IPL 2025 | Super Kings, Sunrisers desperate for a win to stay alive

Struggling Chennai Super Kings face Sunrisers Hyderabad in a crucial IPL match at MAC Stadium, aiming for playoffs.

In the battle of the stragglers, bottom-placed Chennai Super Kings will host Sunrisers Hyderabad, lying ninth, in a southern derby IPL league fixture at the MAC Stadium on Friday.

Both outfits have had a forgettable season so far, with two wins out of eight, and the visitor is barely ahead on net run rate.

The two former champions need to win all their remaining six matches to have even an outside chance of reaching the playoffs.

The batting, particularly the lack of runs from the top-order, is an area of concern for both teams.

CSK has made numerous changes to its starting line-up this year, and that trend may continue on Friday as well. The form of Rachin Ravindra has been alarming, and Dewald Brevis could get a look in — almost a last roll of the dice.

Despite half-centuries from Shivam Dube and Ravindra Jadeja against Mumbai Indians, the inability to hit boundaries in the middle-overs persists as a pain point for the five-time champion. R. Ashwin could hold the key for the Men in Yellow, considering Sunrisers have three left-handed batters in the top-order.

Meanwhile, the visitors’ one-dimensional approach of trying to blast every ball into the stratosphere hasn’t worked. The challenge for Pat Cummins’ men now is whether they can temper their game plan, especially on tricky pitches for strokeplay like they might encounter here.