Glenn Maxwell, the Australian all-rounder, was ruled out of Punjab Kings' crucial IPL 2025 clash against Chennai Super Kings (CSK) due to a fractured finger. The injury added to what has been a challenging season for the 36-year-old veteran, with his form not quite living up to expectations. At the toss before the match at Chepauk Stadium in Chennai, PBKS captain Shreyas Iyer confirmed that Maxwell had sustained the injury recently, and they had not finalized a replacement yet, even moments before the toss.
Maxwell’s absence was felt particularly keenly in a match that was critical for PBKS' hopes in the tournament. On a spin-friendly pitch like Chepauk, the Australian could have been an asset with both bat and ball. Despite not being at his explosive best with the bat—scoring just 48 runs across seven matches—Maxwell’s valuable contributions with the ball, often breaking key partnerships, had been crucial for PBKS in high-pressure situations. His absence left a significant gap in their middle-order batting and bowling strength.
Iyer expressed his disappointment at missing out on Maxwell, saying, "Very sad to miss out Glenn Maxwell, who has a fractured finger. We haven't decided on the replacement so far. Yeah, we are probably sticking to our last playing XI. Not sure what the changes are. But the majority of the players are there."
Meanwhile, Chennai Super Kings entered the match with their own concerns, sitting with just two wins in nine matches. With their chances of staying alive in the tournament hanging by a thread, MS Dhoni confirmed that CSK would field an unchanged XI, reflecting their trust in the current lineup to regain form at a critical juncture.
As for Maxwell’s replacement, Suryansh Shegde, a 22-year-old, was brought into the playing XI. Shegde had appeared in previous matches against Kolkata Knight Riders and Rajasthan Royals but had limited roles in games against Lucknow Super Giants and Gujarat Titans. His inclusion in this high-stakes fixture presents an opportunity for the youngster to make an impact.
Chennai Super Kings Playing XI:
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Shaik Rasheed, Ayush Mhatre, Sam Curran, Ravindra Jadeja, Dewald Brevis, Shivam Dube, Deepak Hooda, MS Dhoni (w/c), Noor Ahmad, Khaleel Ahmed, Matheesha Pathirana
Impact Subs: Anshul Kamboj, Ravichandran Ashwin, Kamlesh Nagarkoti, Ramakrishna Ghosh, Jamie Overton
Punjab Kings Playing XI:
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Priyansh Arya, Shreyas Iyer (c), Josh Inglis (w), Nehal Wadhera, Shashank Singh, Harpreet Brar, Marco Jansen, Azmatullah Omarzai, Suryansh Shegde, Yuzvendra Chahal, Arshdeep Singh
Impact Subs: Prabhsimran Singh, Musheer Khan, Vijaykumar Vyshak, Xavier Bartlett, Praveen Dubey
