Chennai Super Kings field without Dhoni, Raina or Jadeja in Chennai for first time
For the first time at Chepauk, Chennai Super Kings took the field without MS Dhoni, Suresh Raina or Ravindra Jadeja in the playing XI. It marked a clear shift for a side long defined by that core.
The absence is due to different reasons. Dhoni is injured and set to miss a few matches. Jadeja has moved on after a trade to another franchise( RR). Raina retired a long time ago. Together, they shaped CSK’s identity over the years, both in results and in style.
New-look CSK steps into a different Chepauk atmosphere
The players walked out to a full house, with the crowd loud from the toss. That support remains, but the feel around the side is different. Without three senior figures, the team looks less settled and more reliant on a new group. With players like Ayush Mhatre, Prashant Veer, Kartik Sharma and Noor Ahmad, the shift is clear for CSK.
Their impact over the years has been significant. Dhoni’s captaincy and finishing, Raina’s consistency in the top order, and Jadeja’s all-round role were central to CSK’s success. Their absence leaves a gap in both experience and balance.
Chennai Super Kings will bat first after losing the toss, with Ruturaj Gaikwad and Sanju set to open on a flat Chennai surface. The conditions are expected to favour stroke play, making it a good chance for CSK’s batters to reset after their last outing.
Punjab Kings began with the ball, with Arshdeep Singh taking the new ball. CSK will look for a strong start, but the bigger test is how this new XI handles pressure without its long-time leaders.
Punjab Kings (Playing XI):
Prabhsimran Singh (wk), Cooper Connolly, Shreyas Iyer (c), Shashank Singh, Nehal Wadhera, Marcus Stoinis, Marco Jansen, Xavier Bartlett, Vijaykumar Vyshak, Arshdeep Singh, Yuzvendra Chahal
Chennai Super Kings (Playing XI):
Sanju Samson (wk), Ruturaj Gaikwad (c), Ayush Mhatre, Sarfaraz Khan, Shivam Dube, Kartik Sharma, Prashant Veer, Noor Ahmad, Anshul Kamboj, Matt Henry, Khaleel Ahmed
Punjab Kings Impact Subs:
Suryansh Shedge, Priyansh Arya, Vishnu Vinod, Pravin Dubey, Harpreet Brar
Chennai Super Kings Impact Subs:
Jamie Overton, Rahul Chahar, Matthew Short, Ramakrishna Ghosh, Gurjapneet Singh