Chennai Super Kings Vs Kolkata Knight Riders : Match Preview

Kings XI Punjab struggling to find its 2nd win will take Chennai Super Kings which is finding itself in a proper order after the last match victory against Punjab.

This next match of IPL 2020 is mouth-watering. There is just something about Kolkata Knight Riders vs Chennai Super Kings that makes the heart beat a little bit faster. It may be because these two teams have had some tremendous encounters in the past or maybe because they each embody such a different approach to their teams.

KKR does not shy away from paying millions after the biggest names on the circuit. Their cricket is high-octane and often unpredictable. CSK, on the other hand, believes stability and continuity in selection is everything.

They both come into this match in the middle of the IPL standings. They have won two matches each although CSK has played one match more.

KKR has a bit of a break since its last match against the Delhi Capitals. That was a frenetic match in Sharjah that KKR ended up losing but not before it came pretty close to chasing down a mammoth total.That match has raised some questions about the tactics that KKR is following, in particular, about the role of Dinesh Karthik in the team. Almost everyone and their grandmother want Dinesh Karthik to bat at number 6, below the likes of Nitish Rana, Andre Russell, and Eoin Morgan.

The opening position of Sunil Narine looks under threat. We think KKR may look to include Tom Banton in the team and give him a shot at giving them better starts. Similarly, they could choose to promote Rahul Tripathi and add Lockie Ferguson to the team instead of Narine.

That would probably require dropping one out of Shivam Mavi or Kamlesh Nagarkoti in place of Kuldeep Yadav.Either direction would make KKR a much better team than it is now. We have to assume that KKR is going to make the right decisions thanks to the team of analysts that surround them. If they don’t, they are going to continue underachieving in IPL 2020.

Shane Watson tweeted that the perfect game for CSK was around the corner and he was not wrong. They gave KXIP a beating that they are going to remember for a long time. 178 can be a tricky target to chase but CSK did it without losing a wicket and with 2.2 overs to spare!

CSK is a great team when Shane Watson plays at his best and that is what happened in the previous match. We know Watson tends to start tournaments a bit slower these days but can go on scoring streaks once he is in-form.His scoring runs, Faf du Plessis in tremendous touch, and the return of Ambati Rayadu make CSK a much tougher team to beat. It does not take away the problems of the middle-order but CSK will be hoping for more runs from the top-order.

The bowling lineup did very well in Dubai in the previous match. Deepak Chahar got swing, Sam Curran was tidy without being at his best, while the spinners exerted better control in than in the past.

Still, we don’t think Piyush Chawla or even Ravindra Jadeja have suddenly become unplayable overnight. They struggled to bowl their quota of overs and another bad match could around the corner.

Dhoni is going to do what he does best and follow his gut. It has worked for CSK against all doubters in the past but we are doubtful it will continue to work again.

Team News and Predicted XI:

Chennai Super Kings:

Dhoni usually do not make much changes so he can go with the winning combination.

Predicted XI:

Watson, Faf Du Plessis, Rayudu, Kedar Jadhav, MS Dhoni, Jadeza, Sam Currn, DJ Bravo, Piyush Chawla, Shardul Thakur, Deepak Chahar

Kolkata Knight Riders:

They can make a handful of changes if they want.Batting order should be changed a little bit. Morgan having a great form should get some more balls to play.

Tripathi can be moved up. Even Banton can make its debut for Narine. Kuldeep yadav should be surely in.

Predicted XI:

Gill, Narine/Banton, Rana, Karthik, Russell, Morgan, Cummins, Tripathi, Varun Chakraworthy, Nagarkoti, Mavi/Kuldeep