deliveries and yorkers proved tough to handle.
Given the nature of the pitch, CSK might finally feel like they’re playing in familiar territory.
Sam Curran, who stepped in as Punjab Kings’ captain last season following Shikhar Dhawan’s injury, has now returned to Chennai Super Kings. Curran, originally picked up by CSK for ₹2.4 crore in the mega auction, became the most expensive overseas signing when PBKS secured him for a staggering ₹18.5 crore ahead of the 2023 auction.
Joining him at CSK is Nathan Ellis, a proven death-overs specialist who featured in 16 matches for PBKS between 2021 and 2024.
Should Ruturaj Gaikwad return to the top of the order, where he has historically thrived? So far this season, the CSK skipper has walked out to bat in the second over on three occasions and once as early as the first over—essentially operating as an opener despite being slotted at No. 3. Given his proven success at the top, including an Orange Cap-winning campaign in 2021, a case could be made for reinstating him to his preferred role to maximize his impact.
Chennai Super Kings have struggled to set the tone with the bat this season, recording the lowest powerplay run rate (7.5) and overall scoring rate (8.1) in IPL 2025. On the other hand, Punjab Kings’ spinners have found little success, managing just three wickets collectively—the fewest among all teams so far.
However, one intriguing battle to watch could be between Arshdeep Singh and Devon Conway. The left-arm pacer has had the upper hand in their past encounters, dismissing Conway three times in four innings, making this a key match-up heading into the contest.
Chennai Super Kings’ batting woes in the powerplay have been glaring this season—they hold the lowest scoring rate (7.50), average (22.50), and boundary percentage (17.24%) among all teams. Shivam Dube’s vulnerability against spin has added to the concerns. Since May 2024, he has fallen to spin six times in just eight innings, a stark contrast to his earlier record of only five dismissals across 21 spin-facing innings.
MS Dhoni’s impact has also presented an interesting trend. While his average in CSK defeats since 2023 soars to 90.67, it plummets to just 13.80 in their victories. Notably, he hasn’t hit a single boundary in a successful run chase during this period.
Punjab Kings vs Chennai Super Kings: Head-to-head
CSK hold a narrow 16-14 head-to-head advantage over PBKS, but the recent trend has favoured Punjab, who have emerged victorious in four of their last five encounters since 2022. In fact, Chennai have managed just one win in their previous six meetings with Punjab.
- Total Matches: 30
- Won by Chennai Super Kings: 16
- Won by Punjab Kings: 14
- No Result: 0
- First Ever-fixture: 19 April 2008
- Most recent-fixture: 5 May 2024
Punjab Kings vs Chennai Super Kings: Pitch Report and Weather Conditions
Rajasthan Royals’ batting display in the last match at Mullanpur may offer a tactical guide for other teams. They built their innings sensibly—maintaining a steady start, conserving wickets, and then shifting gears later to post the venue’s first 200-plus total. With dew having minimal effect during the chase, captains could now lean towards choosing to bat first.
New Chandigarh, one of the larger grounds in terms of size, has witnessed high temperatures touching 37°C. According to Kings’ assistant coach Sunil Joshi, the pitch is expected to be on the slower side but not particularly low in bounce.
Punjab Kings vs Chennai Super Kings: Team News and Predicted XI
Punjab Kings – Team News
Suryansh Shedge has shown promise as a potential finisher, but his involvement at Punjab Kings has been minimal across their three matches. He has only had one outing with the bat and hasn’t bowled a single over. Given the conditions, PBKS might consider bringing in Harpreet Brar, who not only provides a left-arm spin option but also adds depth to the batting line-up. With no current injury concerns in the squad, a change like this could help bolster their spin attack.
Against Chennai Super Kings’ spin-heavy bowling unit, the onus will be on Shreyas Iyer, Nehal Wadhera, and Glenn Maxwell to deliver. Wadhera has been particularly effective, scoring 79 runs off 48 balls at a strike rate of 165 against spin this season. Maxwell also boasts a strong strike rate against CSK’s spin trio of R Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, and Noor Ahmad, though he’s been dismissed seven times by the left-arm spinner.
