IPL 2025: Struggling Chennai Super Kings looks to turn around fortunes against Punjab Kings

CHENNAI: Perhaps taking a cue from this country’s time-honoured custom of treating one’s guest as one’s God, Chennai Super Kings has played the role of a hospitable host to perfection, readily rolling out the red carpet to opponents who once baulked at the terrifying prospect of venturing into its territory, making them feel even more welcome than at their own ‘home’, and sending them back with the precious gift of two points that a win fetches at the expense of its own season devolving into a shambles in the ongoing IPL.

With Punjab Kings being the next ‘guest’, one can expect the host’s new-found predilection for altruism to continue unhindered given its recent spate of listless shows at Chepauk. Royal Challengers Bengaluru, Delhi Capitals and Sunrisers Hyderabad, three teams that had for years been at the receiving end of being imparted harsh lessons in acquainting themselves with the conditions at Chepauk, have expertly tamed the lion in its den, reducing it to the pitiable status of a domesticated kitten with the once characteristic lusty roar making way for a feeble mew.

Having already beaten the Super Kings earlier this season and buoyed by a reasonably good track record at Chepauk, Punjab will be eager to reunite with its once trusted ally of resurgence following a brush with quiescence that saw it go winless in its last two games.

After being ejected from the coveted top four spots in the table, the Shreyas Iyer-led outfit will not want to go further south at this critical stage of the league and will be doubly determined to get itself back on the rails. Punjab’s opening combination of Priyansh Arya and Prabhsimran Singh come into this game with loads of runs and a truckload of confidence flowing through their willows. As for the host, there have been problems galore with the sole redeeming feature being that of the intrepid approach of 17-year-old Ayush Mhatre at the top in his last two outings.

In the pre-match press conference, the Super Kings assistant coach, Mike Hussey, praised the work ethic of Rachin Ravindra and Deepak Hooda despite both having struggled to hit their stride.

“I actually have to really take my hat off to both Rachin and Hooda. Their attitude has been first class, obviously disappointed to come in and out of the team. They could have easily just complained and moaned and just not been interested for the rest of the season. But their attitude towards training and improving has been unbelievable. I mean, just watching Deepak Hooda go about his work over the last few weeks, even when some younger players were getting an opportunity ahead of him, he was genuinely happy for the new players coming in. I think that speaks volumes of his character,” said Hussey.

Four teams so far this season have succeeded in incapacitating the big cat at home and Punjab Kings possesses the requisite swagger to bell what increasingly looks like a febrile cat.