Chennai Super Kings (CSK) host Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in the 63rd match of IPL 2026 on Monday, May 18, 2026, at the MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai, starting at 7:30 PM IST. For your Dream11 team, Sanju Samson is the top captain pick. He has scored 430 runs at an average of 53.75 and a strike rate of 169.29 this season, including two centuries, and is CSK’s most explosive batter on a Chepauk surface where attacking batting at the top has become the most reliable path to a winning score.
Heinrich Klaasen or Noor Ahmad work well as vice-captain options, covering SRH’s IPL 2026 leading run-scorer who averages 50.80 and rarely fails and CSK’s most potent spin weapon on a Chepauk surface that is tailor-made for his left-arm wrist-spin in the middle overs.
CSK vs SRH Match Preview, IPL 2026
| Match Detail | Info |
|---|---|
| Match | CSK vs SRH, IPL 2026 Match 63 |
| Date | Monday, May 18, 2026 |
| Time | 7:30 PM IST |
| Venue | MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai (Chepauk) |
| Broadcast | Star Sports Network, JioHotstar |
| CSK Captain | Ruturaj Gaikwad |
| SRH Captain | Pat Cummins |
| CSK Coach | Stephen Fleming |
| Key Absentees | Jamie Overton (CSK — ruled out for the rest of IPL 2026 with injury); Travis Head (SRH — fitness to be confirmed; did not play vs GT) |
| CSK Season Form | 6th place — 6 wins, 6 losses in 12 matches; 12 points; on a 2-match losing streak; lost 210 batting first against LSG when dew helped chasers in their last game |
| SRH Season Form | 3rd place — 7 wins, 5 losses in 12 matches; 14 points; won last game would seal playoff spot; lost to GT by 82 runs in last fixture; need wins in both remaining games to guarantee qualification |
CSK vs SRH Predicted Playing XI & Key Players
Here are the predicted playing XI and key players to watch out for from both teams.
CSK Predicted Playing XI
CSK Predicted XI: Sanju Samson (WK), Ruturaj Gaikwad (C), Urvil Patel, Kartik Sharma, Dewald Brevis, Shivam Dube, Prashant Veer, Anshul Kamboj, Noor Ahmad, Spencer Johnson, Mukesh Choudhary
Impact Player: MS Dhoni
SRH Predicted Playing XI
SRH Predicted XI: Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan (WK), Heinrich Klaasen, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Smaran Ravichandran, Salil Arora, Pat Cummins (C), Shivang Kumar, Harsh Dubey, Eshan Malinga, Sakib Hussain
Impact Player: Liam Livingstone
CSK vs SRH Weather & Pitch Reports
| Weather Parameter | Details |
|---|---|
| Daytime High | 36°C (97°F) |
| Match-Time Temp | 30–33°C (86–91°F) |
| Humidity | 70–80% — one of the most humid match conditions of IPL 2026; a dew point of 28°C signals heavy moisture in the atmosphere |
| Wind Speed | 18–22 km/h (south-easterly breeze; assists swing bowlers early on and may influence aerial shots at the shorter Chepauk boundaries) |
| Rain Probability | Low to Moderate (20–30%) — overcast evening skies expected with possible isolated showers; a full match is the most likely outcome but cannot be fully guaranteed |
| Sky Condition | Cloudy to Partly Cloudy; warm and humid throughout |
| Dew Factor | Heavy — humidity at 70–80% with a dew point of 28°C signals severe dew formation from the 14th to 15th over of the second innings; CSK lost their last Chepauk game defending 210 against LSG when dew arrived and neutralized their bowling; bowl first is the unanimous toss call |
| Match Interruption Risk | Low to Moderate — isolated shower risk; BCCI groundstaff are experienced at managing Chepauk in humid conditions; a full match remains the most likely outcome |
Pitch Report — MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai
| Pitch Parameter | Details |
|---|---|
| Pitch Type | Spin-Friendly (red-soil surface that grips and turns sharply from the 7th over; the outfield is compact with relatively short boundaries of 65–68m. |
| Avg 1st Innings Score (IPL 2026) | 186–189 runs across 6 Chepauk games this season; 4 of those 6 matches were won by the chasing team. |
| Boundary Length | Square: 65–68m; Straight: 68–72m — compact dimensions that reward clean timing and wrist work rather than brute power. |
| Toss Decision | Bowl first — 4 of 6 evening IPL 2026 games at Chepauk have been won by the chasing team. |
| Pace Assist | Good in the powerplay with the new ball — the humid conditions and south-easterly breeze assist swing early; Spencer Johnson, Anshul Kamboj, and Eshan Malinga are key new-ball threats. |
| Spin Assist | Significant from overs 7 to 16 in the first innings — the red-soil Chepauk surface offers sharp grip and variable turn; Noor Ahmad, Akeal Hosein as Impact Player, Shivam Dube, and Sakib Hussain are all critical middle-overs picks;. |
| Dew Effect | Decisive and game-changing — the dew point of 28°C with 70–80% humidity guarantees heavy dew formation at Chepauk during the second innings; spinners lose grip completely, seamers get extra pace off the surface. |
CSK vs SRH Dream11 Team
CSK vs SRH Head-to-Head
| Matches | CSK Wins | SRH Wins |
|---|---|---|
| 24 | 16 | 8 |
Suggested Reads:
Key Players to Watch in CSK vs SRH
| Player | Team | Role | Key Strength |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sanju Samson | CSK | Wicketkeeper-Batter | 430 runs at avg 53.75 and SR 169.29 including two centuries; CSK’s highest scorer and most explosive opener. |
| Heinrich Klaasen | SRH | Wicketkeeper-Batter | IPL 2026’s leading run-scorer with 508 runs at avg 50.80 and SR 153.93. |
| Noor Ahmad | CSK | Bowler | CSK’s most dangerous spinner in the middle overs; the red-soil Chepauk surface with its grip and variable turn in overs 7 to 16 is built for his left-arm wrist-spin. |
| Anshul Kamboj | CSK | Bowler | IPL 2026’s second-highest wicket-taker with 19 wickets at economy 9.20 and BBI 3/22. |
| Abhishek Sharma | SRH | Batsman | SR of 209.13 — the most explosive batting rate among 400-plus run scorers in IPL 2026. |
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