CSK vs DC Match Prediction: Who will win today's IPL 2025 match?

Things haven't gone to plan for the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in the 2025 Indian Premier League (IPL). The last time they played a game at home, the Men in Yellow were hammered by 50 runs by the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB).

Following the game, captain Ruturaj Gaikwad came out and said that the margin of defeat wasn't too high. But the truth of the matter is that the Super Kings are already in heaps of trouble, with the third-worst net run rate in the competition. They are currently placed eighth in the standings, and the team just below them - the Rajasthan Royals (RR) - just beat them in a tense game in Guwahati.

When CSK face off against the Delhi Capitals (DC) on Saturday, April 5, they will be in must-win territory. The roster is constructed to enable success at the MA Chidambaram Stadium, and two losses out of three to start the campaign at home could be a disaster.

Meanwhile, the Capitals are flying high in IPL 2025. Axar Patel's tenure as full-time captain has started on a brilliant note, with two wins on the trot. Despite losing Harry Brook for the entire season and T Natarajan for the first few matches, Delhi have found a way to come out on top.

Interestingly, DC have lost four of their last five matches against CSK. But when they faced off in Vizag last year, a two-fer from Khaleel Ahmed - who, of course, now dons yellow - got them over the line by 20 runs.

CSK's squad for IPL 2025: Ruturaj Gaikwad, Rahul Tripathi, Shaik Rasheed, Deepak Hooda, Andre Siddarth, Devon Conway, MS Dhoni, Vansh Bedi, Ravindra Jadeja, Shivam Dube, R Ashwin, Sam Curran, Rachin Ravindra, Vijay Shankar, Anshul Kamboj, Jamie Overton, Ramakrishna Ghosh, Noor Ahmad, Shreyas Gopal, Matheesha Pathirana, Khaleel Ahmed, Kamlesh Nagarkoti, Mukesh Choudhary, Gurjapneet Singh, Nathan Ellis.

DC's squad for IPL 2025: Jake Fraser-McGurk, Tristan Stubbs, Faf du Plessis, Karun Nair, KL Rahul, Abishek Porel, Donovan Ferreira, Axar Patel, Ashutosh Sharma, Sameer Rizvi, Darshan Nalkande, Vipraj Nigam, Ajay Mandal, Manvanth Kumar, Tripurana Vijay, Madhav Tiwari, Kuldeep Yadav, Mitchell Starc, Mukesh Kumar, T Natarajan, Mohit Sharma, Dushmantha Chameera.

Can DC continue their unbeaten start to IPL 2025? Or will CSK dig deep and get back in the win column?

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IPL 2025: Can CSK use Chepauk factor to upset high-flying DC?

Ashwin hasn't been at his best. [Image: @IPL on X]

There aren't any clear answers to CSK's problems. Captain Gaikwad is under an injury cloud and might not feature on Saturday. Without him, the already fragile batting lineup will be much worse off.

Chennai have been vocal about wanting to play on turners at home, but even if they get their wish, DC have the spin resources to trouble the middle order. Kuldeep Yadav, Axar Patel and Vipraj Nigam have formed a deadly spin trio, with Tristan Stubbs capable of contributing as well.

The Super Kings have so many match-winners in their ranks in the bowling department that it's hard to write them off, no matter how out of it they seem to be. The fact that this is a day game should level the playing field to a certain extent, although dew hasn't been a major factor in the last two matches at Chepauk.

While it's hard to bet against CSK at home, Gaikwad's potential absence and Delhi's spin unit could make the visitors the favorites. This contest, however, is too close to call.

Prediction: DC to win Match 17 of IPL 2025.