In late April, a foggy day isn’t all that horrible for Kolkata. But, if not literally, then poetically, the Nitish Rana-led team would like to see some sun and shine as they return home after a three-match losing streak.
There are far too many pieces out of place for them right now, and their next match, on Sunday, against an in-form and rising Chennai Super Kings, might be nothing short of daunting..
Several top-level tests have yet to provide positive results. Jason Roy, who has taken over for Shakib Al Hasan, has made an impression and may be retained. However, the second position has yet to be filled. None of the squad’s three wicketkeeper possibilities – N Jagadeeshan, Liton Das, and Rahmanullah Gurbaz – have established themselves.
Despite the good form of Venkatesh Iyer and Rinku Singh, the batting difficulties are far deeper. The batting lineup has yet to gel. Shardul Thakur and Rinku’s odd brilliance did win them a couple of games, but there is a need for more consistency – especially against the MS Dhoni-led team, where everyone contributes at vital times.
CSK did complicate what would have been a very simple win over SRH on Friday, but their dominance is undeniable, especially given how they are developing with each game. Their pace section, probably their weakest link, is also growing and playing an important role.
What to expect: Eden Gardens has had two high-scoring competitions. Even though the teams batting first won both matches at the venue, dew did have a role in the second innings. Seamers, on the other hand, get some help early in the second innings and have been able to upset the upper orders on both occasions. However, if the chasing team can hold their nerve during that period of play, they may gain an advantage.
KKR vs CSK Team Watch
Kolkata Knight Riders
Suyash Sharma did not play in the last game for KKR due to an injury, which the captain did not explain. It is unclear whether his omission was due to a fear of injury or just the balance of the team.
Tactics and matchups: If Ajinkya Rahane joins the powerplay, KKR may contemplate bowling with a spinner. Rahane has the highest strike rate on the Powerplay this season, with 222. However, his overall boundary percentage against spin is only 13%, and he has been ejected four times due to it. KKR has also bowled the most spin overs in the powerplay in the IPL 2023.
Probable XI: Jason Roy, N Jagadeesan (wk), Venkatesh Iyer/Suyash Sharma, Nitish Rana (c), Rinku Singh, Andre Russell, Sunil Narine, Shardul Thakur, Tim Southee, Umesh Yadav, Varun Chakravarthy
Chennai Super Kings
Injuries/Unavailability: Ben Stokes is back to bowling in the nets, but hasn’t returned to the playing side as yet. It remains to be seen if he is match fit as yet.
Tactics & Matchups: Chennai’s openers have been amongst the best in the season, while KKR’s pacers have the worst economy rate and strike-rate amongst all teams this season. While the threat of introducing spin early on looms, CSK’s in-form pair could have their targets in sight anyway.
Probable XI: Ruturaj Gaikwad, Devon Conway, Ajinkya Rahane, Moeen Ali, Ambati Rayudu/Matheesha Pathirana, Shivam Dube, Ravindra Jadeja, MS Dhoni, Maheesh Theekshana, Tushar Deshpande, Akash Singh
Did you know?
– Varun Chakravarthy has dismissed MS Dhoni thrice in the space of 16 balls
– Andre Russell has four fifties in ten innings against CSK
What they said:
You’ll need some time to decide on his action (Matheesha Pathirana). He has a lot of variety and a nice tempo. We’ve seen how difficult it is to score off Malinga, who has awkward motion and is incredibly consistent with line and length. He has undoubtedly been a find – MS Dhoni, CSK captain
I accept full responsibility for the loss to the Delhi Capitals; I should have stood there. But credit to the bowlers; I believe the upcoming games will benefit us. We must do it effectively as a group. We need to bowl as we did today; if we can straighten these things out, we’ll be able to fight better – Nitish Rana, KKR captain
KKR vs CSK Squads:
| Kolkata Knight Riders Squad | Chennai Super Kings Squad |
| Jason Roy, Litton Das(w), Venkatesh Iyer, Nitish Rana(c), Mandeep Singh, Andre Russell, Rinku Singh, Sunil Narine, Kulwant Khejroliya, Umesh Yadav, Varun Chakaravarthy, Anukul Roy, Tim Southee, David Wiese, Shardul Thakur, Lockie Ferguson, N Jagadeesan, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Vaibhav Arora, Harshit Rana, Suyash Sharma, Aarya Desai | Ruturaj Gaikwad, Devon Conway, Ajinkya Rahane, Shivam Dube, Moeen Ali, Ravindra Jadeja, MS Dhoni(w/c), Maheesh Theekshana, Tushar Deshpande, Akash Singh, Matheesha Pathirana, Ambati Rayudu, Dwaine Pretorius, Subhranshu Senapati, Shaik Rasheed, RS Hangargekar, Mitchell Santner, Ajay Jadav Mandal, Simarjeet Singh, Prashant Solanki, Bhagath Varma, Nishant Sindhu |
FAQ’s
The schedule for the next KKR vs CSK match can be found on the IPL website.
CSK has won more matches between the two teams.
You can watch the KKR vs CSK match live on television or through a streaming service that carries IPL matches.
CSK has a better head-to-head record against KKR in the IPL.
CSK has won more IPL titles than KKR.
The current captain of KKR is Eoin Morgan.
The current captain of CSK is MS Dhoni.
The home ground for KKR is Eden Gardens in Kolkata.
The home ground for CSK is the M. A. Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai.
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