CSK vs PBKS, Match 7 Preview: Head-to-Head Record, Predicted XI, Pitch Report | IPL 2026

Match 7 of IPL 2026 brings Chennai Super Kings and Punjab Kings together at the iconic MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on Friday, 3 April, at 7:30 PM IST. CSK suffered a humiliating 8-wicket defeat to Rajasthan Royals in their opener, bundled out for just 127 in Guwahati. PBKS, meanwhile, are riding high after a confident win over the Gujarat Titans.

This is Chennai's first home game of the season, a return to their fortress. But, it’s also a return to the question that has loomed over the franchise all season: can CSK survive the early weeks without MS Dhoni? At the moment, it looks all scattered. Tonight is their chance to turn the table.

The match is at MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai, on Friday, 3 April, at 7:30 PM IST, with the toss at 7 PM IST. It will be broadcast on Star Sports 2 HD/SD with English commentary, and streamed live on JioHotstar (subscription required). Tickets are available through BookMyShow.

CSK and PBKS have played 32 IPL matches against each other, with both teams winning exactly 16 times each. That makes this the most perfectly-balanced rivalry in IPL history.

However, recent form heavily favours Punjab. In the last five meetings, PBKS have won 4 and CSK just 1. In fact, Chennai have won just 1 out of 7 encounters with Punjab since 2022.

In IPL 2025, PBKS beat CSK twice, once at Mullanpur, where PBKS posted 219, and again in Chennai, where they chased down 190 with 4 wickets in hand.

Worryingly for CSK, PBKS have won 3 of their last 3 meetings against them at Chepauk. Remember, this is the one ground where CSK are supposed to be invincible.

CSK continue to carry their injury crisis into their first home game. MS Dhoni remains unavailable with a calf strain. He did not travel to Guwahati.

Dewald Brevis is also out with a side strain. Coach Stephen Fleming has confirmed that he is currently in rehab with no clear return date.

CSK's probable XI: Sanju Samson (WK) and Ruturaj Gaikwad (C) open, with Ayush Mhatre at No. 3, Matthew Short at No. 4 and Shivam Dube and Kartik Sharma in the middle order.

Jamie Overton provides all-round balance. Matt Henry and Khaleel Ahmed lead the pace attack. Noor Ahmad and Anshul Kamboj handle the spin department.

PBKS, by contrast, come in with no injury concerns. Their probable XI: Priyansh Arya and Prabhsimran Singh (WK) open, with debutant hero Cooper Connolly at No. 3, captain Shreyas Iyer at No. 4, followed by Nehal Wadhera, Marcus Stoinis and Shashank Singh in the middle order.

Arshdeep Singh leads the pace attack, joined by Marco Jansen, Xavier Bartlett and Vijaykumar Vyshak. Yuzvendra Chahal anchors the spin bowling.

Yuzvendra Chahal is the standout name for this fixture. He took a hat-trick the last time he played CSK in Chennai. He has 23 wickets against them in IPL matches at an economy of 7.1. Most tellingly, Chahal has dismissed Sanju Samson 5 times in 12 innings for just 61 runs. This is the individual battle that could define the evening.

For CSK, Sanju Samson carries the heaviest responsibility. He managed only 6 runs on his franchise debut against RR and desperately needs a big performance.

Ruturaj Gaikwad has a fine record at Chepauk with 764 runs at an average of 50.93 and a strike rate of 141.74. His highest at this venue is 108 not out. His home form will be vital.

Cooper Connolly hit an unbeaten 72 off 44 balls in PBKS's opener. He will be dangerous against CSK's spin in the middle overs.

Surface + grass: The MA Chidambaram Stadium pitch is prepared using red soil, slow, dry, and heavily spin-assisted. It is one of the most unique and bowler-friendly surfaces in the IPL. Here, totals of 200-plus are the exception rather than the rule.

New ball (3-4 overs): The pitch offers reasonable bounce and carry in the powerplay. Fast bowlers can extract early movement, and the pitch comes on reasonably well for batters who get set early.

Middle overs: From around the 8th to 10th over onwards, the pitch grips and slows considerably. That makes stroke play significantly harder and gives quality spinners a decisive advantage. This is the phase that decides Chepauk matches.

Dew + toss call: Dew is a factor at Chepauk under lights though less dominant than at Delhi or Mumbai. Teams batting first win 56.04% of matches here. That suggests that the pitch advantage outweighs the dew factor.

However, in all 6 IPL 2026 matches played so far, toss winners have chosen to bowl first and 5 of them have won. This trend may influence toss decisions tonight.

Par score range: The average first-innings IPL score at Chepauk is around 163.87 runs. A total of 165-170 is considered competitive and regularly defended at this venue. No team has ever scored 250 here. The large boundaries and slow surface keep totals in check.

Grok predicts Punjab Kings to win the match. Top factors include PBKS’s recent dominance in the head-to-head, especially at Chepauk. CSK’s significant injury crisis weakens their batting and experience. It also credits Yuzvendra Chahal’s proven effectiveness against CSK and Sanju Samson on this surface.

“MS Dhoni is unavailable with a calf strain, and Dewald Brevis is out with a side strain. This deprives CSK of key experience and middle-order stability on a slow, gripping surface where set batters are vital,” it says.

Google Gemini backs PBKS as well. It says that the match will be decided during the "Middle Over Grip" phase.

“With PBKS having already 'conquered' the Chepauk physics three times consecutively and boasting a 6-1 recent form lead, the probability of a Punjab victory is significantly higher than a Chennai recovery,” it adds.

Even ChatGPT favours Punjab to win this match. “Chepauk rewards spin control and structured batting, not raw power,” it says.

“While CSK traditionally dominate here, current data shows a clear shift in matchup dynamics. PBKS combine proven recent success at this venue, superior spin threat for middle overs and more stable and complete XI,” ChatGPT adds.

Where to Watch

The match is live on Star Sports 2 HD/SD from 7:30 PM IST. Stream on JioHotstar. UK viewers: Sky Sports Cricket. Australia: Fox Cricket or Kayo Sports. USA and Canada: Willow TV.

Tonight’s match offers a wounded CSK at Chepauk, a resurgent PBKS and Yuzvendra Chahal vs Sanju Samson on the slowest pitch in the IPL. This is must-watch cricket.