Veteran MS Dhoni has stepped in to lead the team once again, raising hopes among fans and teammates alike that his return at the helm can bring a much-needed change in fortunes for the five-time champions.
CSK come into the crucial fixture on the back of a series of defeats, with their most recent being an 18-run loss to Punjab Kings. Despite chasing a stiff 219 in Mullanpur, there were encouraging signs with the bat, offering a sliver of hope ahead of the KKR clash.
However, Chepauk — once a fortress for CSK — hasn’t offered its usual home advantage this season. The nature of the pitch has shifted significantly, leaving the hosts struggling to read and adapt. Head coach Stephen Fleming recently voiced his frustration after a crushing defeat to Royal Challengers Bengaluru, underlining the unfamiliar challenges posed by their home ground.
To bounce back, CSK will have to quickly acclimatise to the new Chepauk conditions. The spin trio of Ravindra Jadeja, R Ashwin, and Noor Ahmad will be key to that effort, as they attempt to rediscover their edge at a venue where CSK have historically dominated.
Dhoni’s presence will again be central to CSK’s campaign revival. The 42-year-old turned back the clock with a 12-ball 27 against PBKS, peppered with three sixes and a boundary, showing he still has plenty to offer with the bat.
The return to form of Devon Conway, Rachin Ravindra, and Shivam Dube in the previous game also bodes well for CSK, who are currently languishing in ninth place with just one win from five matches.
In the bowling department, CSK are likely to stick to their pace trio of Khaleel Ahmed, Mukesh Choudhary, and Matheesha Pathirana, while relying on their spinners to make an impact in home conditions.
As for Kolkata Knight Riders, they arrive in Chennai smarting from a narrow loss to Lucknow Super Giants just three days ago. With only two wins from five games, the defending champions are also under pressure to get back to winning ways before the playoff race slips further from their grasp.
KKR’s bowlers were taken apart at Eden Gardens in their last outing and will be eager to redeem themselves at Chepauk. Their batting will once again hinge on the experienced shoulders of Quinton de Kock, Sunil Narine, captain Ajinkya Rahane, Andre Russell, and the promising Angkrish Raghuvanshi, along with Rinku Singh.
Points Table Standing:
Chennai Super Kings: 9th (1 win, 4 losses)
Kolkata Knight Riders: 6th (2 wins, 3 losses)
Squads:
Chennai Super Kings: MS Dhoni (c & wk), Ravindra Jadeja, Shivam Dube, Matheesha Pathirana, Noor Ahmad, Ravichandran Ashwin, Devon Conway, Syed Khaleel Ahmed, Rachin Ravindra, Rahul Tripathi, Vijay Shankar, Sam Curran, Shaik Rashid, Anshul Kamboj, Mukesh Choudhary, Deepak Hooda, Gurjanpreet Singh, Nathan Ellis, Jamie Overton, Kamlesh Nagarkoti, Ramakrishnan Ghosh, Shreyas Gopal, Vansh Bedi (wk), Andre Siddarth.
Kolkata Knight Riders: Quinton de Kock (wk), Sunil Narine, Ajinkya Rahane (c), Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Venkatesh Iyer, Rinku Singh, Manish Pandey, Andre Russell, Ramandeep Singh, Harshit Rana, Spencer Johnson, Varun Chakaravarthy, Anrich Nortje, Vaibhav Arora, Anukul Roy, Luvnith Sisodia, Moeen Ali, Rovman Powell, Mayank Markande, Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Chetan Sakariya.