In their concluding match of IPL 2025, Chennai Super Kings (CSK) opted to bat first, having won the toss against Gujarat Titans (GT). Captain MS Dhoni, acknowledging the Ahmedabad heat, felt batting first made sense. CSK toggled their line-up, reintroducing Deepak Hooda in place of R Ashwin. Meanwhile, GT swapped in Gerald Coetzee, stepping in for fellow South African Kagiso Rabada.
GT have a shot at solidifying their top spot with a win. However, a loss could see them playing in the Eliminator, missing a more favourable path to the finals. For CSK, even a victory won’t lift them from the bottom of the table — a first for the franchise in IPL history.
This match marks the final appearance for Dhoni in IPL 2025, casting shadows on his future as he approaches his 44th birthday in July.
The team line-ups are as follows:
Gujarat Titans: Shubman Gill (captain), Jos Buttler (wicketkeeper), Sherfane Rutherford, M Shahrukh Khan, Rashid Khan, Gerald Coetzee, Rahul Tewatia, Mohammed Siraj, R Sai Kishore, Arshad Khan, and M Prasidh Krishna. The impact subs include B Sai Sudharsan, Anuj Rawat, Mahipal Lomror, Washington Sundar, and Ishant Sharma.
Chennai Super Kings: Ayush Mhatre, Devon Conway, Urvil Patel, Ravindra Jadeja, Dewald Brevis, Shivam Dube, MS Dhoni (wicketkeeper and captain), Deepak Hooda, Noor Ahmad, Anshul Kamboj, and Khaleel Ahmed. Their impact substitutes are Matheesha Pathirana, Vijay Shankar, Kamlesh Nagarkoti, Ramakrishna Ghosh, and R Ashwin.
As the match unfolds, both teams are set to navigate the pressures of their campaign’s defining moments.
