The encounter between Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Punjab Kings (PBKS) in Match 49 of IPL 2025 should be a high-voltage contest. Both the teams are filled with match-winners, but it is the small individual duels that actually decide the result. Let's have a close look at four such pivotal face-offs of earlier IPL seasons which might be decisive in this match. Top 4 Key Player Battles to Watch in CSK vs PBKS Sno Players 1 Khaleel Ahmed vs Prabhsimran Singh 2 Shivam Dube vs Yuzvendra Chahal 3 Shreyas Iyer vs Ravindra Jadeja 4 Ravindra Jadeja vs Yuzvendra Chahal Khaleel Ahmed vs Prabhsimran Singh Year Runs Balls Outs Dots 4s 6s SR Avg 2019 5 4 0 2 1 0 125.0 - 2020 4 2 1 1 1 0 200.0 4.0 2023 25 23 0 13 4 0 108.7 - 2024 8 2 0 0 2 0 400.0 - Total 42 31 1 16 8 0 135.5 42.0 CSK left-arm pacer Khaleel Ahmed has bowled to PBKS opener Prabhsimran Singh several times since 2019. In their head-to-head encounters, Prabhsimran has made 42 runs off 31 balls against Khaleel, getting dismissed only once. Most noteworthy is his fierce style of play he's hit 8 boundaries, every one of them fours, and has a strike rate of well over 135. Prabhsimran was particularly destructive in their 2024 encounter, blasting 8 runs from just 2 balls. Opening the bowling for CSK, Khaleel, and potentially opening for PBKS, Prabhsimran, this top-order encounter might be a determining factor. Also Read | 'Not friends but colleagues': Phil Salt's remark on Virat Kohli goes viral Shivam Dube vs Yuzvendra Chahal Year Runs Balls Outs Dots 4s 6s SR Avg 2021 14 8 0 4 0 2 175.0 - 2023 3 3 0 1 0 0 100.0 - 2024 3 4 0 1 0 0 75.0 - Total 20 15 0 6 0 2 133.3 - Middle-order batsman Shivam Dube has battled against PBKS spinner Yuzvendra Chahal over three seasons. Although Dube has not been bowled out by Chahal yet, his scoring of runs hasn't been all that smooth either. Overall, he has only managed 20 runs from 15 deliveries, with a couple of sixes and no fours. In their recent 2024 encounter, Dube could score only 3 runs from 4 deliveries. Even with the authority to clear the ropes, Dube appears wary of Chahal, who has stifled him with the ball of sharp leg spin. If Dube comes in during the middle overs, this battle will be significant for both teams. Shreyas Iyer vs Ravindra Jadeja Year Runs Balls Outs Dots 4s 6s SR Avg 2015 8 7 0 2 1 0 114.3 - 2017 15 10 0 3 1 1 150.0 - 2018 9 9 0 3 1 0 100.0 - 2019 12 23 1 12 0 0 52.2 12.0 2020 3 3 0 0 0 0 100.0 - 2022 6 9 0 3 0 0 66.7 - 2024 10 10 0 3 1 0 100.0 - Total 63 71 1 26 4 1 88.7 63.0 PBKS captain Shreyas Iyer has a long history of showdowns with CSK's veteran all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja. They have faced each other since 2015, and in all these encounters, Iyer has scored 63 runs from 71 balls with just one dismissal. Jadeja has managed to keep Iyer at bay, limiting his strike rate below 90. Even more significantly is the fact that Iyer has produced just four boundaries and a single six in all these encounters. Jadeja's tight lines and precision have obviously frustrated Iyer. If Iyer wishes to hold down PBKS's innings, he will need to get through this tough encounter. Also READ: 'We want to get better at this': Hussey explains CSK’s next big focus Ravindra Jadeja vs Yuzvendra Chahal Year Runs Balls Outs Dots 4s 6s SR Avg 2015 1 3 1 2 0 0 33.3 1.0 2016 12 6 0 2 1 1 200.0 - 2017 4 4 0 1 0 0 100.0 - 2018 1 2 1 1 0 0 50.0 1.0 2019 6 7 0 2 0 0 85.7 - 2023 4 4 0 0 0 0 100.0 - 2024 3 4 0 2 0 0 75.0 - Total 31 30 2 10 1 1 103.3 15.5 When the roles are reversed, Ravindra Jadeja's batting record against Chahal is also interesting. Throughout seven various seasons, Jadeja has managed only 31 runs from 30 balls off the leg-spinner, getting dismissed twice. Chahal has managed to hold him back with dot balls and hasn't provided Jadeja much scoring platform one four and one six in all their encounters. With Jadeja playing the role of finisher at times, encountering Chahal in the tail-end overs may prove challenging for him to find a run rate lift.