Chennai Super Kings will need a marked improvement across all departments when they take on Punjab Kings in their first home game of the IPL 2026 on Friday. Their campaign began on a disappointing note with a comprehensive defeat to Rajasthan Royals in Guwahati, where a youthful CSK side failed to click in any facet of the game.Returning to Chepauk, conditions are expected to favour batting, offering CSK a chance to reset. There is also a possibility of MS Dhoni being back in the dugout despite his calf strain, providing valuable guidance to skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad.Much will depend on the batting unit stepping up. Sanju Samson, the marquee signing, had a quiet debut and will be eager to deliver in front of the home crowd. The availability of Dewald Brevis remains uncertain, while Sarfaraz Khan showed glimpses of promise despite a short stay. Youngsters like Kartik Sharma are also expected to grow into the tournament.The bowling attack, led by Matt Henry and Noor Ahmad, will be keen to bounce back after being dominated in the opener.Punjab Kings, last seasons finalists, arrive as a confident unit under Shreyas Iyer. With contributions from Cooper Connolly, Yuzvendra Chahal and Vijaykumar Vyshak, they look well-balanced, though their middle order will aim for greater consistency.CSK vs PBKS Head-to-HeadTotal matches played: 32Chennai Super Kings: 16Punjab Kings: 16CSK vs PBKS: Pitch ReportRecent matches at MA Chidambaram Stadium have shown that the surface hasnt offered much assistance to quick bowlers. The consistent pace and even bounce have instead made stroke-making easier, allowing batters to play through the line with confidence a trend that could well continue in the IPL. Former Australia wicketkeeper Brad Haddin noted the presence of a light grass cover, but conditions are still expected to favour batting. Remember, this is the same venue where India piled up 256 for 4 against Zimbabwe during the T20 World Cup.CSK vs PBKS: Predicted XIsChennai Super Kings predicted XI: Sanju Samson (wk), Ruturaj Gaikwad (capt), Ayush Mhatre, Matt Short, Shivam Dube, Sarfaraz Khan, Kartik Sharma, Jamie Overton, Noor Ahmed, Matt Henry, Anshul KambojImpact Sub: Prashant Veer/Khaleel AhmedPunjab Kings predicted XI: Priyansh Arya, Prabhsimran Singh (wk), Cooper Connolly, Shreyas Iyer (capt), Nehal Wadhera, Shashank Singh, Marcus Stoinis, Marco Jansen, Xavier Bartlett, Vijaykumar Vyshak, Arshdeep SinghImpact Sub: Yuzvendra ChahalCSK vs PBKS: Chennai Weather UpdateIt will be bright and sunny during the day, with temperatures peaking around 34C. Conditions will turn partly cloudy and humid at night, with the mercury dipping to around 26C.During match hours, there is no chance of rain, while temperatures are expected to hover between 29C and 30C. The conditions will remain hot and humid, with cloud cover likely through the evening.CSK vs PBKS: Live Streaming detailsThe CSK vs PBKS clash will be held at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai, with the match set to begin at 7:30 PM IST. The game will be broadcast on the Star Sports Network, while live streaming will be available on JioHotstar.CSK vs PBKS squadsPunjab Kings: Shreyas Iyer (c), Priyansh Arya, Harnoor Singh, Mitchell Owen, Vishnu Vinod, Nehal Wadhera, Azmatullah Omarzai, Marco Jansen, Marcus Stoinis, Arshdeep Singh, Xavier Bartlett, Yuzvendra Chahal, Lockie Ferguson, Harpreet Brar, Vijaykumar Vyshak, Yash Thakur, Cooper Connolly, Ben Dwarshuis, Musheer Khan, Praveen Dubey, Vishal Nishad, Suryansh Shedge, Prabhsimran Singh, Pyla Avinash, Shashank Singh.Chennai Super Kings: Ruturaj Gaikwad (c), Dewald Brevis, MS Dhoni, Urvil Patel, Sanju Samson, Shivam Dube, Ramakrishna Ghosh, Shreyas Gopal, Jamie Overton, Khaleel Ahmed, Anshul Kamboj, Gurjapneet Singh, Mukesh Choudhary, Noor Ahmad, Akeal Hosein, Prashant Veer, Matthew Short, Aman Khan, Matt Henry, Rahul Chahar, Zakary Foulkes, Spencer Johnson, Kartik Sharma, Sarfaraz Khan, Ayush Mhatre.