Chennai Super Kings vs Kolkata Knight Riders: Preview and Prediction

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The defending champion CSK will up against the runner-up KKR in the season opener

Four-time champions, Chennai Super Kings will lock horns against the Kolkata Knight Riders in the season opener of the TATA Indian Premier League Season 15 at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Saturday.

The season opener of the Indian Premier League promises to be a trailblazer with two rivals locking horns against each other. The Super Kings defeated the Knight Riders in the finals of IPL Season 14 to clinch their fourth title, the Kolkata-based franchise will look to get revenge against their opponents and start the season with a win.

On the other hand, the Chennai-based franchise will look to clinch their fifth title this season and will hope to start their campaign with a win. While the team will feel the absence of star players in Moeen Ali and Deepak Chahar, the team has the quality to win the contest with their existing members.

What have they done so far?

Both the teams have worked hard in the nets in the season opener at Wankhede. Both franchises have assembled a great squad for the tournament during the TATA IPL Auction 2022 and should be assured of how they want to shape their sides this season. While none of the sides has any momentum heading into this game, CSK will have the mental upper hand courtesy of their win over KKR in the finals.

Head to Head Record

The Super Kings and Knight Riders have locked horns on 26 different occasions with the Chennai-based franchise racking the most wins to their name with 17 games ending in their favor. On the other hand, the Kolkata-based franchise has just eight wins in their bag, with one fixture being abandoned between the two sides.

Chennai won all the last three fixtures between the two sides last season and was all over the Knight Riders last season. Kolkata will hope to bring an end to their drought against Chennai in the season opener on Saturday.

Key Players

Ruturaj Gaikwad has been the star man for the Super Kings in their batting order

Ruturaj Gaikwad has been the star man for the Super Kings in their batting order

Ruturaj Gaikwad: The Orange Cap holder from IPL 2021 will have a lot of pressure on his shoulders with the responsibility to provide Chennai Super Kings with the same start from last season. The youngster has been in sublime form since the last season for both the national and his domestic side and could be the key to CSK’s win in the absence of Moeen Ali and Deepak Chahar.

Venkatesh Iyer: This is a battle of the young lions in the true sense, as both Venkatesh and Ruturaj are the muscle to their team’s top order, Venkatesh was electric for the Knight Riders last season and played a crucial role in the team’s miracle run to the finals. The player can also chip in with the ball when needed which could give Kolkata a great advantage in the middle overs.

Predicted Playing XI

Chennai Super Kings: Ruturaj Gaikwad, Devon Conway, Moeen Ali, Ambati Rayudu, Ravindra Jadeja ©, Shivam Dube, Mahendra Singh Dhoni, Dwayne Bravo, KM Asif, Rajwardhan Hangargekar, Adam Milne

Kolkata Knight Riders: Venkatesh Iyer, Ajinkya Rahane, Shreyas Iyer ©, Nitish Rana, Sam Billings, Andre Russell, Sunil Narine, Pat Cummins, Umesh Yadav, Shivam Mavi, Varun Chakravarthy

Prediction

This game could go down to the wire with both sides capable of winning this contest, The Kolkata Knight Riders will have a slight upper hand with Chennai missing the services of Moeen Ali and Deepak Chahar who are two the key members in their squad. 

However, it does not mean CSK lack any firepower in their squad to cruise past Kolkata, with both sides looking for a win, it would be a grave injustice to pick a winner out of the two in the very first fixture of the league.