A poor batting show has led Chennai Super Kings (CSK) to suffer back-to-back defeats in the ongoing edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL). The reigning champions started the campaign by thrashing Royal Challengers Bangalore at home. CSK replicated the dominance in the following game against Gujarat Titans which was also at Chepauk. In the next two away games, Chennai failed miserably. They endured a 20-run defeat to Delhi Capitals in Vizag before losing to Sunrisers Hyderabad by six wickets.
CSK are set to return to their base as they will host Kolkata Knight Riders in the upcoming appearance of the 2024 IPL. The high-voltage clash will take place at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on April 8. KKR are the current table topper, having won all of their three matches this season. Their batting department looked unstoppable on every occasion.
CSK vs KKR previous matches in IPL 2024
Chennai Super Kings (CSK) will go head-to-head against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in Match 22 of the IPL 2024. One of the two unbeaten teams in the tournament so far, KKR are in brilliant form. On the other hand, CSK has had an inconsistent run, winning the first two matches and losing the last two.
Ruturaj Gaikwad and Co. are coming on the back of a six-wicket defeat against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH). Defending a below-par total of 166, they were blown away by SRH’s formidable batting unit. Meanwhile, KKR are high on confidence after thrashing Delhi Capitals (DC) by a massive 106 runs in their last match.
The five-time champions will aim to get back on the winning track when they take on Kolkata at their home turf – MA Chidambaram Stadium – on Monday, April 8.
In their last game against Delhi Capitals, KKR fell only five runs short of breaking Sunrisers Hyderabad’s record of highest team total – 277. They, however, will need to be more cautious while batting on a sluggish Chepauk track where spinners are expected to dominate the proceedings.
CSK vs KKR Head to Head
CSK have dominated against KKR, with a 18-10 record. In Chepauk, it goes to 7-3. These two teams have faced each other 29 times in total. Chennai Super Kings have 18 wins while Kolkata Knight Riders have 10 and one game ended with no result.
CSK vs KKR: Pitch Report
The pitch at Chepauk is helpful for the bowlers. There will be some swing early on and spinners will get good grip from the pitch. However, the team that bats second has a better record at this venue. Chepauk Stadium is generally known for assisting bowlers, especially spinners. However, the batters have had the upper hand in the last two IPL matches played here. Spin bowlers have taken just two wickets so far in this tournament, compared to 16 for fast bowlers.
The matches at the venue have been high-scoring so far, and dew hasn’t played much part. There could be some change in the third game of the season. The average first-innings score at Chepauk in IPL 2024 is 189, which is a serious increase from where it was (164) in 21 matches across the previous three years. So strap in and get ready for some runs.
So far the two games played the venue in this year’s IPL saw CSK chase down 173 in the first game and GT failing to chase above 200. Both teams have good spinners in their ranks heading into this contest.
A changing Chepauk in IPL 2024
The focus at CSK seems to have shifted this year. A team that had relied on their spinners and the way their former captain used them to suffocate oppositions has, so far, played its home games in conditions where the ball isn’t even stopping on the pitch, let alone turn off it. In the two matches it has hosted in IPL 2024, Chepauk has offered 18 wickets at an average of 28 to the fast bowlers, but only four at an average of 47 to the slow bowlers. CSK’s share in those wickets: 13 for the quicks and zip, nada, nothing for the spinners.
KKR won’t mind that things are shaping up that way because if there is opportunity to hit through the line of the ball, they have the best line-up to exploit it, starting with Sunil Narine, who has responded with a big shot to 44 of the 65 balls he’s faced. That isn’t just aggression. That’s addiction. Having previously been forced to push him down the order to accommodate Venkatesh Iyer, KKR have gone back to their pinch-hitter to give them those high-impact starts and he hasn’t disappointed.
CSK, after two losses on the road, will be wary of the threat they face. Their batters will once again bear the responsibility of getting a par-plus total, like they did against Gujarat Titans, which brings their wildcards into the picture.
Shivam Dube is excelling in his role as spin-hitter again with a sky-high strike rate of 214 – only Abhishek Sharma (231) has gone better (minimum 18 balls faced). But the rest of them – Rachin Ravindra, who has the potential to do the Narine job for CSK, Ajinkya Rahane, whose transformation continues to surprise, and Daryl Mitchell, who is having a slowish start to the season – have work to do.
