The MA Chidambaram Stadium (Chepauk, Chennai) will host the Chennai Super Kings vs Punjab Kings (CSK vs PBKS) match during the 49th match of the IPL 2025 on Wednesday evening (April 30). It will be their second meeting in the IPL 2025, while Punjab Kings won the first one by 18 runs in Mullanpur. Here, we are going through the Dream11 top three captains and vice-captains for the CSK vs PBKS match. 

IPL 2025, Match 49: CSK vs PBKS Probable XIs

The Chennai Super Kings (CSK), five-time champions of the Indian Premier League (IPL), faced a dismal IPL 2025 campaign after an abject five-wicket loss to Sunrisers Hyderabad. This latest defeat brought CSK’s total losses to seven, as the MS Dhoni-led team sat at the bottom of the table. Despite their legacy of success, Head Coach Stephen Fleming admitted the core of the Yellow Army were devastated by auction mistakes. There are 3 major auction mistakes that prevented CSK from being competitive.

1. Paying too Much for R Ashwin

CSK possibly took a huge gamble when paying INR 9.75 crore for Ravichandran Ashwin. From 2021 to 2024, R. Ashwin did not replicate his historic IPL success, taking 42 wickets in 57 innings with an average of 39.7 and a strike rate of 30.8. The 38-year-old off-spinner seems to have lost some pizzazz of his youth, as he was unable to spin the ball with relative revolutions, making it more difficult to deliver clean and effective deliveries. In IPL 2025, Ashwin ended with only five wickets in seven matches and an economy rate of 9.29. CSK's nostalgia for its former superstar seemingly cost them budget considerations and the ability to spot an explosive batter to bolster its flaky batting lineup.

2. The Retention of Ravindra Jadeja at a Premium

One of the more obvious blunders made by CSK was deciding to retain all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja for INR 18 crore! Jadeja, aged 36, returned for the IPL 2025 season with dismal performances, managing to score 166 runs at a mediocre strike rate of 125.76, while only managing to take 6 wickets at an average of 31.33 with an economy of 8.23 during the tournament. CSK's choice to retain him was misguided, as Jadeja has been on a downward spiral in T20 cricket. At INR 18 crore, he could not possibly add enough value to justify his retention price! CSK could have negotiated up a much lower retain, thus freeing space in their salary cap to buy quality T20 cricketers at the mega auction. CSK really misread the situation, which meant they could not build a balanced squad.

Also Read: Sourav Ganguly breaks silence on India Pakistan cricketing ties after Pahalgam attack

3. Prioritizing All-Rounders Over Specialists

The combination of bits-and-pieces players Sam Curran, Jamie Overton, Vijay Shankar, and Deepak Hooda were key areas of focus at the auction for CSK, while there was a lack of focus on studying specialist talent. During this phase - when other teams were spotting and drafting emerging star cricketers like Priyansh Arya and Vignesh Puthur—CSK was banking on the power of aging veterans! As it turned out, CSK's players could not perform at the level they were expected to. The result was a series of simultaneous changes in the team, and improvement was random and slow. Key batter Ruturaj Gaikwad was injured and unavailable, and a lack of reliance on a core group and specialist players became CSK's downfall. Also, it was a clear indication that CSK had failed to recognize the modern-day T20 game, and their approach at the auction signposted this.

In every season the Indian Premier League (IPL) has produced some exciting new talents. But there are some players who are part of the ongoing IPL 2025 who also played in the inaugural IPL season back in 2007-08. Through this article we'll discover the names of the cricketers, many of whom can be considered the cornerstone of the cash-rich tournament. The last name in the 9-player list is probably beyond your knowledge. 

Check the list here:

MS Dhoni

Former team India skipper, now 43, still driving his IPL career, an integral part of Chennai Super Kings (16th season underway), won 5 IPL trophies as captain out of 18 seasons. Dhoni played a couple of seasons for Rising Pune Supergiants, now a defunct club. In 273 IPL matches, Dhoni has made a total of 5383 runs so far.

Rohit Sharma

Started his IPL journey with Deccan Chargers, played 3 seasons here, shifted to Mumbai Indians during IPL 2011, and from then on, he has been playing for the 5-time champion franchise. Along with MS Dhoni, Sharma was also crowned IPL champion for the 5th time as a captain. For 2 teams, he has played a total 265 IPL matches and scored 6856 runs in total.

Read More: [WATCH] Rohit Sharma schooling Abdul Samad on batting techniques ahead of MI vs LSG match

Virat Kohli

From the inauguration of the IPL season until now, Virat Kohli has never played for any other franchise except Royal Challengers Bengaluru, yet he grabbed the IPL silverware. Scored 8396 runs for RCB in 253 innings. Virat, so far has played 261 matches and scored 8396 runs. 

