With renewed hope, CSK aim to extend KKR's misery

Chennai Super Kings, Kolkata Knight Riders and Mumbai Indians have 13 IPL titles between them. However, all three are languishing at the bottom after four rounds. KKR, in particular, are the only winless team left. CSK ended their own losing streak with a win over Delhi Capitals on Saturday.

That victory may have revealed a new template for CSK at Chepauk, moving away from their traditional reliance on spin to using pace at hard lengths on surfaces offering good bounce. They will also be encouraged by Sanju Samson's century after a lean start.

KKR have shown flashes of promise without securing a win. A high-scoring chase by Mumbai Indians and a special knock from Mukul Choudhary denied them victories. Their bowling has been hampered by injuries, and uncertainty remains over Varun Chakaravarthy's availability.

When: April 14 at 7:30 PM IST
Where: MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai
What to expect: Clear skies and a good batting surface on black soil.
Head to head: CSK 20 – 11 KKR. Since 2022, the record is even at 3-3.

Team News & Tactics

CSK:

• There is no clear update on MS Dhoni's return. CSK may stick with their winning combination.
• If Varun Chakaravarthy plays, CSK's best bets against him are Shivam Dube and Dewald Brevis.
• Their pace attack will be key against Cameron Green, who has a strong record against their spinners.
• Probable XII: Ruturaj Gaikwad (c), Sanju Samson (wk), Ayush Mhatre, Sarfaraz Khan, Dewald Brevis, Shivam Dube, Jamie Overton, Akeal Hosein, Noor Ahmad, Khaleel Ahmed, Anshul Kamboj, Gurjapneet Singh

KKR:

• Matheesha Pathirana is fit but unlikely to debut against his old franchise.
• Varun Chakaravarthy was training separately; a decision on his inclusion is pending.
• There is a case to use Sunil Narine as an opener to counter Akeal Hosein in the Powerplay. Narine also has a good record against Sanju Samson.
• Probable XII: Ajinkya Rahane (c), Finn Allen, Cameron Green, Angkrish Raghuvanshi (wk), Rinku Singh, Rovman Powell, Ramandeep Singh, Anukul Roy, Sunil Narine, Navdeep Saini, Kartik Tyagi, Vaibhav Arora

Key Stats:

• Ruturaj Gaikwad's dot-ball percentage since 2025 in T20 cricket is 38.4.
• Since 2025, only Tim David (171.87) has a better strike rate than Dewald Brevis (170) in the overs 7-15 phase in T20s.