CSK Vs PBKS Match Facts, IPL 2026: All You Need To Know About Indian Premier League Match 7

Chennai Super Kings take on Punjab Kings on April 3 at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai, with the hosts looking to recover after a disappointing start to their Indian Premier League 2026 campaign.

CSK were bowled out for 127 against Rajasthan Royals in Guwahati, and the chase was completed with ease, highlighted by Vaibhav Suryavanshi’s 50 that shifted the momentum early.

Punjab Kings, led by Shreyas Iyer, come into the match after a win over Gujarat Titans, with Cooper Connolly making an impact through an unbeaten 72 on debut.

The side has looked more balanced since the 2025 mega auction, something also pointed out by head coach Ricky Ponting, and their recent results at this venue further strengthen their case.

From a CSK vs PBKS preview angle, attention shifts to how CSK respond with the bat after their opening loss. Conditions in Chennai are expected to favour batting, which could suit their lineup, but it also puts responsibility on their bowling unit.

MS Dhoni is likely to remain unavailable, while Dewald Brevis remains in contention after looking comfortable in the nets, even as Ruturaj Gaikwad has not confirmed his inclusion.

PBKS, meanwhile, arrive with settled combinations and a steady record at this venue, while CSK will look to use home support to their advantage.

Check Chennai’s hourly weather forecast ahead of the clash.

CSK Vs PBKS, IPL 2026: Match Facts

Venue: MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai

Date: 3 April 2026 (Friday)

Time: 7:30PM (IST)

Captains: Ruturaj Gaikwad (CSK), Shreyas Iyer (PBKS)

On-field umpires: Akshay Totre & Abhijit Bhattacharya

3rd Umpire: Kn Ananthapadmanabhan

Current Standings: CSK (10th), PBKS (5th)

CSK Vs PBKS, IPL 2026: Team News

Chennai Super Kings Team News

CSK are likely to be without MS Dhoni, which continues to impact their overall balance. Dewald Brevis remains uncertain for selection despite time in the nets, where he focused mainly on throwdowns as he recovers from a side issue.

Ruturaj Gaikwad’s struggles against left-arm pace in the Powerplay could also be a factor in matchups. If Brevis misses out, CSK’s middle order could once again lack depth, and this will be another instance of them playing at Chepauk without Dhoni in the XI.

Punjab Kings Team News

PBKS head into the game without any major injury setbacks. Shreyas Iyer, who was hit in the previous match, is fit, with assistant coach Brad Haddin confirming there are no concerns. The side looks settled, with Cooper Connolly continuing at No. 3 and providing balance, while the presence of multiple all-round options gives them flexibility across departments.

CSK Vs PBKS: Head-To-Head Record

Chennai Super Kings and Punjab Kings have faced each other 32 times in the IPL, with both sides evenly matched at 16 wins each. However, the CSK vs PBKS match prediction slightly tilts towards Punjab Kings based on current form and team balance.

CSK vs PBKS, IPL 2026: Did You Know?

• CSK and PBKS are evenly matched overall with 16 wins each, but since 2022, PBKS have had the edge with five wins compared to CSK’s one.

• The average first-innings score at Chepauk during the recently concluded T20 World Cup was 197, indicating batting-friendly conditions.

• CSK had a difficult home run in the 2025 season, managing just one win while losing five matches.

• Sanju Samson, set to make his CSK home debut, averages 13.16 at a strike rate of 105.33 at Chepauk, while Yuzvendra Chahal has enjoyed success against both CSK and Samson, including a hat-trick in Chennai and 23 wickets against CSK in the IPL.

CSK vs PBKS, IPL 2026: Who Said What?

Ruturaj Gaikwad on Sanju Samson:

"I congratulated him on his first boundary for yellow, first run obviously. So, whatever 10-15 balls were there, we had some amount of fun. Being a south boy, I knew he will always be welcomed here and I'm definitely more delighted to have him in my squad. A player with a lot of experience, a lot of calibre and definitely someone who I can always go up to. So it is a good addition. Hopefully, we will have many more partnerships to come for many seasons."

Brad Haddin on Cooper Connolly:

"We've known about him in Australia for some time. We were pretty keen to get him early in the auction. We spoke very early in our preparation about getting hold of Cooper before anyone could get a real look at how good he was and I think everyone got a taste of the maturity he has with the bat and the way he controlled the innings in his first IPL game under pressure."

Ruturaj Gaikwad on Chepauk pitch conditions:

"I think, usually, the Chennai wicket plays really well. But, at night, sometimes, you know, if there is excessive dew and a bit more moisture in the wicket, you know, the wicket tends to change a bit, especially the second half of the innings. So, not really sure about how it will go this year."

Brad Haddin on Priyansh Arya:

"Last year was phenomenal to watch. I remember when he arrived to camp, we knew his talent but then after a couple of net sessions, the coaches got together and sort of went wow, this kid is something special."

CSK Vs PBKS, IPL 2026: Squads

Punjab Kings Squad: Priyansh Arya, Prabhsimran Singh(w), Cooper Connolly, Shreyas Iyer(c), Nehal Wadhera, Shashank Singh, Marcus Stoinis, Marco Jansen, Xavier Bartlett, Vijaykumar Vyshak, Arshdeep Singh, Yuzvendra Chahal, Harpreet Brar, Praveen Dubey, Vishnu Vinod, Suryansh Shedge, Yash Thakur, Azmatullah Omarzai, Ben Dwarshuis, Lockie Ferguson, Mitchell Owen, Harnoor Singh, Musheer Khan, Pyla Avinash, Vishal Nishad

Chennai Super Kings Squad: Sanju Samson(w), Ruturaj Gaikwad(c), Ayush Mhatre, Matthew Short, Kartik Sharma, Shivam Dube, Jamie Overton, Noor Ahmad, Matt Henry, Anshul Kamboj, Khaleel Ahmed, Sarfaraz Khan, Prashant Veer, Rahul Chahar, Gurjapneet Singh, Ramakrishna Ghosh, Akeal Hosein, MS Dhoni, Shreyas Gopal, Spencer Johnson, Mukesh Choudhary, Aman Khan, Dewald Brevis, Zakary Foulkes, Urvil Patel