IPL 2025: Kuldeep and Noor ready for epic showdown as Delhi faces Chennai at Chepauk
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Synopsis
In the heat of Chennai, wrist-spinners Kuldeep Yadav and Noor Ahmad are set to play pivotal roles as Chennai Super Kings confront Delhi Capitals in IPL 2025's match 17. With Chennai struggling and Delhi in form, this match promises to be a thrilling contest.
Key Takeaways
- Kuldeep Yadav and Noor Ahmad could be game-changers for their respective teams.
- CSK needs to address their batting issues to remain competitive.
- The pitch at MA Chidambaram is expected to favor spin bowlers.
- Delhi comes in with momentum, while Chennai seeks to regain form.
- Historically, CSK has dominated DC at home.
Chennai, April 4 (NationPress) In the scorching afternoon sun of Chennai, as batters toil on a sluggish pitch, it may be the wrist-spinners who hold the key when Chennai Super Kings (CSK) face a buoyant Delhi Capitals (DC) in the 17th match of IPL 2025 at the MA Chidambaram Stadium this Saturday.
While Chennai struggles with form and team combinations, Delhi arrives with a winning streak and positive momentum. The clash of wrist-spin between India’s Kuldeep Yadav and Afghanistan’s Noor Ahmad could very well determine the outcome of this encounter.
Kuldeep boasts an impressive economy rate of 5.25, making him a formidable opponent with his adept use of the crease and subtle variations in pace and arm speed. Meanwhile, Noor’s flatter delivery and quicker pace have already secured him nine wickets, rendering him a significant threat on pitches that aid spin.
For Chennai, the battle lies as much in the mind as in the game. Their journey thus far has been inconsistent, having secured only one win out of three matches, with evident issues in their batting lineup.
Aside from Shivam Dube, who appears to be in good form, CSK struggles to find hitters capable of scoring at over a 180 strike rate during the latter stages of the innings. The once-reliable finishing skills of MS Dhoni have diminished with time, leaving a noticeable gap in explosive batting during crunch moments.
The strategy to open with Rahul Tripathi has also not yielded results. Tripathi has seemed uneasy against quality pace, failing to validate the decision to move Ruturaj Gaikwad down the order—a choice now under scrutiny. In light of this, CSK has summoned 17-year-old Mumbai opener Ayush Mhatre, a product of U-19 India and a Ranji centurion, for trials, indicating potential changes at the top of the order.
In contrast, Delhi demonstrates greater balance and aggression. The middle order, enhanced by Ashutosh Sharma, Vipraj Nigam, and KL Rahul—now free from captaincy duties—appears more formidable this season. The team successfully chased targets in Vizag but must contend with a far more challenging environment at Chepauk.
The addition of Faf du Plessis could prove pivotal. The former CSK stalwart possesses extensive knowledge of these conditions and could provide crucial guidance for younger batters like Jake Fraser-McGurk, Tristan Stubbs, and Abhishek Porel, who are central to DC’s batting lineup.
The pitch at MA Chidambaram is projected to be slow and favorable for spin. Afternoon conditions will diminish any dew advantage, making the toss less critical and emphasizing tactical bowling and intelligent batting.
Historically, CSK has had the upper hand against DC at Chepauk, but current form and team dynamics give Delhi the advantage. A victory for DC could elevate them to the top of the table, while CSK must urgently address their downward trend before it's too late.
Although Delhi is in excellent form, their head-to-head record still leans towards Chennai. CSK has triumphed in 19 of the 30 encounters between the teams, leaving DC with just 11 wins.
When: The match is set to commence at 3:30 pm IST, with the toss at 3 pm.
Where: MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai.
Live broadcast: The match will be aired live on the Star Sports network and streamed on the JioHotstar app and website.
Squads:
Delhi Capitals: Jake Fraser-McGurk, Faf du Plessis, Abhishek Porel, KL Rahul(w), Tristan Stubbs, Axar Patel(c), Vipraj Nigam, Mitchell Starc, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohit Sharma, Mukesh Kumar, Ashutosh Sharma, Karun Nair, Sameer Rizvi, Donovan Ferreira, Tripurana Vijay, Darshan Nalkande, Dushmantha Chameera, T Natarajan, Ajay Jadav Mandal, Manvanth Kumar L, Madhav Tiwari.
Chennai Super Kings: Rachin Ravindra, Rahul Tripathi, Ruturaj Gaikwad(c), Shivam Dube, Vijay Shankar, Ravindra Jadeja, MS Dhoni(w), Jamie Overton, Ravichandran Ashwin, Noor Ahmad, Matheesha Pathirana, Khaleel Ahmed, Mukesh Choudhary, Devon Conway, Shaik Rasheed, Sam Curran, Kamlesh Nagarkoti, Shreyas Gopal, Anshul Kamboj, Nathan Ellis, Gurjapneet Singh, Ramakrishna Ghosh, Andre Siddarth C, Vansh Bedi, Deepak Hooda
