IPL 2026, SRH vs CSK: Still no MS Dhoni in playing XI; Praful Hinge, Sakib Hussain stay

NEW DELHI: Chennai Super Kings won the toss and opted to field against Sunrisers Hyderabad in match 27 of IPL 2026 at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, with conditions strongly favouring a high-scoring contest.

According to pitch experts Simon Katich and Dale Steyn, the Hyderabad surface is expected to produce plenty of runs.

With short square boundaries, 63 metres on one side and 67 metres on the other, and a straight boundary of 77 metres, batters are likely to enjoy the conditions. The pitch, described as hard with no grass and an average first-innings score of 205, is expected to assist stroke play, though there is enough bounce for pacers who hit the deck hard.

Katich and Steyn also suggested that teams will need to stay aggressive in both batting and bowling during the powerplay, noting that early wickets remain a possibility if bowlers attack the right areas. However, they believe chasing could be the preferred strategy on this surface.

Sunrisers Hyderabad skipper Ishan Kishan admitted he would have preferred to bat first but remained confident.

He emphasised the importance of playing for the team and adapting to early movement with the new ball. The hosts made one change, bringing in Dilshan Madushanka for Harsh Dubey to add swing up front.

Chennai Super Kings captain Ruturaj Gaikwad expressed confidence in his side’s improving form, highlighting better execution across departments in recent games. He stressed consistency and sticking to basics as key, while also praising contributions from bowlers like Noor Ahmad and Anshul Kamboj.

SRH will rely on their explosive top order featuring Abhishek Sharma, Travis Head and Heinrich Klaasen, while CSK field a balanced XI with Sanju Samson, Shivam Dube and Dewald Brevis adding firepower.

With a batting-friendly pitch and both teams opting for aggressive cricket, a high-scoring encounter is firmly on the cards in Hyderabad.

Sunrisers Hyderabad (Playing XI): Abhishek Sharma, Travis Head, Ishan Kishan (c), Heinrich Klaasen, Salil Arora(w), Aniket Verma, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Shivang Kumar, Praful Hinge, Sakib Hussain, Eshan Malinga

Sunrisers Hyderabad Impact Subs: Smaran Ravichandran, Harsh Dubey, Liam Livingstone, Dilshan Madushanka, Harshal Patel

Chennai Super Kings (Playing XI): Sanju Samson(w), Ruturaj Gaikwad (c), Sarfaraz Khan, Shivam Dube, Dewald Brevis, Jamie Overton, Matthew Short, Anshul Kamboj, Noor Ahmad, Mukesh Choudhary, Gurjapneet Singh