Ishant Sharma

The tall Indian pacer made his IPL debut with Kolkata Knight Riders and has played for 7 different IPL teams. With lots of ups and downs, Sharma is still delivering at 140 kmph. Now playing for Gujarat Titans. Ishant Sharma has bowled in 115 matches and took 95 wickets. 

Manish Pandey

An immensely talented batter, but never able to establish his talent for Team India due to inconsistency. Participated in IPL with 7 different teams. Currently playing for Kolkata Knight Riders. Over-all in 172 IPL matches, Pandey has 3869 runs under his belt.

Ajinkya Rahane

Doing the captaincy job for Kolkata Knight Riders in the ongoing IPL 2025, he has played for 6 different teams and is a stalwart, easy on the eyes when he is in flow. So far, in 193 matches, he has gained 4,913 runs in total. Rahane with his classy batting, claimed 4913 runs in 193 matches. 

Ravichandran Ashwin

Retired from international cricket at 38, he is now playing for Chennai Super Kings. The spin bowling all-rounder has proved his value for 5 different teams. With the bat he scored 812 runs, and as a bowler Ashwin has taken 185 wickets so far with a 7.18 economy rate. 

Ravindra Jadeja

Another CSK player who has been playing IPL since the 2007-08 season, participating in the tournament with 4 different teams. With his batting part, he has added 3125 runs, and with the ball, Jadeja clinched 166 wickets. 

Swapnil Singh

A surprise entry in the list. The all-rounder from Uttar Pradesh, now 34, is a member of Royal Challengers Bengaluru in IPL 2025. The fun fact is that Singh participated in only 5 IPL seasons, including the 2025 campaign. After 2016 and 2017, he was out of the tournament and made his comeback in 2023. 

During Friday’s IPL 2025 match between Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in Chennai, Ravindra Jadeja had an unusual moment at the crease. As he walked in to bat at No. 4, his bat did not pass the size check done by the on-field umpire.

This season, a new rule has been introduced in the IPL, which requires every batter to pass their bat through a special plastic gauge before batting. The gauge checks if the bat’s size is within the allowed limits, not too wide, thick, or curved. Openers get their bats checked before walking out, while other batters are checked on the field by umpires.

Jadeja smiled and tried again to pass the test after tapping the bat on the ground, but the gauge still didn’t go through. He then signaled to the dressing room, and substitute Shreyas Gopal brought out a few more bats. One of them finally passed the test. Former Australian captain Michael Clarke, while commentating, mentioned that he liked the new rule. He stated that the bat a player takes onto the field should be checked, and if a new one is brought in, that should be checked as well.

pic.twitter.com/uBX63R8l2I

— crictalk (@crictalk7) April 25, 2025

ALSO SEE: IPL 2025: Why are Rachin Ravindra and Vijay Shankar not playing in today CSK vs SRH clash?

A lucky start with the new bat

Jadeja then faced his first ball from Harshal Patel. It took the outside edge of the bat and went for four between the wicketkeeper and the short third fielder.  As per official rules, a bat’s length cannot be more than 38 inches, and its width and depth also have limits. The IPL’s gauge follows slightly larger limits to allow quick checks during the match. 

The moment brought some light drama to the game and showed how serious the league is about following equipment rules. Jadeja continued his innings with a legal bat and a smile. However, the CSK all-rounder could not convert the start he got as he was dismissed for 21 runs off 17 balls. In his short-lived innings, the star India all-rounder hit one maximum before getting dismissed by Kamindu Mendis. 

In a high-pressure encounter in Match 22 of IPL 2025, Chennai Super Kings (CSK) pulled off an unorthodox and desperate tactical decision by retired-out opening batsman Devon Conway in their thrilling pursuit of Punjab Kings' huge 219/6. The Kiwi left-handed batsman, who had been holding the innings together, was recalled to the dugout on 69 off 49 deliveries in the 18th over, as CSK were still 43 runs short with the last 12 balls remaining.

Conway's send-off was not off a wicket but a tactical switch, as he became the second IPL 2025 batter to be retired out, following Mumbai Indians' Tilak Varma. The decision followed after Conway scored just a single off the 17.4 mark, and the run rate required had surged past 20 runs an over.

ALSO SEE: Vincy Premier League 2025: Where to watch and live-streaming details

Though he played a patient hand and developed partnerships through the middle, he could not gear up during the all-important death overs and so had slowed down CSK's momentum. CSK did not score a boundary for almost 20 balls, and the pressure mounted with the game escaping their grasp.

