Struggling with consecutive defeats, Chennai Super Kings (CSK) will take the field against the defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) on Friday in Chennai, with their sights firmly set on getting back to winning ways. So far, CSK have lost four out of their five matches, making this encounter extremely crucial for them. In their previous match, they suffered an 18-run loss against Punjab Kings.
What to Expect from the Pitch?
CSK will be hoping for a change in fortune as they return to their home ground. However, the pitch hasn’t been as favourable for them as it used to be in the past. After a heavy defeat to Royal Challengers Bengaluru, head coach Stephen Fleming openly expressed his disappointment with the pitch conditions.
In CSK’s past successes, their strong performance at home played a key role. But now the pitch has changed significantly, and the players are struggling to adapt. If they want to get their campaign back on track, they need to quickly get used to the conditions. Their spinners, in particular, will have to find ways to make an impact.
All Eyes on Dhoni
Once again, all eyes will be on MS Dhoni, who will be leading the side. In the previous match against Punjab Kings, he played a brilliant cameo, scoring 27 runs off 12 balls, including three sixes and a four. The good news for CSK is that Devon Conway, Rachin Ravindra, and Shivam Dube have shown signs of form. However, they will certainly miss Ruturaj Gaikwad.
KKR Also Looking to Get Back to Winning Ways
CSK’s bowling lineup is likely to remain unchanged, with Khaleel Ahmed, Mukesh Choudhary, and Matheesha Pathirana handling the pace department, while Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, and Noor Ahmad lead the spin attack. As for KKR, they will be looking to bounce back from a narrow loss to Lucknow Super Giants just three days ago.
Also Read- PBKS vs CSK Pitch Report- Mullanpur Stadium Pitch to Behave Like This
KKR Camp Looks Strong
KKR bowlers struggled against Lucknow’s batting attack at Eden Gardens and will need to step up their game. Their batting will once again depend on Quinton de Kock, Sunil Narine, captain Ajinkya Rahane, Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Andre Russell, and Rinku Singh. In terms of points table standings, CSK sit at ninth place with one win and four losses, while KKR are in sixth place with two wins and three defeats from five matches.
Probable Playing XIs:
Chennai Super Kings: MS Dhoni (Captain/Wicketkeeper), Devon Conway, Rachin Ravindra, Rahul Tripathi, Shivam Dube, Vijay Shankar, Ravindra Jadeja, R Ashwin, Mukesh Choudhary, Noor Ahmad, Matheesha Pathirana.
Kolkata Knight Riders: Ajinkya Rahane (Captain), Quinton de Kock (Wicketkeeper), Venkatesh Iyer, Rinku Singh, Andre Russell, Sunil Narine, Harshit Rana, Varun Chakaravarthy, Spencer Johnson, Vaibhav Arora.
