Pat Cummins: We're going to bowl. Absolutely, you can see why it's pretty loud here. Boys are pretty pumped up.

Sunrisers Hyderabad have won the toss and have opted to field

Travis Head: No pressure from us. Dan and Pat have allowed us to attack the powerplay. We have got really good starts and then we have got some really good power through the middle - all dependent on the start we get though. Each game is going to be different, we know that so going in relaxed and what the result will be will be. Had a look at the pitch in training yesterday, got to go out and do what we do. Try not to change too much, had a really good day in training yesterday, it is a tough place to play and looking forward to it. [on potentially opening with Fraser-McGurk at the World Cup] At some stage in some format I definitely will be, we will wait and see what happens with the squad. Lots of tough decisions to make and it's good to see everyone playing well.

Daryl Mitchell: The pitch usually is on the slower side. Can't just force the ball. Have to find ways to keep manipulating the bowlers. Firstly, it's coming in and being present as you can. Not coming in with a plan of how the pitch is going to play and what score is needed. It's about adapting on the go. My role is to keep trying to build partnerships, keep trying to put them under pressure in the middle phase. And hopefully allow us to set a platform towards the end. Love being a part of CSK and loving playing in front of this amazing crowd.

Pitch report:

Good evening and welcome to our coverage of the Match 46 of the IPL between CSK and SRH. This promises to be a high octane contest for a multitude of reasons. SRH have been one of the high-flying teams this season and they've plundered opposition bowling attacks for fun. When SRH bat, it feels like they'll get 220 at minimum.

Preview by Ganesh Chandrasekaran

How to stop SRH's power-hitting is amongst the primary questions for bowling think-tanks this season given their tendency to set and outdo their own hitting record. That spin could be a way has been theorised particularly after their previous outing against Royal Challengers Bangalore. Additionally, the record of Travis Head who has been dismissed four times in six innings against spin adds some credence to that theory whilst they still pack some excellent spin-hitting options otherwise.

A key factor has been their successful opening combination with Abhishek Sharma being fluent against both types of bowling, alongside an explosive Head setting up games like no other opening combination in the season. Not only have they added the most runs by an opening pair (454 runs), they also score at the best rate of 12.78.

It is more than halfway in the season and about the time when traditionally the tiring pitches bring the spinners into the game more and more in an IPL. It's an expectation that Chennai Super Kings too would have from themselves having traditionally built up a formidable home record on the back of their spin strengths.

At this stage however, they've run into a hurdle for those plans in the form of dew coming in. It played a big factor in their loss against Lucknow Super Giants on their home turf. In Chennai this season so far, pace has had a much bigger impact compared to spin and has continued an overall trend in Chennai in this season so far.

It is with these numbers stacked up against them that CSK take on an imposing SRH, who have suffered a blip in their previous outing. SRH would also find the opportunity ripe to correct their poor away record (3 losses in 5 games) with CSK themselves faltering for the first time at home recently. Should they be able to add another game to CSK's losses column, it could throw up the table wide open as the tournament nears the business end.

When: Sunday, April 28 at 19:30 IST

Where: MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai

What to expect: The pitch could be drier as CSK's head coach advocated to play to their own strengths. However, the previous game at the venue saw a lot of dew setting which rendered spinners ineffective.

Head to head: CSK 14 - 6 SRH

Teams

Chennai Super Kings

Injuries/unavailability: While Ajinkya Rahane's niggle had hampered his batting a couple of games ago, he's expected to be fit and continue his new role as an opener.

Tactics/match-ups: Moeen Ali upfront in the powerplay is likely to be an option for CSK considering their otherwise ineffectiveness with pace so far while also acting as a favourable match-up option against SRH's left-handed opening pair.

Probable XI: Ruturaj Gaikwad, Ajinkya Rahane, Daryl Mitchell, Shivam Dube, Ravindra Jadeja, Moeen Ali, MS Dhoni, Deepak Chahar, Tushar Deshpande, Mustafizur Rahman, Matheesha Pathirana [Impact sub: Shardul Thakur]

Sunrisers Hyderabad

Injuries/availability: There is no reported concern for SRH

Tactics/match-ups: Shivam Dube's proficiency against spin and SRH's ineffieciency on that front so far [highest economy rate for spinners at 11.79] could force Pat Cummins to think about the right points to use spin, and particularly counter Dube through himself or T Natarajan depending on his entry point in the game.

Probable XI: Abhishek Sharma, Travis Head, Aiden Markram, Nitish Reddy, Heinrich Klaasen, Abdul Samad, Shahbaz Ahmed, Pat Cummins, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Mayank Markande, Jaydev Unadkat [Impact Sub: T Natarajan]

Did you know?

- SRH has never beaten CSK at the MA Chidambaram Stadium having had the chance on four previous occasions

- T Natarajan boasts of an E/R of 9.30 between overs 16 and 20 this season and has also picked up 7 wickets in this period

What they said

The problem with spinners in India who are playing at the moment is most of the spinners are not spinning the ball. That is the main criteria because they are bowling a little quicker, so no deviation. If you see in practice, batsmen are use to throw-downs and power-hitting, So they are now used to it if the ball is coming straight at 85-90 mph, and it comes straight their muscle memory is already praciced to it. If it deviates, brain does not know how to react, so that's why spinners must learn how to spin the ball then they have a better chance - Muttiah Muralitharan, SRH's spin bowling coach assesses the lack of success for spinners in IPL 2023

Squads:

Sunrisers Hyderabad Squad: Abhishek Sharma, Aiden Markram, Heinrich Klaasen(w), Nitish Reddy, Abdul Samad, Shahbaz Ahmed, Pat Cummins(c), Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Jaydev Unadkat, Mayank Markande, T Natarajan, Travis Head, Umran Malik, Anmolpreet Singh, Glenn Phillips, Washington Sundar, Mayank Agarwal, Rahul Tripathi, Upendra Yadav, Jhatavedh Subramanyan, Sanvir Singh, Vijayakanth Viyaskanth, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Marco Jansen, Akash Maharaj Singh

Chennai Super Kings Squad: Ajinkya Rahane, Ruturaj Gaikwad(c), Daryl Mitchell, Moeen Ali, Shivam Dube, Ravindra Jadeja, MS Dhoni(w), Deepak Chahar, Tushar Deshpande, Mustafizur Rahman, Matheesha Pathirana, Shardul Thakur, Sameer Rizvi, Shaik Rasheed, Rachin Ravindra, Mitchell Santner, Richard Gleeson, Ajay Jadav Mandal, Prashant Solanki, Mukesh Choudhary, Simarjeet Singh, RS Hangargekar, Maheesh Theekshana, Nishant Sindhu, Aravelly Avanish