DC vs CSK Match Prediction: Who will win today's IPL 2024 match?

For the first time in IPL 2024, the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) will get to flex the fact that for them, away games aren't really away games. The Super Kings get a sea of yellow welcoming them wherever they go, and Visakhapatnam, the adopted home of the Delhi Capitals at the start of the new campaign, shouldn't be very different.

MS Dhoni stepping down from captaincy might have turned the excitement down a notch, and the former CSK captain hasn't even come out to bat yet this year. That's a good thing for Chennai, as it means that their top and middle order has got the job done in both games.

Meanwhile, the Capitals are at the other end of the spectrum. Without a win in two games, Rishabh Pant and Co. find themselves trailing in the early playoff race. Pant himself has looked understandably rusty and needs to bolster a middle order that looks extremely weak right now.

The recent head-to-head record paints a damning picture of where the two teams are right now. CSK have won their last four games against DC, and all by convincing margins as well.

Can Ruturaj Gaikwad continue an excellent start to his captaincy career, or will Pant taste victory for the first time since his comeback?

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IPL 2024, DC vs CSK: Capitals seek individual inspiration against significantly stronger Super Kings

Realistically speaking, what are DC's paths to victory? They might need to bring Prithvi Shaw into the mix and bolster their batting lineup, apart from which good performances from Anrich Nortje and Kuldeep Yadav seem essential.

However, on the whole, it's difficult to see the Capitals winning through a comprehensive team display. If at all they do, it will likely be through one or two performances of individual brilliance against a Super Kings outfit that's not only stronger on paper but also in better form.

Where will that come from? Kuldeep remains a deadly threat in the middle overs, and his battle with Shivam Dube could be decisive. But CSK also have spin-hitting in the form of Daryl Mitchell, who has enjoyed facing the DC spinner, and Sameer Rizvi, who blasted two sixes in the last game.

Nortje has looked off-color since returning from injury, and the rest of the pacers don't bring any additional dimensions to the bowling attack. We could see Dhoni have his first hit of the competition if CSK bat first, as they have the freedom to go hard at the top.

There's only one favorite for this contest. All signs point towards a CSK win and a convincing win at that. While DC have match-winners and can always threaten a side, the Men in Yellow will be disappointed if they don't leave Vizag with two more points.

Prediction: CSK to win Match 13 of IPL 2024