Another day, another must-win game for KKR against CSK
KKR have to win every game hereon, while CSK will hope to find some positives as their campaign starts to wind down
Sreshth Shah
06-May-2025
Big picture: Defending champions in a series of last stands
For the past ten days, Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) have lived by a simple motto: one game at a time. An away win over Delhi Capitals (DC) and a rare home win against Rajasthan Royals (RR) have kept them alive in the IPL 2025 playoffs race. With three games left, KKR must win all of them to reach 17 points, and even then, qualification isn't guaranteed.
While questions remain over their middle-order depth and the use of the fourth overseas slot, KKR have started to turn the tide from difficult situations. In Delhi, it was Sunil Narine's double-wicket over that halted Faf du Plessis' momentum and triggered a DC slide. Against RR, Andre Russell dragged them from a stuttering batting effort to a winning total, if only by one run in the end. Varun Chakravarthy continues to pose threats with the ball, while the openers are finding their synergy.
But as the finish line starts to get visible, so does the pressure. And now come MS Dhoni's Chennai Super Kings (CSK). It will be visible in the crowd when the yellow matches the purple presence. Their narrow two-run loss to Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) showed that they're not down and out just yet in terms of competing. And as five-time champions, they'd be desperate to bring some respectability to their campaign as it starts to wind down.
When these two teams met earlier in the season, it was a one-sided affair as CSK managed just 103 for 9 in a game where Narine dominated with both bat (44) and ball (3 for 13). At Eden Gardens, the battle between the slow bowlers could once again prove decisive with quality spinners on both sides, although form isn't on the side of the CSK pair.
The motivations for both sides are vastly different - which narrative will succeed?
Form guide: CSK keen to avoid a fifth straight L
Kolkata Knight Riders WWLLW
Chennai Super Kings LLLLW
Chennai Super Kings LLLLW
The big question
Who should KKR's fourth overseas player be? Rovman Powell has muscle but has batted too low at No. 8. Moeen Ali as a floater hasn't given them much while his offspin is rather dependent on match-ups. With a young opening pair expected for CSK, is it prudent to bring in the pace of Anrich Nortje or Spencer Johnson instead?
In the spotlight: Ayush Mhatre and Ajinkya Rahane
Ayush Mhatre, only 17, played a sensational knock for CSK against RCB, missing his century by only six runs. What stood out was his intent. This has been something CSK have sorely lacked this season, especially in the powerplay (run rate of 8.1, the worst of all teams) and his emergence is a silver lining as he strikes at 189 this season in the first six overs, the highest of all players (min. 50 balls) The dimensions in Kolkata aren't too different from Bengaluru, and he's got confidence on his side.
Another Mumbaikar, Ajinkya Rahane has been red-hot in the powerplay too, with his own strike-rate of 185 the third-best. Against pace, he has averaged 104.5 too, but has struggled against spin. His strike-rate against spin is only 115 and he averages only 16.9. Rahane has been dismissed by Washington Sundar, Axar Patel and Riyan Parag in his last three outings, and will have to up his game against spin if KKR are to avoid another middle-overs performance like the RR game.
Team news: Rinku fit for CSK clash
KKR head coach Chandrakant Pandit said that Rinku Singh is fit after picking up a niggle against RR. Moeen Ali could keep his place as the floater who bowls offspin. Russell's batting position will be worth keeping an eye on.
Kolkata Knight Riders (probable): 1 Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), 2 Sunil Narine, 3 Ajinkya Rahane (capt), 4 Angkrish Raghuvanshi, 5 Venkatesh Iyer, 6 Rinku Singh, 7 Andre Russell, 8 Ramandeep Singh, 9 Moeen Ali, 10 Harshit Rana, 11 Varun Chakravarthy, 12 Vaibhav Arora
CSK have brought in Urvil Patel as a replacement for Vansh Bedi, and there's no reason he can't get a debut right away. The Gujarat batter was the highest six-hitter in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2024-25. He also smashed a 28-ball hundred, the joint second-fastest in T20 cricket. However, he is an opener, so CSK will have to decide between giving him an opportunity or keeping the faith in Shaik Rasheed.
Chennai Super Kings (probable): 1 Ayush Mhatre, 2 Urvil Patel/Shaik Rasheed, 3 Sam Curran, 4 Dewald Brevis, 5 Ravindra Jadeja, 6 Shivam Dube, 7 MS Dhoni (capt & wk), 8 Deepak Hooda, 9 Khaleel Ahmed, 10 Noor Ahmed, 11 Anshul Kamboj, 12 Matheesha Pathirana
Pitch and conditions: Win toss, bat first?
The team batting first has won four of the five completed games this season at the Eden Gardens. The average first-innings score has been 203. The surface, at a glance, looked set to continue the trend of 200+ scores, although there are some concerns of rain, as has been the case all week. This is the same surface as the one where Punjab Kings scored 201 for 4 in a washed-out game.
Stats and trivia: Dhoni vs spin
- This season, KKR have the best economy among spinners (7.6) and the most wickets (31). On the other hand, CSK have lost the most wickets to spin (32) and have the lowest strike-rate (124)
- However, both Narine and Chakravarthy have struggled at home while bowling first. Narine is yet to take a wicket while Varun has taken only one in three first-innings performances
- Dhoni has a strike-rate of only 52 against Narine. Against Chakravarthy, Dhoni averages only four runs per dismissal at a strike-rate of 63.
- KKR's pacers have struggled at home with a much higher economy (11.1 vs 9.3) and average (35.2 vs 23.6) compared to away games.
- Jadeja has completed his quota in only one game this season. Noor has taken only five wickets in his last six games.
Quotes
"In T20 games, I always believe that no team can be taken easily and nobody can be above the game. Obviously, our confidence level, we need to continue with that, instead of thinking of our opposition's confidence level."
KKR head coach Chandrakant Pandit on suggestions that downtrodden CSK are an easy opponent
KKR head coach Chandrakant Pandit on suggestions that downtrodden CSK are an easy opponent
"It won't be a complete change in tactics. There are many ways to skin the cat. Adversity will not define us as a team."
CSK bowling coach Eric Simons does not believe CSK's template will change
CSK bowling coach Eric Simons does not believe CSK's template will change
Sreshth Shah is a sub-editor at ESPNcricinfo. @sreshthx