CSK vs KKR is one of the key fixtures in the Indian Premier League (IPL) calendar. In the 2023 season, Chennai Super Kings (CSK) won seven of their 12 matches, and two points will take them to the top of the standings. On the other hand, Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) have a mountain to climb to reach the playoffs. They must win the remaining two matches and will want a few teams to do them a favor.
The match will be played at Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai, on Sunday at 7:30 PM.
Chennai Super Kings
CSK opening batters duo Devon Conway and Ruturaj Gaikwad could target the KKR pace attack, which has been toothless this season. The duo dictates terms to bowlers in the powerplay. Ajinkya Rahane, Shivam Dube, Moeen Ali, Ravindra Jadeja, and MS Dhoni have upped the ante in the middle and death overs. Conway, Ruturaj, Dube, and Rahane have amassed close to 1500 runs between them in IPL 2023.
Deepak Chahar has provided breakthroughs in the powerplay since his return from a hamstring injury. Young fast bowler Matheesha Pathirana, too, has improved his game as the season progressed. The Sri Lankan has grabbed back-to-back three-wicket hauls. The spin duo of Ravindra Jadeja and Maheesh Theekshana will look to make the most out of the track at Chidambaram Stadium. Jadeja is four wickets away from reaching the 20-mark for the first time in an IPL season.
Kolkata Knight Riders
KKR’s playoff hopes depend on its top-order batters. Jason Roy and Rahmanullah Gurbaz failed to provide a quickfire start against Rajasthan Royals. The likes of Nitish Rana, Andre Russell, and Rinku Singh couldn’t dominate the bowlers, and eventually, KKR could only post a modest total of 149 despite Venkatesh Iyer’s excellent half-century.
The spinners will be crucial, as Varun Chakravarthy and Suyash Sharma have had an excellent season. But Sunil Narine hasn’t been able to take wickets consistently and is a tad expensive too. KKR will rely on uncapped Harshit Rana, Shardul Thakur, and Andre Russell in the pace bowling department.
CSK vs KKR Head-to-Head Stats
With 18 wins in 29 outings, CSK holds the advantage over KKR in the IPL meeting between both sides. KKR has won nine matches, while two had no results.
The last time CSK played against KKR, Ajinkya Rahane, Devon Conway, and Shivam Dube hit half-centuries.