Chennai Super Kings will host Sunrisers Hyderabad at the MA Chidambaram Stadium, also known as Chepauk Stadium, in Chennai on Monday, 18 May. The match starts at 7:30 PM IST.
It’s been a mixed bag for Chennai so far. They have won 6 and lost 6. They are well in contention to qualify for the playoffs. But, they must win their remaining 2 matches to reach 16 points. The Yellow Army has won 3 out of their last 5.
Hyderabad, on the other hand, are in a better position. With 7 wins in 12 matches, they are currently ranked 3rd. However, their place is not safe yet. Their qualification will be ensured only when they win both their remaining matches. Losing this match will leave things uncertain for them.
Match Logistics
The match is at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai, starting at 7:30 PM IST. It will be broadcast on Star Sports and streamed on JioHotstar.
Chepauk has around 38,000 seating capacity. Being one of the oldest cricket grounds in India, it has hosted many prestigious matches in the past. It became the first venue to host the home team’s final victory in 2011.
Head-to-Head Record
CSK and SRH have met 23 times in the IPL. CSK lead convincingly with 15 wins against SRH’s 8. CSK’s highest score in this fixture is 223. Their lowest is 132. SRH have posted a maximum of 194 and a minimum of 134.
The recent momentum, however, belongs to SRH. They have won the last 3 completed meetings. SRH won by 10 runs this year and by 5 wickets in 2025. In 2024, they won by 6 wickets before CSK hit back with a 78-run win. CSK’s last win before that came in 2023 by 7 wickets.
At Chepauk, nevertheless, CSK are dominant. They have won 5 of 6 home matches against SRH at this venue.
Kane Williamson (SRH) leads all run-scorers in this fixture with 417 runs. David Warner (SRH) follows with 405. Ruturaj Gaikwad leads CSK with 394 runs. Dwayne Bravo (CSK) holds the bowling record with 18 wickets. Bhuvneshwar Kumar (now RCB) leads SRH’s bowling tally with 11 wickets.
Predicted Playing XIs
Chennai Super Kings: Ruturaj Gaikwad, Sanju Samson, Urvil Patel, Kartik Sharma, Dewald Brevis, Shivam Dube, MS Dhoni, Spencer Johnson, Akeal Hosein, Anshul Kamboj, Noor Ahmad, Mukesh Choudhary (Impact Player).
Sunrisers Hyderabad: Travis Head, Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan, Heinrich Klaasen, Salil Arora, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Smaran Ravichandran, Pat Cummins, Shivang Kumar, Eshan Malinga, Sakib Hussain, Praful Hinge (Impact Player).
Team News
CSK have lost 6 squad members to injury across IPL 2026. Jamie Overton has been ruled out for the rest of the tournament with a right thigh injury.
South African all-rounder Dian Forrester has been signed as his replacement for ₹75 lakh. He is available for selection immediately. Spencer Johnson has regained full match fitness and is available to bowl.
MS Dhoni has been sidelined all season with a persistent thumb injury. However, he completed a rigorous 30-minute net session against spinners on Sunday. This has raised the possibility of an emotional farewell cameo as an Impact Player at Chepauk.
Nathan Ellis, Khaleel Ahmed, Ayush Mhatre and Ramakrishna Ghosh remain ruled out.
SRH report no fresh injury concerns ahead of Match 63. Travis Head, Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan and Heinrich Klaasen are all fully fit. Captain Pat Cummins leads a settled bowling attack alongside Eshan Malinga and Sakib Hussain.
Key Players to Watch
Sanju Samson (CSK): The former Rajasthan captain has been CSK’s most consistent batter this season. He has scored 450 runs across 12 matches. He controls the middle overs and provides batting stability.
Heinrich Klaasen (SRH): The South African is one of the leading run-scorers with 508 runs. His ability to dominate spin bowling will be central to SRH’s scoring in the middle overs.
Abhishek Sharma (SRH): The southpaw provides explosive starts at the top. He has scored 475 runs this season at a strike rate of 210.18.
Pat Cummins (SRH): The Hyderabad captain provides control and experience with the ball. He has faced Sanju Samson 11 times in their IPL careers.
Anshul Kamboj (CSK): The pacer leads CSK’s bowling attack with 19 wickets this season. His powerplay execution will be critical against SRH’s aggressive openers.
Noor Ahmad (CSK): The Afghan spinner is CSK’s key spin option on the Chepauk surface. The gripping pitch suits his style, and he will aim to contain SRH’s dangerous middle order.
Pitch and Conditions
Tonight’s match will be hot, humid and mostly cloudy. The temperature at match time will be around 32°C. It will feel like 41°C due to extreme humidity. Humidity will range from 67% to 83% throughout the evening.
A cyclonic circulation over northeast Tamil Nadu brings a minor rain risk. The chance of rain is around 10-15%. Conditions are expected to be largely clear by match time. Southerly winds at 12-15 mph may assist fast bowlers from one end.
The Chepauk pitch has become significantly more batting-friendly in IPL 2026. The average first innings score here this season is 186 to 196 runs. The pacers will find true bounce early. Spinners will get grip and turn in the middle overs.
Heavy dew is expected from the 14th to 15th over of the second innings. This will make spin bowling very difficult. The chasing side will benefit significantly. Both captains are almost certain to bowl first after winning the toss.
This is the business end of the IPL 2026. SRH and CSK will have to deliver their best. Expect a thrilling encounter.