IPL 2024: Bruised CSK host high-flying KKR in Chennai
Chennai Super Kings would like to return to winning ways as they host the high-flying Kolkata Knight Riders in Match 22 of the Indian Premier League (IPL). While CSK suffered two successive defeats after winning their first two games, KKR have won all their three fixtures so far. It should be an enticing battle between two well-balanced teams. Here is the preview.
Pitch report and match details
Chennai's MA Chidambaram Stadium will host this duel on April 8 (7:30pm IST). Spinners will enjoy bowling here and the pacers will look to provide variations to gain maximum impetus. Notably, teams have crossed the 170-run mark in three out of the four innings here this season. One can watch the match live on the Star Sports Network and stream the same on JioCinema.
Here is the H2H record
KKR and CSK have played a total of 29 matches in the IPL. CSK hold a massive edge as they have won 18 times with KKR registering only 10 wins. One match was inconclusive. Notably, CSK have won five of their last seven games against the Knight Riders. KKR have seven defeats and just three wins against CSK in Chennai.
KKR have been on a roll
Batters have been the key to KKR's success this season as veterans Andre Russell and Sunil Narine have been in sublime form. Harshit Rana is their star performer with the ball. Meanwhile, CSK's formidable line-up suffered an emphatic defeat against Sunrisers Hyderabad in their last outing. The likes of Rachin Ravindra, Shivam Dube, and Ravindra Jadeja have done well for them.
Here are the probable XIs:
CSK (probable XI): Ruturaj Gaikwad (c), Rachin Ravindra, Ajinkya Rahane, Moeen Ali, Daryl Mitchell, Shivam Dube, Ravindra Jadeja, MS Dhoni (wk), Deepak Chahar, Tushar Deshpande, Maheesh Theekshana. Impact sub: Mukesh Choudhary. KKR (probable XI): Philip Salt (wk), Sunil Narine, Venkatesh Iyer, Shreyas Iyer (c), Rinku Singh, Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Andre Russell, Ramandeep Singh, Mitchell Starc, Harshit Rana, Varun Chakaravarthy. Impact sub: Vaibhav Arora.
Here are the key performers
As per ESPNcricinfo, Shivam Dube's strike rate of 158.04 is the highest among batters with 500-plus runs for CSK. Ravindra Jadeja has an IPL economy of 6.86 in Chennai (30 wickets). Russell's strike rate of 238.64 is the highest among batters with at least 50 runs this season. Harshit has scalped five wickets in the eight overs that he has bowled this year.
