Chennai to host first IPL match since 2019, CSK fans eager to cheer Dhoni-led team

This is the first match that Chennai Super Kings will be playing at the M A Chidambaram Stadium in almost three years as IPL matches were held outside India during COVID-19 pandemic and though the popular league returned to India in 2022, the matches were played at some selected venues.

The last match CSK played at 'Chepauk' Stadium was in May 2019.

In the last encounter between the two sides during IPL 2022, LSG emerged winners defeating CSK by six wickets.

Dhoni taking the field, specially as a batter, will be a special moment for CSK fans. Dhoni has led CSK since the inception IPL and is the team's most iconic player.

The match is expected to see fans going vocal with their support for the home team which has a good record at the stadium.

CSK have played 56 matches in their home venue and won 40, lost 15 where one match tied. It has been a long wait for CSK team and their fans to paint the stadium yellow.

Chepauk stadium is considered to help spinners and the wicket is seen to have a little turn. In the previous match, skipper Dhoni did not use Moeen Ali as a bowling option, but in this match he could prove handy.

CSK lost the opening game of the season and they will search for their first win in the encounter against Lucknow Super Giants (LSG).

Gujarat Titans defeated CSK in the opening tie of the IPL 2023 by five wickets.

CSK's batting filled with stars like Devon Conway, Ambati Rayadu. Ben Stokes, Moeen Ali and Ravindra Jadeja could not do much and it was Ruturaj Gaikwad who saved the team blushes as he piled 92 of 50 balls to take the side to 178/7 in 20 overs.

It was in bowling that CSK faced more odds with a relatively inexperienced attack. The team apparently felt absence of Mukesh Choudhary and Sri Lankan duo of Maheesh Theekshana and Matheesha Pathirana. While Choudhary has been ruled out of IPL 2023 with a stress fracture, CSK will be hoping that the duo of Theekshana and Pathirana will return soon.

A spell of 3/36 by medium pace all-rounder Rajvardhan Hangargekar was a big positive for CSK and the side will hope he continues his good form in future games.

LSK is coming to the match confident after their win against Delhi Capitals (DC) by a huge margin of 50 runs at Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow on Saturday. The LSG fans will be hoping for team's second straight win of the tournament which will take them to the to of the points table.

West Indies stars Kyle Mayers (73 off 38 balls) and Nicholas Pooran (36 off 21 balls) impressed with the bat powering LSG to 193/6 in 20 overs.

However, the form of opener and skipper KL Rahul is still a big concern. The side will be hoping that their skipper returns to his hitting best against CSK.

Also, other batters in middle-order like Deepak Hooda, Marcus Stoinis and Krunal Pandya will have to step up and help LSG perform better as a unit.

Mark Wood's impressive five-wicket-haul was a big highlight of LSG's win and had put DC on the backfoot right from the start. Avesh Khan and Ravi Bishnoi had also picked up two scalps. With their bowling in a good shape, they will be aiming to deliver yet another great show against the four-time champions.

Here are the squads.

Chennai Super Kings: Devon Conway, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Moeen Ali, Ben Stokes, Ambati Rayudu, Ravindra Jadeja, MS Dhoni(w/c), Shivam Dube, Mitchell Santner, Deepak Chahar, RS Hangargekar, Tushar Deshpande, Subhranshu Senapati, Shaik Rasheed, Ajinkya Rahane, Nishant Sindhu, Dwaine Pretorius, Ajay Jadav Mandal, Prashant Solanki, Simarjeet Singh, Akash Singh, Bhagath Varma.

Lucknow Super Giants: KL Rahul(c), Kyle Mayers, Deepak Hooda, Krunal Pandya, Marcus Stoinis, Nicholas Pooran(w), Ayush Badoni, Mark Wood, Jaydev Unadkat, Ravi Bishnoi, Avesh Khan, Krishnappa Gowtham, Prerak Mankad, Swapnil Singh, Naveen-ul-Haq, Yash Thakur, Daniel Sams, Romario Shepherd, Yudhvir Singh Charak, Karan Sharma, Mayank Yadav, Amit Mishra, Manan Vohra (ANI)