Score Prediction
| Team | 1st Innings | 2nd Innings |
| Kolkata Knight Riders | 180-200 | 160-180 |
| Chennai Super Kings | 180-200 | 150-170 |
Team news and Impact Player strategy
Chennai Super Kings
Matheesha Pathirana was doing a little bit of bowling on Sunday, with CSK bowling consultant Eric Simons saying he was left out of the last game as a precaution. It is still unclear, though, if he is ready to play on Monday. Ditto for Mustafizur Rahman, who had to leave for home to work on getting a US visa, but is understood to be on his way to India and should link up with the team soon. Moeen Ali could keep his place given he hits Narine at a strike rate of 181 in the IPL (20 off 11 balls, two dismissals) and offers an offspin option against the left-hand batters of KKR.
Kolkata Knight Riders
Nitish Rana, who hasn’t played since KKR’s opening game, tweeted that he “can’t wait to get on the field”, so he might be in line for a return. Harshit Rana, though, who didn’t bowl in their last match despite being in the XI, arrived in Chennai with his arm in a sling. Angkrish Raghuvanshi might continue to be their Impact Player, swapping in or out for a bowler.
In the spotlight – Andre Russell vs CSK
Andre Russell is the second-quickest-scoring batter so far in this IPL with a strike rate of 239. He loves playing against CSK. Four of his 11 IPL fifties have come against them. He is in form. He is feeling fit. And he is on a mission to make that West Indies team for the home World Cup. Taking him down is going to be hard work.
CSK’s best option to deal with him is Pathirana, if he’s fit (1 run off 3 balls, one dismissal). But keep an eye on Ravindra Jadeja as well. His head-to-head with Russell in the IPL is 32 runs in 25 balls.
Stats that matter – Power-hitting masterclass on the cards
- KKR have been bossing it in the powerplay this year, going at 12 an over. Only Sunrisers Hyderabad (11.66) are getting anywhere close to the kind of explosive batting ability they have shown in the first six overs. Their opening partnership, which was trundling along at a strike rate of 109 and 131 in the last two years, is flying now. Narine and Phil Salt have a strike rate of 172 together.
- CSK, though, will hope that they can make home advantage count. They have won nine of the 13 games between these two sides at Chepauk.
- Some of the best death-overs (17-20) batters in the IPL will be on show tomorrow. Rinku Singh (26) is two away from beating Shimron Hetmyer (27) as the best six-hitter in this phase of play since IPL 2022. MS Dhoni (20) and Russell (18) are not too far behind either.
- In light of that, CSK would dearly love Pathirana to be back starting for them. He has an economy rate of 8.5 in the back-end – only Jasprit Bumrah (7.53) and Mohsin Khan (7.57) go better (minimum 24 balls bowled). Pathirana looks to be their best option to contain a KKR line-up that has power where it counts most.
Team Watch CSK and KKR
Chennai Super Kings
Injury/Unavailability: Mustafizur Rahman’s return from the US is imminent but the bowling coach Eric Simmons is not sure about the availability for tomorrow. About Pathirana, Simmons said his absence in the previous fixture was CSK being conservative and that there’s not too much concern.
Matchups & Strategy: Rinku Singh’s ability to smash big runs in the death overs notwithstanding, the Sri Lankan duo of Matheesha Pathirana and Maheesh Theekshana have been incredibly effective in keeping the southpaw in check, combining to concede only 35 runs in 33 balls even though they have never been able to dismiss him. Should Pathirana make it to the XI, he’d be useful at the backend.
Kolkata Knight Riders
Matchups & Strategy: Rachin Ravindra has shown signs of struggle against the moving ball outside off, and that is an area KKR would look to exploit against the CSK opener.
Probable Playing 11 CSK vs KKR.
CSK Probable XI : RD Gaikwad (C), Rachin Ravindra, Ajinkya Rahane, MM Ali, DJ Mitchell, S Dubey, RA Jadeja, MS Dhoni (wk.), DL Chahar, TU Deshpande, M Theekshana
KKR Probable XI : PD Salt (wk.), SP Narine, VR Iyer, S Iyer (C), RK Singh, Angkrish Raghuvanshi, AD Russell, Ramandeep Singh, Mitchell Starc, H Rana, Varun Chakravarthy
CSK vs KKR Fantasy XI : Rachin Ravindra, Rinku Singh, Sameer Rizvi, Shreyas Iyer, Daryl Mitchell, Ravindra Jadeja, Sunil Narine, Andre Russell, Matheesha Pathirana, Mitchell Starc, Phil Salt(wk.)
CSK vs KKR Prediction.
Chennai Super Kings have a great record at home and it is their fortress. Hence, we will go by the records and back them to win.
Given CSK’s better head-to-head record against CSK and with the side playing at home, they have the edge in the contest. However, KKR have momentum in their favor heading into this game. CSK lost two back-to-back games against Delhi Capitals and Sunrisers Hyderabad in their last two games. KKR, on the other hand, has won three on the trot but has an inferior record against CSK in IPL.