Punjab Kings – Predicted XI
- Priyansh Arya
- Prabhsimran Singh (wk)
- Shreyas Iyer
- Nehal Wadhera
- Marcus Stoinis
- Glenn Maxwell
- Shashank Singh
- Harpreet Brar
- Marco Jansen
- Arshdeep Singh
- Lockie Ferguson
- Yuzvendra Chahal
Chennai Super Kings – Team News
Mukesh Choudhary appeared rusty in his recent outing against Delhi Capitals, which could pave the way for Anshul Kamboj to earn his maiden cap for CSK. With no injury concerns in the squad, and Ruturaj Gaikwad recovering well from an elbow scare to play the last match and bat comfortably in the nets, the Super Kings might opt for a like-for-like swap to maintain their overseas combination.
At the top, CSK’s lack of strong starts could lead to a change in the batting order. Gaikwad, whose average drops significantly when not opening, may be pushed back to his preferred role. Shivam Dube, on the other hand, might be key in tackling Yuzvendra Chahal. The leg-spinner has been expensive against left-handers in the IPL since 2024, conceding 303 runs at an economy of 10.95.
Chennai Super Kings – Predicted XI
- Rachin Ravindra
- Devon Conway
- Ruturaj Gaikwad (capt)
- Vijay Shankar
- Shivam Dube
- Ravindra Jadeja
- MS Dhoni
- R Ashwin
- Anshul Kamboj
- Noor Ahmad
- Matheesha Pathirana
- Khaleel Ahmed
Punjab Kings vs Chennai Super Kings: Players To Watch Out For
Yuzvendra Chahal (Punjab Kings)
Yuzvendra Chahal has bowled his full quota in only one of the three matches this season, managing just a solitary wicket so far. His inability to extract much from the surface—despite RR using a spin-heavy strategy with success—raises some concern.
Up against CSK, Chahal may have to navigate a string of left-handed batters, which could further complicate his task.
Shivam Dube (Chennai Super Kings)
CSK’s struggles in the powerplay have seen them register the slowest scoring rate in that phase this season. Adding to their woes is Shivam Dube’s poor form — with a highest score of just 19 in four innings, he hasn’t been able to replicate his impact against spin that was crucial during their 2023 title run.
The team will be banking on him to rediscover that spark quickly.
Punjab Kings vs Chennai Super Kings: Prediction
Scenario 1
- Toss: Punjab Kings win the toss and bowl
- Powerplay Score: 45-55
- Chennai Super Kings Total: 170-190
- Match Result: Punjab Kings win the match
Scenario 2
- Toss: Chennai Super Kings win the toss and bowl
- Powerplay Score: 50-60
- Punjab Kings Total: 180-200
- Match Result: Chennai Super Kings win the match
When and Where To Watch Punjab Kings vs Chennai Super Kings LIVE? Broadcast and Streaming Details
The Indian Premier League 2025 clash between Punjab Kings and Chennai Super Kings is set to begin at 7:30 PM IST on Wednesday, April 8, at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium, Mullanpur. The match will be broadcast live on the Star Sports network and will also be available for live streaming on JioHotstar for FREE.
Read More: IPL 2025: KKR vs LSG – Preview, Prediction, Starting XI and Where To Watch The Match LIVE
FAQs
What is the head-to-head record between CSK and PBKS in the IPL?
CSK lead the head-to-head with 16 wins, while PBKS have won 14 out of 30 matches played so far.
Who holds the upper hand in recent CSK vs PBKS clashes?
Punjab Kings have dominated recently, winning five of their last six encounters against Chennai Super Kings.
What batting strategy worked at the Mullanpur venue in the last game?
A steady start, preserving wickets, and accelerating later helped RR post a 200+ total—setting a possible template for teams batting first.
Could Harpreet Brar replace Suryansh Shedge in PBKS’ playing XI?
Yes, Harpreet Brar could come in for Shedge to provide spin and batting depth, especially given Shedge’s minimal role so far.
What’s Shivam Dube’s current form for CSK in IPL 2025?
Shivam Dube has struggled, managing a top score of 19 in four innings and failing to impact spinners like he did in IPL 2023.