Realizing the necessity of power-hitters in the last overs, CSK brought in Ravindra Jadeja to accompany MS Dhoni, who had just rekindled hopes with consecutive sixes off Lockie Ferguson. The crowd went wild as Dhoni gave glimpses of his old self, scoring 15 off 7 at a strike rate of more than 214.

Punjab's Dominance and Arya's Blistering Ton

Earlier, Punjab Kings had scored a strong 219/6, led by a staggering 103 off 39 balls by debutant Priyansh Arya the fourth fastest IPL century. Shashank Singh's late onslaught added to PBKS's strength.

ALSO SEE: Top 5 fastest centuries in history of IPL

CSK's start was good with Conway and Rachin Ravindra, but their middle overs lacked traction. Shivam Dube was caught out off a smart knuckle ball, and Ferguson's 18th over of just six runs kept the pressure on.

Though the retired-out move ignited controversy, it reflected CSK's adaptability in tight spots, even if it cost a set batter for the team's overall good. Whether it works or not, it's another innovative page in CSK's changing T20 strategy.

In the 22nd match of the IPL 2025, Punjab Kings vs Chennai Super Kings (PBKS vs CSK) has been scheduled for Tuesday evening (April 8) at Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium (Mullanpur). Here, we are going through the Dream11 top captains and vice-captains of the match. 

IPL 2025, Match 22: PBKS vs CSK Probable XIs

Punjab Kings Predicted Playing XI: Prabhsimran Singh, Priyansh Arya/Yuzvendra Chahal (Impact Players Sub), Shreyas Iyer (Captain), Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis, Nehal Wadhera, Shashank Singh, Azmatullah Omarzai/Marco Jansen, Lockie Ferguson, Harpreet Brar, Arshdeep Singh

Chennai Super Kings Predicted Playing XI: Rachin Ravindra, Devon Conway/Khaleel Ahmed (Impact Player Sub), Ruturaj Gaikwad (Captain), Vijay Shankar, Shivam Dube, Ravindra Jadeja, MS Dhoni (wk), Ravichandran Ashwin, Matheesha Pathirana, Noor Ahmad, Kamlesh Nagarkoti

See Also: IPL 2025, Match 21: KKR vs LSG Dream11 Top Captain And Vice-captain Choices

IPL 2025, Match 22: PBKS vs CSK Dream11 Top Captains And Vice-captains

Top 3 Captain choices

Rachin Ravindra: New Zealand cricketer Rachin Ravindra started this IPL season strongly with scores of 65 not out and 41 runs. Although he was dismissed cheaply (0, and 3) in the next two games, CSK are hugely dependent on his starts. 

Shreyas Iyer: The IPL 2024 title-winning captain Shreyas Iyer is performing strongly in his new IPL team, and that too as a captain once again. Starting the season with his selfless 97 not out, Iyer scored another 52 not out in the next game, before losing his first wicket in the IPL 2025 in their last game after getting out for only 10 runs. 

Arshdeep Singh: The left-arm pacer Arshdeep Singh has started the IPL 2025 strongly by picking up six wickets in three matches. He enjoys bowling both in the powerplay and slog overs.  

Top 3 Vice-captain choices

Glenn Maxwell: Glenn Maxwell can play a key all-rounder role for PBKS this season. Apart from picking up two wickets in the early IPL 2025, he also scored an important 30 off 21 balls in the last game with the help of three fours and one six. 

Ravindra Jadeja: Apart from picking up two wickets in four games, Ravindra Jadeja scored two important knocks of 25 and 32 not out. However, we are still missing the dangerous batter Jadeja, who was always threatening the opponents. 

Noor Ahmad: Afghan cricketer Noor Ahmad is now the joint leading wicket-taker in the IPL 2025 with ten wickets in four matches, including winning the Player of the Match award in their season opener for match-winning four wickets (4/18). 

We are ready for the Chennai Super Kings vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru (CSK vs RCB) match, which is the eighth match of the IPL 2025 and will be played on Friday evening (March 28) at the MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chepauk, Chennai. Here, we are going through the top favourite names for the captain and vice-captain of Dream11 for the match. 

