We are now entering the business end of the group stage of the Indian Premier League. The league table has given a good indication of who will be at the top of the playoffs and apart from Punjab Kings, Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Rajasthan Royals, the margins are slim for most of the teams at the moment.
Delhi Capitals know this very well as they host Chennai Super Kings for their reverse fixture this season. DC were swept in their first meeting this season. Playing at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai, Sanju Samson hit a superb hundred to guide the hosts to a total of 212 runs, which CSK later defended thanks to the pace of Jamie Overton.
A desperate Delhi side will be hoping to hit CSK and gain momentum as they enter the final stages of the group stage. DC are coming off a win against Rajasthan Royals, a win that should boost their confidence. One notable difference for Delhi this time is the availability of Mitchell Starc, which proved to be the match winner in his first game of the season.
Delhi will also boost the return of Lungi Ngidiwho completed a mandatory six-day break after a concussion injury and is fit again. This should give DC the required depth in the bowling attack to contend with the likes of Samson, Ruturaj Gaikwad and Dewald Brevis.
This could mean that Delhi will play Ngidi and Starc together, marking the return of a superstar overseas fast-bowling duo for the franchise. The last time two elite overseas pacers operated together for DC was in the 2020-21 season when Kagiso Rabada and Anrich Nortje led the charge. Ngidi is fit and ready to make an IPL comeback (Courtesy: PTI)
The franchise will be hoping that the duo can take advantage of the conditions in Delhi and provide an early breakthrough.
DC RETURN TO TRICKY BOILERS
It will be Delhi’s first home game since their defeats against Punjab Kings and Royal Challengers Bengaluru. DC captain Axar Patel expressed frustration after these losses, pointing to repeated errors and lack of luck.
But has Delhi really moved on since those games? When they return to the Arun Jaitley Stadium on Tuesday, can they shake off those memories?
This mental block could play a significant role when they face CSK.
It should help that KL Rahul and Pathum Nissanka clicked in the last game. When a duo gets along well, it often bodes well for DC, and that could be key again.
NO MS DHONI
Chennai Super Kings traveled to Delhi without their talisman MS Dhoniwho is still recovering from a calf injury. There are whispers among CSK fans that Dhoni is fit but allowing the team to settle into the mix ahead of a possible exit at the end of the season. Dhoni did not travel to Delhi with CSK team (Courtesy: PTI)
Even without Dhoni, strong support is expected for CSK. If players like Mukesh Choudhary and Anshul Kamboj can take advantage of the conditions, it could turn into a competitive contest.
DC vs CSK: TEAM NEWS
Sahil Parakh’s injury in the nets forced Delhi Capitals to make changes in the last game. They brought in Pathum Nissanko and dropped David Miller, which paid dividends against Rajasthan Royals.
DC coach Munaf Patel has ruled out changes in the batting order. Delhi are likely to include Ngidi in the playing XI alongside Starc.
Chennai, on the other hand, has been hit by a lot of injuries this season. The latest is Ramakrishna Ghosh, who suffered a broken foot in their previous match against Mumbai Indians.
DC coach Munaf Patel expected that the pitch should be good for batting and should provide scores above 200 runs. However, he did offer a hint of warning that it could slightly favor the rotation away from the power play.
DELHI: POWER AND WEATHER
The weather in Delhi has been tricky this season. There was rain on the eve of the match and more is expected around the start of the game.
The conditions at the Arun Jaitley Stadium have been affected by the breeze and if there is assistance on the pitch, the fast bowlers can come into play. That suits both teams, though DC seems to have the more balanced offense.
DC vs CSK: Predicted XI
Delhi Capitals Predicted XI
KL Rahul (wk), Pathum Nissanka, Nitish Rana, Sameer Rizvi, Tristan Stubbs, Vipraj Nigam, Axar Patel (c), Ashutosh Sharma, Lungi Ngidi, Mitchell Starc, Kuldeep Yadav
Impact Sub: T Natarajan
Chennai Super Kings Predicted XI
Sanju Samson (wk), Ruturaj Gaikwad (c), Urvil Patel, Kartik Sharma, Dewald Brevis, Shivam Dube, Jamie Overton, Prashant Veer, Noor Ahmad, Anshul Kamboj, Mukesh Choudhary.
Impact under: Gurjapneet Singh
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Published on:
05 May 2026 09:09 IST
