But there is such talent for the men in yellow that the expectation is that it simply must come good. From the very top with names like Samson, Gaikwad, and Mhatre, with Shivam Dube in the middle order and being boosted by the arrival of Dewald Brevis after a side-strain – there is plenty of powerful batting, and more to come with the exciting youth of Kartik Sharma and more. MS Dhoni's absence leaves a gap in the experience factor, but CSK's players who get to play in his stead will be hungry to maek a point, and that makes any team dangerous.
But Punjab are the runners-up from 2025 for a reason. The team is extremely well-rounded, quality in every position, huge batting depth, a perfectly-calibrated bowling unit, and a leadership group in Ricky Ponting and Shreyas Iyer that plays with swagger and certainty about where their skills lie. Their win over Gujarat Titans felt regulation – nothing too shocking, nothing out of the blue, but a perfectly paced and confidently achieved chase thanks to a special knock from debutant Cooper Connolly.
It's a question of CSK's high ceiling against Punjab's high floor: CSK can beat Punjab if they are at their best, but chances are that Punjab's consistency over 40 overs proves to be the way to go if CSK have another implosion in Chennai tonight.
Anupamaa
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