IPL 2021, CSK vs KKR, Chennai Super Kings vs Kolkata Knight Riders Preview: Two In-Form Teams To Battle It Out
Match Preview
Two-time champions Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) will hope to extend their winning run when Eoin and Co. square off against MS Dhoni's Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in match 38 of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium on Sunday. Dhoni's high-flying CSK side has strengthened their title bid after registering impressive wins over Rohit Sharma-led Mumbai Indians (MI) and Virat Kohli's Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in the second phase of the IPL 2021 hosted by the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
A win over Morgan's KKR can pave the way for Dhoni-led CSK to reclaim the top spot from last season's runners-up - Delhi Capitals. Dhoni's CSK have picked up 14 points from 9 matches in the league stage of the IPL 2021. Reviving their campaign in the second phase of the IPL 2021, Morgan-led KKR have registered back-to-back wins to kickstart the UAE leg in the best way possible. Interestingly, both of KKR's wins have also come against RCB and MI in the UAE.
With four wins from nine matches, the Kolkata giants are behind RCB, CSK, and DC in the IPL 2021 standings. Chennai's local hero Varun Chakravarthy will spearhead the KKR bowling attack against Dhoni-led CSK at Abu Dhabi's Sheikh Zayed Stadium. The mystery spinner will be assisted by Sunil Narine, who has bagged 15 wickets in 14 appearances for KKR against the mighty CSK.
Opener Venkatesh Iyer is expected to continue his free-scoring run in the IPL 2021 against CSK. KKR's Rahul Tripathi has remained in exceptional form against CSK's Deepak Chahar. The KKR batsmen has smashed Chahar for 49 runs off 29 balls in the cash-rich league.
Important Player From both Teams
Chennai Super kings
Ruturaj Gaikwad: The young opener scored a 42-ball 64 in his last outing against KKR. He has already made his presence felt with a match-winning 88* against MI in the UAE leg, and also looked good against RCB.
Faf du Plessis: The former Proteas skipper looked in brilliant touch in the last game during his 26-ball 31. The opener scored a brutal 60-ball 95* in his last outing against the Knight Riders.
His record vs KKR: 312 runs in 12 innings at 34.7 and a strike rate of 124.3 with one 50+ score. At Abu Dhabi, he has scored 157 runs in 5 innings at 39.2 and a strike rate of 137.7.
Ambati Rayudu: The right-hander has looked in red-hot form this season. He scored a 22-ball 32 in the last game against RCB. In Abu Dhabi, he has scored 192 runs in five innings at an average of 48 and a strike rate of 117.
His record vs KKR: 418 runs in 18 innings at an average of 24.6 and strike rate of 128.6.
Dwayne Bravo: The veteran all-rounder has turned up the heat with the ball in the second leg. He claimed 3/24 in the last game against RCB and was rightly adjudged player of the match.
His record against KKR: 17 wickets in 17 innings at 28.6. As far as Bravo’s record in Abu Dhabi is concerned, he has played just one game at the venue in which he claimed three wickets.
Deepak Chahar: The swing bowler claimed four wickets in his last outing against the Knight Riders. His overall record against KKR: 7 wickets in 6 games at an average of 25.09 and an economy rate of 9.05.
Probable XI
Faf du Plessis, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Moeen Ali, Suresh Raina, Ambati Rayudu, MS Dhoni(w/c), Ravindra Jadeja, Dwayne Bravo, Shardul Thakur, Deepak Chahar, Josh Hazlewood
Kolkata Knight Riders
Venkatesh Iyer: In the two games that KKR have played in Abu Dhabi, Iyer has been their hero with the bat. The southpaw smashed an unbeaten 27-ball 41 on debut against RCB and backed it up with a 30-ball 53 against Mumbai.
Rahul Tripathi: The 30-year-old smashed an unbeaten 42-ball 72 in the last game. His record in Abu Dhabi: 203 runs in 7 games at an average of 33.8 and a strike rate of 140.
As far as his record against CSK is concerned, the right-hander has scored 146 runs in 6 innings at an average of 29.2 and a strike rate of 141.7.
Andre Russell: The all-rounder is yet to bat in the second leg but he has already made a mark in the competition with a match-winning three-wicket haul against RCB at the same venue.
Russell smashed a brutal half-century in his last outing against CSK. Overall, he has scored 280 runs in 9 innings at an average of 46.7 and a strike rate of 172.8 besides claiming 7 wickets at 29.9.
Varun Chakravarthy: With the pitch in Abu Dhabi slow and sluggish, Chakravarthy has proved to be a force to reckon with. The right-arm leg-spinner claimed three wickets in the first game against RCB and then returned figures of 0/22 in 4 overs against MI.
His record in Abu Dhabi: 12 wickets in nine innings at an average of 18.2 and an economy rate of 6.06. The mystery spinner has four wickets against his name in three outings against CSK.
Probable XI
Venkatesh Iyer, Shubman Gill, Rahul Tripathi, Nitish Rana, Eoin Morgan(c), Dinesh Karthik(w), Andre Russell, Sunil Narine, Lockie Ferguson, Varun Chakravarthy, Prasidh Krishna
Stats and Facts
Both sides have locked horns in 26 IPL games thus far with CSK leading the ledger 16-9.
The last time these two sides met in Abu Dhabi, KKR emerged victorious by 10 runs.
If CSK win on Sunday then they will become the first side to qualify for the playoffs.
CSK will be aiming to get into KKR’s middle order as soon as possible. KKR’s middle order players (Nos. 4 to 6) were the slowest during the first leg with a strike rate of 120.
Dinesh Karthik is 54 away from 4,000 IPL runs.
Our Temporary Team
final team here
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