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Dhoni Sidelined! CSK Faces PBKS in IPL 2026 Opener
3 Apr
Summary
- MS Dhoni will not be in the playing XI for Chennai Super Kings.
- Punjab Kings have a dominant head-to-head record against CSK.
- The pitch at Chepauk is expected to be batting-friendly.
- There is no chance of rain during the match.
The MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai hosts its first Indian Premier League 2026 match today, with the Chennai Super Kings facing the Punjab Kings. Notably, the Super Kings will be without their talismanic leader, MS Dhoni, for this encounter.
Punjab Kings have a strong historical advantage over Chennai, winning their last three matches at this venue and seven of their last eight meetings. This suggests a challenging start for the Super Kings.
On the injury front, besides Dhoni, Dewald Brevis is a doubt for CSK, though Shreyas Iyer is expected to play despite a hand injury.
The pitch at Chepauk, traditionally known for spin, is expected to be flat and conducive to batting, a shift from its past reputation. Clear skies and warm temperatures are forecast, with humidity potentially causing dew.
CSK Squad: Sanju Samson(w), Ruturaj Gaikwad(c), Ayush Mhatre, Matthew Short, Kartik Sharma, Shivam Dube, Jamie Overton, Noor Ahmad, Matt Henry, Anshul Kamboj, Khaleel Ahmed, Sarfaraz Khan, Prashant Veer, Rahul Chahar, Gurjapneet Singh, Ramakrishna Ghosh, Akeal Hosein, MS Dhoni, Shreyas Gopal, Spencer Johnson, Mukesh Choudhary, Aman Khan, Dewald Brevis, Zakary Foulkes, Urvil Patel.
PBKS Squad: Prabhsimran Singh (WK), Priyansh Arya, Cooper Connolly, Shreyas Iyer (C), Nehal Wadhera, Shashank Singh, Marcus Stoinis, Marco Jansen, Xavier Bartlett, Arshdeep Singh, Vijaykumar Vyshak/Harpreet Brar, Yuzvendra Chahal.
