Chennai Super Kings (CSK) need to win, as simple as that. The five-time champions have been playing some poor cricket, a bit outdated with the T20 cricket having moved on so fast and lost five matches on the bounce, the Super Kings need to turn their campaign around for the fans and just for the IPL itself. It was a tame surrender from CSK at home against the Kolkata Knight Riders in their last game and even though it will be a struggle for the Men in Yellow to challenge the other nine teams for a spot in the playoffs, it became even more difficult with their best batter Ruturaj Gaikwad not being around anymore.
CSK face the Lucknow Super Giants, who contrary to popular opinion and several predictions, have managed to win four out of six matches so far and look like a real deal, pulverised by the form of Mitchell Marsh and Nicholas Pooran with the bat and the likes of Shardul Thakur and Digvesh Rathi doing the heavy lifting with the ball consistently.
Even if Mitchell Marsh doesn't play, LSG have enough in the tank to be able to put the bowling team under pressure but the hosts will hope that the Bison returns sooner rather than later. Aiden Markram's new-found form has done the trick for the Super Giants in Marsh's absence. Overall, the Super Giants look like a complete unit but CSK can't afford to lose, hence, who knows the five-time champions may turn up at the Ekana Stadium against the Blues on Monday.
My Dream11 team for IPL 2025 Match 30, LSG vs CSK
Devon Conway, Mitchell Marsh, Aiden Markram (c), Rahul Tripathi, Shivam Dube, Ayush Badoni, Nicholas Pooran, Shardul Thakur, Digvesh Rathi (vc), Khaleel Ahmed, Matheesha Pathirana
Probable Playing XIIs
Lucknow Super Giants: Mitchell Marsh/Himmat Singh, Aiden Markram, Nicholas Pooran, Rishabh Pant, Ayush Badoni, David Miller, Abdul Samad, Shardul Thakur, Akash Deep, Digvesh Rathi, Avesh Khan, Ravi Bishnoi
Chennai Super Kings: Devon Conway, Rachin Ravindra, Rahul Tripathi, Shivam Dube, Vijay Shankar, Ravindra Jadeja, MS Dhoni, Ravichandran Ashwin, Noor Ahmad, Anshul Kamboj, Khaleel Ahmed, Matheesha Pathirana