Youngsters are keeping Punjab Kings alive and giving Chennai Super Kings a glimpse of the future in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025. When these two teams meet at the M.A. Chidambaram Stadium on Wednesday, the match could hinge on which group of youngsters rises to the occasion.
Priyansh Arya, Prabhsimran Singh, and Nehal Wadhera have been at the forefront of Punjab’s batting department. It was against the Super Kings earlier this season when the 24-year-old Priyansh announced himself with a 39-ball century in New Chandigarh.
Priyansh has found a reliable opening partner in Prabhsimran, and together they’ve powered PBKS to their best-ever PowerPlay showing — scoring at 10.37 runs per over, with 27% of those runs coming in boundaries.
In the middle order, Nehal Wadhera has shown maturity by capitalising on the foundation laid by the top order to take the team further. With Shreyas Iyer, despite his momentary dip in form, coming in at number three, the youngsters have found the freedom to play in their style.
Young bloods of CSK
Until their match against the Lucknow Super Giants a fortnight ago, the Super Kings were scoring at a rate of 7.30 runs per over in the PowerPlay. However, in the last two games, that figure has climbed to 8.16. Even more impressively, in the middle overs (7 to 15), their scoring rate has surged from 7.09 to 8.83 runs per over.
For MS Dhoni & co., introducing Dewald Brevis, Ayush Mhatre, and Shaikh Rasheed has given a fresh whiff to a lacklustre season. Aggressive intent from the late – and desperate – inclusions, Brevis and Mhatre, has tempted the CSK management to move to a similar template for the future.
Punjab Kings batters Prabhsimran Singh and Priyansh Arya run between the wickets.
| Photo Credit:
KVS GIRI/The Hindu
Punjab Kings batters Prabhsimran Singh and Priyansh Arya run between the wickets.
| Photo Credit:
KVS GIRI/The Hindu
“The way we batted in the last match (against Sunrisers Hyderabad), even though we didn’t get a winning score, it looked more the way we’d like to play. The positive intent was there, looking to push the game forward, looking to take the game on a little bit more, but still do it in a smart way,” CSK batting coach Michael Hussey said.
Fill in the gaps
However, apart from the exuberance of youth, both teams have plenty of gaps to fill.
In the case of Punjab, it’s the question of opting for one of Glenn Maxwell and Marcus Stoinis. Neither of them has had a memorable season so far. While Stoinis has scored 67 in his six innings, Maxwell has just 48.
But both Aussies are hard to neglect. On a surface that has allowed the spinners to control the proceedings, Maxwell’s off spin could be game-changing. Punjab would also be tempted to play Stoinis, who scored a century when he visited Anbuden in the 2024 season.
Punjab Kings batter Glenn Maxwell has scored just 48 runs in IPL 2025.
| Photo Credit:
KVS GIRI/The Hindu
Punjab Kings batter Glenn Maxwell has scored just 48 runs in IPL 2025.
| Photo Credit:
KVS GIRI/The Hindu
Super Kings got Sam Curran back in the scheme of things and played him at number three. The inclusion could be an attempt to find the missing support act that could match the energetic youth.
Ravindra Jadeja’s tendency to get stuck in the middle overs has often turned counter-productive. With Curran batting further up, he could delay Jadeja’s entry point to the final seven overs, a phase where the latter is more experienced.
All or nothing
Positioned fifth in the points table, PBKS is in the race for the playoffs, and a win at Chepauk could further bolster its chances for a top-four finish. CSK, on the other hand, is practically eliminated – nothing to lose, everything to gain.
Come Wednesday, how the young guns fare will determine what the future holds for the two sides