IPL 2025, Match 8: CSK vs RCB Probable XIs

Chennai Super Kings Predicted Playing 11: Rachin Ravindra, Ruturaj Gaikwad (Captain), Rahul Tripathi/Khaleel Ahmed (Impact Player Sub), Deepak Hooda, Shivam Dube, Sam Curran, Ravindra Jadeja, MS Dhoni (wk), Ravichandran Ashwin, Nathan Ellis, Noor Ahmad

Royal Challengers Bengaluru Predicted Playing 11: Virat Kohli, Phil Salt, Rajat Patidar (Captain), Devdutt Padikkal/Suyash Sharma (Impact Player Sub), Liam Livingstone, Jitesh Sharma (wk), Tim David, Krunal Pandya, Rasikh Salam/Swapnil Singh, Josh Hazlewood, Yash Dayal 

See Also: RCB’s Last Win vs CSK in Chepauk: World was Different in 2008

IPL 2025, Match 8: CSK vs RCB Dream11 Top Captains And Vice-captains

Top 3 Captain's choices

Rachin Ravindra: New Zealand cricketer Rachin Ravindra is in great form with the bat. While CSK had a tricky chase of 156 runs against Mumbai Indians in their IPL 2025 opener, Ravindra scored 65 not out off 45 balls with two fours and four sixes, as CSK managed to chase the target despite losing wickets at regular intervals. His spin bowling is also an asset for his team.  

Krunal Pandya: While RCB managed a solid start in the IPL 2025 with a seven-wicket thrashing win against the hosts and defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), Krunal Pandya was the main character why RCB return to the game and never lost the plot since then. The left-arm spinner maintained tight lines in the IPL 2025 opener as he dismissed set captain Ajinkya Rahane (56), Venkatesh Iyer (6), and Rinku Singh (12). He had the bowling figures of 4-0-29-3 as he won the Player of the Match award. In Chennai, he can play another crucial role for his team with the ball. 

Virat Kohli: Former RCB captain Virat Kohli is now in great form with the bat in white-ball cricket. The leading run-scorer in IPL history started the IPL 2025 in familiar style as his powerful 59 not out off 36 balls (four fours and three sixes) had an important role in the successful 175-run chase. 

Top 3 Vice-captain's choices

Noor Ahmad: The Afghan spinner Noor Ahmad was the hero for CSK in their first game of the IPL 2025, where they beat Mumbai Indians by four wickets with five balls to spare. While they restricted MI to 155/9 in 20 overs, Noor had the bowling figures of 4-0-18-4, as he dismissed Suryakumar Yadav (29), Robin Minz (3), Tilak Varma (31), and Naman Dhit (17). 

Khaleel Ahmed: While Noor Ahmed was the Player of the Match for CSK in their IPL 2025 opener, the left-arm pacer Khaleel Ahmed set the tone for that with his two wickets in the powerplay. In his first two overs, Khaleel dismissed Rohit Sharma (0) and Ryan Rickelton (0). Later, in the slog overs, he dismissed Trent Boult (1) and finished with the bowling figures of 4-0-29-3. 

Ravindra Jadeja: Chennai Super Kings all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja is always a key name in any format of cricket as he is a rare asset for any team. In Chennai, his left-arm spin bowling is key, while the left-handed batter can also play crucial cameos. In their first IPL 2025 match against Mumbai Indians, while Jadeja controlled with the bowling figures of 3-0-21-0, he came at a crucial time in the batting and set up the match-saver 36-run partnership for the sixth wicket with Rachin Ravindra before the Indian cricketer was run out for 17 runs. 

The Indian Premier League (IPL) has long been a stage for explosive batting, and the 20th over often decides the fate of matches with its high-stakes drama. Here’s a look at the top players with the most sixes in the 20th over, based on balls faced.

Leading the pack is the legendary MS Dhoni, reigns at the top of the chart with 69 sixes out off 330 balls. The nickname, "Captain Cool," that he has earned is due to his strength of the capability to end games with those big strikes which has made him the most favored player and the most fearful of bowlers in the death overs.

Following him is Kieron Pollard, who has succeeded in hitting 33 sixes off 189 balls. This West Indian at many times has been the individual who gets the advantage of the match to the side of Mumbai Indians by his extraordinary magnitude.

Most 6s in 20th Over in IPL

69 - MS Dhoni (330b)
33 - Kieron Pollard (189b)
30 - Ravindra Jadeja (181b)
28 - Hardik Pandya (117b)
23 - Rohit Sharma (91b)
21 - 𝗗𝗮𝘃𝗶𝗱 𝗠𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗿 (106b)*
20 - Dinesh Karthik (136b)
19 - AB Devilliers (88b)#DCvsLSG

— 𝑺𝒉𝒆𝒃𝒂𝒔 (@Shebas_10dulkar) March 24, 2025

Also Read: Krunal Pandya’s birthday celebrated in RCB camp amid IPL 2025

Next Ravindra Jadeja who has hit 30 sixes in 181 balls, & he is an epitome of versatility among cricketers. And Hardik Pandya’s 28 sixes in 117 balls prove how he always drives the onlookers to the edge of their seats. Rohit Sharma (23 sixes off 91 balls) and David Miller (21 sixes off 106 balls) contribute their part, with Miller still playing and setting his sights on the list’s ascension. Also on the list are Dinesh Karthik (20 sixes off 136 balls) and AB de Villiers (19 sixes off 88 balls) to complete the picture, the accolade of a game changer being appropriate for them.

