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Indian Premier League 2021

IPL 2021: Chennai Super Kings vs Delhi Capitals - Preview and probable playing XI

Will Mahi and Co. shed their 'Dad's Army' tag for their season opener against last year's runner-ups?

IPL 2021: Chennai Super Kings vs Delhi Capitals - Preview and probable playing XI
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MS Dhoni's Chennai Super Kings will take on the Rishab Pant led Delhi Capitals on April 10. (Source: India Today)

By

Rashi Bhattacharyya

Updated: 23 April 2021 1:25 PM GMT

IPL 2020 was memorable for both Chennai Super Kings and Delhi Capitals for very different reasons.

While Chennai had a nightmarish season and finished 7th on the points table, Delhi reached their first-ever IPL final where they lost to defending champions Mumbai Indians.

On April 10, after mere six months, both the teams are set to open their IPL 2021 campaign at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai, a city that has seen a stunning rise in COVID-19 cases recently.

As we wait to see Chennai and Delhi back in action during the second fixture of Vivo IPL, here's an overview of how the squads are shaping up before their big match.

The Chennai Super Kings squad

After their forgettable performance last year, Chennai will try to change some things this time around.

The biggest problem for Chennai in IPL 2020 was their lack of faith in youngsters.

Due to their tendency to rely on senior players almost all the time despite the strategy not working, the team received the unflattering tag of 'Dad's army'.

By relying on young talents like Sam Curran, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Narayan Jagadeesan, and the squad's new member Krishnappa Gowtham, Chennai can leave their misfortunes behind.

The franchise will also benefit from the return of Chennai's lucky charm Suresh Raina and the addition of experienced all-rounder Moeen Ali.

Furthermore, they will continue to bank on the expertise of their experienced players like captain MS Dhoni, Ravindra Jadeja, Faf du Plessis, Dwayne Bravo, Imran Tahir, Ambati Rayudu and Robin Uthappa.

Chennai Super Kings' Probable Playing XI

Ruturaj Gaikwad, Faf du Plessis, Ambati Rayudu, Suresh Raina, MS Dhoni, Ravindra Jadeja, Moeen Ali, Krishnappa Gowtham, Sam Curran, Shardul Thakur, Deepak Chahar.

The Delhi Capitals squad

Ever since the Australian legend Ricky Ponting took over as head coach of Delhi Capitals, the team has been on the ascendency.

After making it to the playoffs in 2019 and reaching the finale last season, the franchise is one of the top contenders for the title this season.

Despite the unavailability of Delhi's star batsman and skipper Shreyas Iyer in IPL 2021 due to an injury, the squad has a fairly balanced batting line-up with the likes of Shikhar Dhawan, Prithvi Shaw, Ajinkya Rahane, Shimron Hetmyer, Marcus Stoinis, and the newly-appointed captain Rishabh Pant.

Their bowling department has also shaped up superbly with a perfect combination of talent and experience.

Kagiso Rabada, Anrich Nortje, Ravichandran Ashwin, Amit Mishra, Ishant Sharma, Axar Patel are all in good form.

Although Rabada, Nortje, and Patel will miss the first match, the team has enough options to take their place.

The addition of Steve Smith, Tom Curran, Sam Billings, and Umesh Yadav will further improve the chances for DC.

Delhi Capitals' Probable Playing XI

Shikhar Dhawan, Prithvi Shaw, Ajinkya Rahane, Rishabh Pant, Shimron Hetmyer, Marcus Stoinis, Ravichandran Ashwin, Amit Mishra, Tom Curran, Umesh Yadav, Ishant Sharma.

CSK vs DC: Pitch Report

The iconic Wankhede stadium will host the league's second match.

Known for the many closely-fought matches over the years, Wankhede will once again provide a batsmen-friendly pitch.

The shorter boundaries will also enable big-hitters to unleash big shots. So, its fair to expect big scores.

Also, conditions at the beginning here do aid the seamers historically, so pacers from both squads will be itching to grab the new ball to strike that early breakthrough.

Dew in the evening could be a factor. Time will tell if the spinners will be impacted in any way.

CSK vs DC: Match Details

Venue: Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai

Date: 10th April 2021 Time: 7:30 PM IST.

CSK vs DC: Live Streaming

In the Indian subcontinent, the match between Chennai Super Kings and Delhi Capitals will be broadcast live on the Star Sports Network. Fans can also stream the match live on Disney+ Hotstar.

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