Before the match between CSK and SRH in Chennai, special attention will be on Dewald Brevis, Saqib Hussain, Abhishek Sharma and Noor Ahmed. Chepauk’s pitch is considered helpful for the batsmen, where 200+ scores can be seen.
CSK vs SRH Match Preview: An important match is to be played between Chennai Super Kings and Sunrisers Hyderabad today in the 63rd match of IPL 2026. Before this match, on the points table, Sunrisers Hyderabad is at third place with 14 points, while Chennai Super Kings is at fifth place with 12 points. In such a situation, it is very important for both the teams to win this match to remain in the race for the playoffs.
Dewald Brevis has a golden opportunity to play a big innings
The start of this season has not been easy for Dewald Brevis. Due to injury he could not play the first three matches. Even after returning to the team, he had to play one number lower than his preferred batting position. So far, Brewis has been able to score only 99 runs in six innings. However, he has definitely shown glimpses of his brilliant talent on a few occasions. Especially in Lucknow, his batting caught everyone’s attention, when he hit a six on the very first ball and then hit another brilliant six without even looking. Despite this, he has not been successful in playing any big innings till now. In such a situation, Monday’s match is being considered as a great opportunity for him to prove himself.
Shakib Hussain becomes a big discovery for SRH
Sunrisers Hyderabad’s young fast bowler Saqib Hussain has proved to be a big find for the team this season. He bowls especially in the last 10 overs of the innings and makes excellent use of the reverse swing available on the Hyderabad pitch. However, there is little hope of him getting the same help on the Chennai pitch. In such a situation, it will be interesting to see how he faces this new challenge. At present, Shakib remains the second most successful bowler of the team with 12 wickets and his performance can have a big impact on the outcome of the match.
Abhishek Sharma’s excellent record against Mukesh Chaudhary
Abhishek Sharma’s record in IPL against CSK’s opening bowler Mukesh Chaudhary has been excellent. He has scored 66 runs against Mukesh at a strike rate of 220 and has lost his wicket only once. In such a situation, this match is going to be very important during the power play.
CSK spinners performed brilliantly
Chennai Super Kings’ spin bowlers have been consistently impressive this season. CSK’s spin attack, led by Akil Hussain and Noor Ahmed, has an economy rate of 8.5, which is the second best performance this season. Once again the team will have high expectations from its spinners on the spin-friendly pitch of Chepauk.
Clasen’s strong record against Noor Ahmed
Sunrisers Hyderabad’s explosive batsman Heinrich Klaasen likes playing the bowling of Noor Ahmed. In all T20 matches, Klaasen has scored 68 runs against Noor at a strike rate of 219 and has been out only once. This match can also become a big turning point of the match.
CSK prevails over SRH in Chepauk
CSK’s record against SRH at the Chepauk ground in Chennai has been excellent. So far six matches have been played between the two teams, out of which Chennai Super Kings have won five matches. CSK may once again get the benefit of home conditions.
Anshul Kamboj’s form became a cause for concern
The recent form of CSK fast bowler Anshul Kamboj has become a matter of concern for the team. In the last three matches, his economy rate has been 14.9 and he has been able to take only two wickets. Whereas in the six matches played before this, his economy rate was 7 and he had taken 12 wickets. In such a situation, the team will hope to regain its old rhythm soon.
Pitch report: Batsmen can get help in Chepauk
On Monday, the Chennai pitch is considered helpful for the batsmen. SRH fast bowling coach Varun Aaron believes that to win the match, a score of around 210 runs may have to be made. Meanwhile, CSK fast bowler Spencer Johnson says that Chennai pitch may have more bounce than Hyderabad pitch, which will benefit the fast bowlers.
SRH vs CSK: How will the weather be in Chennai?
The weather in Chennai is likely to be hot as well as humid on May 18. It may remain cloudy in the evening. Light rain or thundershowers may also occur. The maximum temperature is likely to be around 36 degrees and the minimum 27 degrees.
Chennai Super Kings (Possible Playing-12)
Ruturaj Gaikwad (captain), Sanju Samson (wicketkeeper), Urvil Patel, Karthik Sharma, Dewald Brewis, Shivam Dubey, Prashant Veer, Anshul Kamboj, Spencer Johnson, Noor Ahmed, Mukesh Chaudhary, Gurjapaneet Singh.
Sunrisers Hyderabad (Possible Playing-12)
Pat Cummins (captain), Ishan Kishan (wicketkeeper), Travis Head, Abhishek Sharma, Heinrich Klaasen, Salil Arora, R Smaran, Nitish Reddy, Shivang Kumar, Saqib Hussain, Ishan Malinga and Praful Hinge.