Also Read: Nicholas Pooran's smashing over: 28 runs in just six balls!

Their ability to maintain their cool is what sets apart in these high octane encounters. Classic moments from IPL history such as Dhoni’s helicopter shot and Pollard’s majestic lofts coupled with de Villiers’ 360 degree innovation will always remain in our memories. While Jadeja and Pandya have took the baton and established themselves as the new age phenomenal finishers with unmatched accuracy and power.

We might see new people on this list with the evolution of T20 cricket, but thoes names will always be remembered.

The IPL comes with glamour, edge-of-the-seat cricket, and multi-crore rupee deals. But amidst all the glamour, there have been dark incidents also that shook the cricketing community. Here are some of the most noted IPL scandals:

1. 2013 Spot-Fixing Scandal

This was among the darkest times of IPL history. Three Rajasthan Royals players, Sreesanth, Ajit Chandila, and Ankeet Chavan, were arrested for spot-fixing. The image of the league left everyone shocked.

2. CSK and RR Banned (2015)

Chennai Super Kings and Rajasthan Royals were suspended for two years when their promoters got involved in illegal gambling. It was a devastating blow, as CSK was one of the most successful teams in the IPL's history.

ALSO SEE: Highest-Paid IPL Players Who Never Played a Single Match!

3. Lalit Modi Controversy

Lalit Modi, the creator of IPL, was charged with irregularities and suspended by the BCCI in 2010. His abrupt departure from the league raised a number of questions regarding cricket administration corruption.

4. Suspension of Ravindra Jadeja (2010)

Jadeja, the superstar of today, was suspended for the 2010 season when he attempted to negotiate with another team while he was already contracted to Rajasthan Royals. It was an unusual instance of a player being punished for breach of contract.

5. Harbhajan Singh Slaps Sreesanth (2008)

In a shock during the inaugural season of IPL, Indian player Sreesanth was slapped by Harbhajan Singh following a match between Kings XI Punjab and Mumbai Indians. It resulted in Harbhajan's suspension for the remainder of the season.

But despite all the scandals, the IPL is one of the biggest cricket leagues in the world. Even though scandals rocked the tournament, popularity of the tournament is growing year by year.

Which of the IPL controversy do you remember most?

India has won numerous ICC trophies in the past, with some players giving excellent performances at the right time.

The players who received the most Man of the Match awards during each winning campaign:

1983: Mohinder Amarnath

Mohinder Amarnath was a crucial member of India's historic World Cup victory. He received two Man of the Match awards, one for the semi-final against England and another for the final against West Indies. His all-round play, providing important wickets and solid batting, assisted India in capturing the trophy.

2002: Virender Sehwag

India co-shared the Champions Trophy with Sri Lanka in 2002, and Virender Sehwag was one of the stars of the tournament. He received two Man of the Match awards for his explosive batting and effective bowing contributions.

ALSO SEE: Players With Most Sixes In Champions Trophy 2025

2007: Yuvraj Singh

Yuvraj Singh played a major role in India's success in the first T20 World Cup. He received two Man of the Match awards, both for one against England when he hit six sixes in an over and the second for his aggressive knock against Australia in the semi-final.

2011:Yuvraj Singh

The 2011 World Cup was ruled by Yuvraj Singh, who collected four Man of the Match awards. He scored important innings with the bat and also chipped in with the ball, thus becoming the pillar of India's campaign. His all-round excellence guided India to lift the trophy after 28 years.

2013:Ravindra Jadeja

Ravindra Jadeja was one of the star performers in India's 2013 Champions Trophy victory. He secured two Man of the Match awards for his all-round performances, including match-winning bowling efforts and aggressive lower-order hitting.

2024: Jasprit Bumrah

Jasprit Bumrah was the match-winner for India in the 2024 T20 World Cup. He secured two Man of the Match awards for his superb bowling performances, contributing significantly to India's victory.

2025:Virat Kohli

One of the all-time great batsmen, Virat Kohli once again rose to the occasion in the 2025 Champions Trophy. He earned two Man of the Match awards to establish himself as a player who can perform under pressure and took India to another ICC title.

From Mohinder Amarnath in 1983 to Virat Kohli in 2025, each ICC victory has been crafted by the players who played when it counted. With additional tournaments in store, people can't help but wait for the next big star who will lead India to victory.