3 player battles to watch out for in CSK vs DC, Match 17 of IPL 2025 ft. Shivam Dube

Chennai Super Kings (CSK) are set to play their third home game of this season, this time against Delhi Capitals (DC), on Saturday, April 5, at the MA Chidambaram Stadium. The Chepauk game will be an afternoon affair, the first game of the double-header day.

The two teams have had contrasting campaigns at the ongoing 2025 Indian Premier League (IPL) so far, with DC finding themselves in the second spot on the points table and CSK being placed in the bottom half.

DC are among the only two unbeaten teams so far, alongside Punjab Kings (PBKS), with two wins from two games. CSK, meanwhile, started their season with a win against Mumbai Indians (MI) but lost their next two encounters, one at home (RCB) and one away from home (RR).

The two sides have squared off 30 times previously, with CSK winning 19 matches and DC winning the remaining 11. As they gear up for their 31st clash, here’s looking at the three player battles that one should watch out for in the contest:

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#3 Jake Fraser-McGurk vs Khaleel Ahmed

Teammates till the last edition of the tournament, Jake Fraser-McGurk and Khaleel Ahmed, will go head-to-head, with the latter now a part of the CSK setup. Ahmed was released by DC ahead of the mega auction and was roped in by the five-time champions, while the Australian was retained.

The duo have only faced each other in the nets previously, and this will be the first time they face off in competitive cricket. While Khaleel started well for CSK, he hasn’t replicated his performances since the first game.

Fraser-McGurk didn’t have an ideal start to the tournament, but bounced back in DC’s second game while opening the innings. He played a composed knock of 38(32), hitting four fours and two sixes. With the Aussie struggling for form and Ahmed raring to go in the powerplay overs, this will be a contest to watch out for.

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#2 KL Rahul vs Noor Ahmad

After missing the first game for DC owing to the birth of his first child with his wife and Bollywood actress Athiya Shetty, KL Rahul made his way into the XI for the team’s second game. Walking in to bat at No. 4, Rahul notched up 15 runs off the first four deliveries he faced before being dismissed off the fifth.

CSK skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad and the team management have placed their faith in Noor Ahmad, who has been doing wonders with the ball in the middle overs. Thanks to his strategic bowling, he’s currently the Purple Cap holder of the tournament with nine wickets from three games.

With Ahmad in top form and Rahul too motivated to pick up from where he left off in the last game, it’ll be interesting to see who gets the upper hand in this battle of two power-packed middle-over players.

The duo have faced off in just two innings previously, where Rahul has scored 22 runs off the 19 deliveries faced against Noor while batting at a strike rate of 115.78.

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#1 Shivam Dube vs Kuldeep Yadav

Shivam Dube is struggling to find his usual form, but has developed into a great player of spin in recent years. He unleashes the beast within against spin, but fell prey to Wanindu Hasaranga as the Sri Lankan spun a web to trap the six-hitting machine.

CSK have relied on Dube in the middle-overs, who is one player who can be banked upon to get the scorecard ticking. He shifts gears smoothly and effortlessly and is a perfect accelerator in the middle overs. One player who can stop Dube’s fireworks against DC is Kuldeep Yadav.

Though Dube against spin typically means destruction and inflow of runs, Kuldeep Yadav’s skill-set of varying the pace of his deliveries will pose a challenge against the CSK batter. Moreover, with both sides consisting of some of the finest spinners in world cricket, it’ll be more of a battle between the spinners.