In a thrilling IPL 2026 encounter, Shreyas Iyer won the toss and chose to bowl first against the Chennai Super Kings (CSK). The Chennai side is looking to bounce back after a tough loss in their opening match, while Punjab Kings (PBKS) aims to secure their second consecutive victory.
CSK faced defeat at the hands of the Rajasthan Royals in their first outing, and they are eager to turn their fortunes around in front of their home supporters against PBKS, who recently triumphed over the Gujarat Titans.
This match also marks the home debut for Sanju Samson with CSK after his transition from the Rajasthan Royals. The wicketkeeper-batter is keen to kick off his new chapter with a stellar performance, building on his impressive form displayed during the T20 World Cup.
After the toss, Iyer expressed his strategy to bowl first, anticipating a fresh wicket. “We will bowl first. It’s their home ground debut, so the pressure will be on them. I aim to stay positive, calm, and composed while steering clear of negativity. Our lineup gives us a lot of confidence, and we just want to play our best against a consistently strong team,” Iyer stated.
On the other side, Ruturaj Gaikwad of CSK shared his satisfaction with batting first, hoping to reverse the team’s fortunes after the prior defeat. “It seems a bit dry; I don’t expect much change. It’s early April, so dew shouldn’t be an issue. Setting a target and defending it should work in our favor. Last season was tricky due to some mistakes that can happen in T20 cricket. The key for CSK has always been a solid top order and a strong start by the openers, which is why I’m excited to partner with Sanju Samson. We’ve made one change: Prashant Veer replaces Matt Short,” Gaikwad explained.
**Playing XI for both teams:**
**CSK:** Sanju Samson (c), Ruturaj Gaikwad, Ayush Mhatre, Sarfaraz Khan, Shivam Dube, Kartik Sharma, Prashant Veer, Noor Ahmad, Anshul Kamboj, Matt Henry, Khaleel Ahmed.
**PBKS:** Prabhsimran Singh (c), Cooper Connolly, Shreyas Iyer, Shashank Singh, Nehal Wadhera, Marcus Stoinis, Marco Jansen, Xavier Bartlett, Vijaykumar Vyshak, Arshdeep Singh, Yuzvendra Chahal.