The five-time champions Chennai Super Kings will face their arch-rivals, the Mumbai Indians, to kick off their season at Chepauk. While CSK underwent significant changes during the auction, they retained their core players for the starting XI. This preview will cover the CSK squad, the probable playing XI, their coaching staff, and a detailed analysis of the team ahead of the match.
Chennai Super Kings Probable Playing XI - IPL 2025
Chennai Super Kings typically focus on their home conditions when selecting their team, historically favoring spinners over pace bowlers at Chepauk. This season, CSK has secured some quality spinners, including the return of Ravi Ashwin and the acquisition of Noor Ahmed at a high price. Here’s the probable playing XI for Chennai Super Kings:
Chennai Super Kings Squad - IPL 2025
Batters: Ruturaj Gaikwad, Rahul Tripathi, Shaik Rasheed, Andre Siddarth,
Wicket-keepers: MS Dhoni, Devon Conway, Vansh Bedi,
All-rounders: Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Vijay Shankar, Shivam Dube, Deepak Hooda, Sam Curran, Rachin Ravindra, Anshul Kamboj
Bowlers: Jamie Overton, Nathan Ellis, Mukesh Choudhary, Khaleel Ahmed, Gurjapneet Singh, Kamlesh Nagarkoti, Matheesha Pathirana, Shreyas Gopal, Noor Ahmad
Playing 11
Ruturaj Gaikwad (c), Devon Conway, Rahul Tripathi, Shivam Dube, Ravindra Jadeja, Mahendra Singh Dhoni (wk), Ravi Ashwin, Sam Curran, Jamie Overton/Nathan Ellis, Khaleel Ahmed, Matheesha Pathirana, Noor Ahmed(Impact Player).
Batting Line-up with Strong Depth
CSK usually maintains a strong batting core, featuring players from Ruturaj Gaikwad to the uncapped MS Dhoni. Their batting lineup has significant depth, extending to Jamie Overton. Last season, CSK struggled with their batting order, with Ruturaj batting at number 3 to balance the team. However, this season, they have Rahul Tripathi, a proven player who can adapt to any situation, making him an ideal number 3 batter. We could see Ruturaj opening alongside Devon Conway—a pairing familiar to their fans.
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Shivam Dube has continued to be a key player at number 4, responsible for increasing the required run rate in the middle overs by attacking spinners to unsettle them. In the past, CSK has experimented with various options at number 5. With MS Dhoni fully fit this year, he could come in at number 5 or 6, facing more balls than before and showcasing his fitness by running hard between the wickets. Ravindra Jadeja will act as a floater between numbers 5 and 7, depending on the match situation.
The tail-end of the batting order includes Ravi Ashwin, Sam Curran, and either Nathan Ellis or Jamie Overton, who can hit big and provide flexibility in the batting order. Overall, CSK's batting lineup offers better depth and flexibility for both home and away matches, featuring big hitters in the middle order to complement the balanced top-order batters.
Also Read: MS Dhoni announces arrival with trademark helicopter shot during CSK practice session
Flexible Bowling Attack
As mentioned earlier, this playing XI was selected with the conditions at Chepauk in mind. The lineup includes quality spinners Ravi Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja, with Noor Ahmed available as an impact substitute later on, creating a strong spin-friendly lineup. Additionally, the pace bowling attack features Khaleel Ahmed as the new-ball bowler, alongside Jamie Overton. For the death overs, Matheesha Pathirana will add strength to the lineup. Both Jamie Overton and Khaleel Ahmed are adaptable and can also be effective in the death overs. Sam Curran’s inclusion provides extra depth in the bowling attack, as he can bowl at any stage of the innings and complements the team as an additional bowler.
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This bowling setup offers Chennai Super Kings the flexibility to adjust players based on conditions, without being restricted in their strategy. They can use players like Anushul Kamboj alongside Khaleel Ahmed as a second new-ball bowler, and Nathan Ellis, known for his pace, can replace Jamie Overton if needed. This allows CSK to maintain flexibility even in the event of an injury, as they can easily find replacements with similar profiles within the squad.
Also Read: CSK IPL 2025 Schedule: Chennai Super Kings Matches, Fixtures and Where to Buy Tickets?
Chennai Super Kings Coaching Staff
It is rare for Chennai Super Kings to change or add to their coaching staff, but this year they hired assistant bowling coach Sridharan Sriram. The core coaching team remains intact, including Stephen Fleming, Mike Hussey, and Eric Simmons. Here is the list of CSK’s coaching staff:
Head Coach | Stephan Fleming |
Batting Coach | Mike Hussey |
Bowling Consultant | Eric Simmons |
Assistant Bowling Coach | Sridharan Sriram |
Fielding Coach | Rajiv Kumar |
