We are just about entering the business end of the Indian Premier League’s group phase. The league table has given a good indication of who the front-runners are going to be in the playoff race, and apart from Punjab Kings, Royal Challengers Bengaluru, and Rajasthan Royals, the margins are thin for most teams at the moment.
Delhi Capitals know this very well as they host Chennai Super Kings for their reverse fixture this season. DC were blown away in their first meeting this season. Playing at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai, Sanju Samson hit a superb hundred to guide the hosts to a 212-run total, which CSK later defended, courtesy of Jamie Overton’s pace.
A desperate Delhi side will hope to hit back at CSK and gain some momentum as they enter the final phase of the group stages. DC are coming off a win against the Rajasthan Royals, a victory that is expected to boost their confidence. One of the striking differences for Delhi this time is the availability of Mitchell Starc, who turned out to be a match-winner in his very first match of the season.
Delhi will also be boosted by the return of Lungi Ngidi, who has completed a mandatory six-day break after his concussion injury and is fit to play again. This should give DC the required depth in the bowling attack to tackle the likes of Samson, Ruturaj Gaikwad, and Dewald Brevis.
This could mean that Delhi play Ngidi and Starc together, marking the return of a superstar overseas fast-bowling duo for the franchise. The last time two elite overseas pacers operated together for DC was in the 2020-21 season, when Kagiso Rabada and Anrich Nortje led the attack.
The franchise will hope that the duo can exploit the conditions in Delhi and provide an early breakthrough.
DC RETURN TO TRICKY KOTLA
This will be Delhi’s first match at home since their back-to-back defeats against Punjab Kings and Royal Challengers Bengaluru. DC captain Axar Patel had expressed frustration after those losses, pointing to repeated mistakes and a lack of luck.
But have Delhi really moved on from those games? When they return to the Arun Jaitley Stadium on Tuesday, can they shake off those memories?
That mental block could play a significant role when they face CSK.
It should help that KL Rahul and Pathum Nissanka clicked in the last game. When the duo bat well together, it often bodes well for DC, and that could be key again.
NO MS DHONI
Chennai Super Kings have travelled to Delhi without their talisman MS Dhoni, who is still recovering from a calf injury. There are murmurs among CSK fans that Dhoni is fit but is allowing the team to settle into a combination ahead of a possible exit at the end of the season.
Even without Dhoni, strong support is expected for CSK. If players like Mukesh Choudhary and Anshul Kamboj can exploit the conditions, this could turn into a competitive contest.
DC vs CSK: TEAM NEWS
An injury to Sahil Parakh in the nets forced Delhi Capitals into changes in the last game. They brought in Pathum Nissanka and dropped David Miller, a move that paid off against Rajasthan Royals.
DC coach Munaf Patel ruled out changes in the batting order. It is likely that Delhi will include Ngidi in the playing XI alongside Starc.
Chennai, on the other hand, have been hit by multiple injuries this season. The latest is Ramakrishna Ghosh, who suffered a foot fracture in their previous game against Mumbai Indians.
DC coach Munaf Patel expected that the pitch should be a good one to bat on and should provide scores above 200 runs. However, he gave a tinge of an warning that it might slightly favour spin outside of the powerplay.
DELHI: PITCH AND WEATHER
The weather in Delhi has been tricky this season. Rain fell on the eve of the match, and more is expected around the start of play.
Conditions at the Arun Jaitley Stadium have been influenced by breeze, and if there is assistance on the pitch, fast bowlers could come into play. This suits both teams, although DC appear to have the more balanced attack.
DC vs CSK: Predicted XIs
Delhi Capitals Predicted XI
KL Rahul (wk), Pathum Nissanka, Nitish Rana, Sameer Rizvi, Tristan Stubbs, Vipraj Nigam, Axar Patel (c), Ashutosh Sharma, Lungi Ngidi, Mitchell Starc, Kuldeep Yadav
Impact Sub: T Natarajan
Chennai Super Kings Predicted XI
Sanju Samson (wk), Ruturaj Gaikwad (c), Urvil Patel, Kartik Sharma, Dewald Brevis, Shivam Dube, Jamie Overton, Prashant Veer, Noor Ahmad, Anshul Kamboj, Mukesh Choudhary.
Impact sub: Gurjapneet Singh
IPL 2026 | IPL Schedule | IPL Points Table | IPL Player Stats | Purple Cap | Orange Cap | IPL Videos | Cricket News | Live Score
– Ends
