3 things SRH need to do right to beat CSK in IPL 2025 clash ft. Heinrich Klaasen
SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) have been arguably the biggest disappointment of IPL 2025. Picked as one of the top contenders by most fans and experts, last season's runners-up have flattered to deceive through the first half of the 2025 edition.
SRH are languishing at second-from-bottom on the points table with only two wins in eight outings. Losers of six out of their last seven matches and two straight, SRH's playoff chances are hanging by a thread.
Yet, the Orange Army faces another team in a similar boat, Chennai Super Kings (CSK), at the Chepauk Stadium tonight (April 25). The Men in Yellow have the same 2-6 record as SRH after eight games, with a worse net run rate, relegating them to the bottom of the standings.
Unfortunately for SRH, CSK might be the last side they will want to meet to kickstart their uphill task of climbing the ladder. The Orange Army has historically struggled against CSK, trailing the overall head-to-head in IPL meetings 6-15.
Furthermore, they have never beaten CSK in Chennai, with all five past meetings ending in defeat.
Nevertheless, this season's CSK have struggled massively at home, winning only one of their four matches. Thus, there are enough chinks in the CSK armor, even at Fortress Chepauk, for SRH to capitalize on to turn around their 2025 IPL campaign.
On that note, here are three things SRH must zero in on and get right to upstage CSK in Chennai in a virtual do-or-die encounter for both sides.
# 1 Exploit their potential strength while exposing CSK's biggest weakness
![The feared 'Travishek' partnership cannot ask for a better opponent to flourish in the powerplay [Credit: Getty]](https://statico.sportskeeda.com/editor/2025/04/d6ae1-17455652317219-1920.jpg?w=500)
The opening partnership of Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma broke records for fun in the IPL last season. The duo's incredible run of form was the key reason for SRH's final run in 2024 and their favorite tag this season.
However, both openers have struggled for consistency and impact, barring the odd highlight reel, resulting in SRH's dismal season. Nevertheless, when in full force, as was the case two games back against the Punjab Kings (PBKS), Head and Abhishek showed that anything is possible.
The pair added 171 for the opening wicket in a mere 74 balls to help SRH pull off an incredible run-chase of 246.
Conversely, powerplay bowling has been CSK's biggest bugaboo this season, thanks to the lack of a reliable second pacer to support the ever-improving Khaleel Ahmed. The Ravichandran Ashwin and Jamie Overton experiments in the powerplay have failed miserably. While Anshul Kamboj's inclusion seemed to have resolved the powerplay bowling issue, CSK surprisingly replaced him with Ashwin in the XI for their previous game against the Mumbai Indians (MI).
With the SRH clash set to be played in Chennai, expect CSK to continue with Ashwin over Kamboj, opening up an opportunity for the Head-Abhishek combo to go ballistic in the powerplay.
Given the nature of the Chepauk wicket and CSK's lack of power-hitting in their batting, a strong opening partnership could be the game-clincher for SRH.
# 2 SRH must include a second specialist spinner in Rahul Chahar in the XI
![Rahul Chahar has surprisingly warmed the benches for most of this season [Credit: Getty]](https://statico.sportskeeda.com/editor/2025/04/53b35-17455651486749-1920.jpg)
SRH skipper Pat Cummins has gone seam-heavy in most of the side's matches in IPL 2025 after his countryman Adam Zampa got ruled out of the tournament. While the inexperienced Zeeshan Ansari has done an admirable job in the middle overs, the Chennai pitch calls for more spin to achieve success.
SRH must draft veteran leg-spinner Rahul Chahar into the XI for more reasons than one.
The pitch in Chennai aside, Chahar has also historically enjoyed some success against CSK. The 25-year-old has picked up 15 wickets in 13 matches against CSK at an excellent average of 20.07 and an economy of 6.14.
In the two meetings last season, Chahar finished with figures of 2/16 and 3/23 in a combined eight overs for PBKS. Unfortunately for the leggie, he has played only the lone game this season and bowled just one over.
With their season slipping away, SRH cannot ask for a better opportunity to include Chahar back into the playing XI for one of their pacers.
# 3 Change in Heinrich Klaasen's batting position
![Heinrich Klaasen has often batted when it is too little, too late for SRH this season [Credit: Getty]](https://statico.sportskeeda.com/editor/2025/04/5f20f-17455650934975-1920.jpg)
SRH must consider a key change to the batting order, considering how things have gone for them this season. While their dangerous opening partnership should remain undisturbed, Heinrich Klaasen must bat up the order.
Despite the lack of big scores, Klaasen has been SRH's best batter this season. The South African scored a brilliant 71 off 44 deliveries in their previous game, coming in at 13/3 in the fourth over.
Far too often, Klaasen has been coming in with SRH in disarray or with too few balls to spare. Instead, they can consider batting arguably the best T20 batter in world cricket at No.3 or 4 after the four-over mark should a wicket fall.
Klaasen might also benefit from batting earlier on a Chennai track, which typically becomes harder for stroke-making as the innings progresses. The two batters above him, Ishan Kishan and Nitish Kumar Reddy, have been in dismal form for most of the season, with averages under 25.
Meanwhile, Klaasen is SRH's leading run-scorer with 281 runs at a strike rate of almost 160 despite coming into bat at No.5 or 6. Desperate times call for desperate measures, and SRH must ensure the gun Protea batter faces the bulk of the deliveries in this must-win encounter.