Shreyas Iyer To Drop Marcus Stoinis? PBKS Probable XI vs CSK

Akshita Patel

PBKS to face CSK next in IPL 2025 [Source: @PunjabKingsIPL/X.com]PBKS to face CSK next in IPL 2025 [Source: @PunjabKingsIPL/X.com]

Punjab Kings will be up against Chennai Super Kings in the upcoming IPL 2025 fixture. The 22nd match will be held on April 8 at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium in Chandigarh from 7.30 PM IST.

PBKS’ winning momentum was halted by Rajasthan Royals as they faced their first defeat of the new season. On the other hand, CSK have slipped to 9th position on points table after three back-to-back losses.

Ahead of the big clash, Kings captain Shreyas Iyer will likely enforce some changes to the playing XI.

Question Mark Over Priyansh Arya, Marcus Stoinis’ Place

Priyansh Arya, the promising opener, showcased his talent with a fiery 47 off 23 in his debut game for Punjab Kings. However, consistency is an issue for the young kid as he accumulated only 8 runs in the last 2 games, including a golden duck dismissal. 

Regardless, Arya is young and inexperienced. It's unlikely for Shreyas Iyer to pull the plug on him this early into the tournament. As a matter of fact, PBKS do not have any speciality opener to rely on in case Arya sits out.

On the other hand, Marcus Stoinis has been a letdown for Punjab. In two games that he batted, he scored 21 runs and has picked up zero wickets with the ball. A possible option for PBKS is to replace Stoinis with Azmatullah Omarzai. 

Omarzi is a fast-bowling all-rounder who can pick wickets and contribute runs in the middle order. He can replace Stoinis and make a difference in the right conditions.

Marcus Stoinis performance in IPL 2025

Criteria
Data
Matches3
Runs21
Wickets0
Batting Average10.50
Strike-Rate95.45
50/1000/0

No Change In Bowling Due To Lack Of Options

Punjab Kings have no significant backup in spin departments. Currently, only Yuzvendra Chahal is holding the fort. The rest of the bowling lineup consists of Arshdeep Singh, Marco Jansen and Lockie Ferguson. 

While Harpreet Brar is warming the bench, including him in the playing XI will reduce Punjab’s batting depth. Hence, Shreyas Iyer will likely have to settle with the present bowling combination for the upcoming game against CSK.

As for impact player, Nehal Wadhera and Harpreet Brar are the two best options available for PBKS.

PBKS' Probable XI vs RCB

Prabhsimran Singh(w), Shreyas Iyer(c), Nehal Wadhera, Glenn Maxwell, Azmatullah Omarzai, Shashank Singh, Suryansh Shedge, Marco Jansen, Arshdeep Singh, Lockie Ferguson, Yuzvendra Chahal

Impact subs: Priyansh Arya, Harpreet Brar, Praveen Dubey, Vishnu Vinod, Vyshak Vijaykumar