After regular captain Ruturaj Gaikwad was ruled out of the remainder of the IPL season due to a fractured elbow, Chennai Super Kings (CSK) find themselves in a tough spot. With their campaign already derailed by four losses in five matches, CSK will face a strong challenge from Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) on Friday. In Gaikwad’s absence, veteran wicketkeeper-batter MS Dhoni will once again lead the team.
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CSK Struggling to Adapt to Their Own Home Pitch
CSK will return to their home ground at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai, hoping to turn their fortune around. However, unlike in the past, the pitch hasn’t offered them much support. After a heavy loss to Royal Challengers Bangalore, CSK head coach Stephen Fleming expressed his dissatisfaction with the surface. Historically, CSK have performed strongly at home, but this season, the conditions have changed significantly, making it hard for their players to adjust.
CSK Look to Turn Things Around Under Dhoni’s Leadership
If CSK are to get back on track, their players must adapt quickly to the new pitch behavior. The spinners, in particular, need to find ways to make an impact. Once again, all eyes will be on MS Dhoni, who played a quickfire 27 off 12 balls (3 sixes and 1 four) in the previous game against Punjab Kings. The good news for CSK is that batters like Devon Conway, Rachin Ravindra, and Shivam Dube have shown signs of form, though a big innings is still awaited from Gaikwad.
Both Teams Have a Strong Bowling Line-Up
CSK’s bowling unit will likely feature Khalil Ahmed, Mukesh Choudhary, and Matheesha Pathirana in the pace attack, with spin duties handled by Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, and Noor Ahmad.
KKR, on the other hand, will be looking to bounce back after a narrow loss to Lucknow Super Giants. Their bowlers struggled against the LSG batters at Eden Gardens and will be eager to perform better in Chennai.
KKR Banking on Power Hitters
The Knight Riders will once again rely on their big-hitting batters like Quinton de Kock, Sunil Narine, captain Ajinkya Rahane, Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Andre Russell, and Rinku Singh.
As per the current IPL 2025 points table, CSK are 9th with 1 win and 4 losses, while KKR are placed 6th with 2 wins and 3 losses from 5 matches.
Weather Report for CSK vs KKR in Chennai
According to AccuWeather, the temperature during the match will be around 30°C with a 10% chance of rain. However, the sky is expected to remain mostly clear, and breezy conditions are likely.
MA Chidambaram Stadium Pitch Report
The pitch at MA Chidambaram Stadium has been offering a balanced surface this season. Fast bowlers might get some help early on with the new ball, but as the game progresses, the surface will bring spinners into play. Batters will need to settle in before playing big shots.
Also Read- IPL 2025 Schedule- Matches, Date, Timing, Venues
Predicted Playing XIs
Chennai Super Kings: MS Dhoni (wk/captain), Devon Conway, Shivam Dube, Rachin Ravindra, Ravindra Jadeja, Vijay Shankar, Ravichandran Ashwin, Matheesha Pathirana, Noor Ahmad, Khalil Ahmed, Mukesh Choudhary
Kolkata Knight Riders: Quinton de Kock (wk), Rinku Singh, Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Ajinkya Rahane (captain), Venkatesh Iyer, Ramandeep Singh, Andre Russell, Sunil Narine, Varun Chakravarthy, Harshit Rana, Spencer Johnson
MA Chidambaram Stadium – IPL 2024 Stats
- Matches Played: 12
- Matches won batting first: 5
- Matches won batting second: 7
- Average 1st innings score: 172/7
- Lowest defended total: 175
- Highest successful chase: 211
- 200+ totals: 4 times in 12 matches
- Average sixes per match: 13
