🏏IPL 2023: Match 61 - CSK vs KKR on 14/05/2023 at 7:30 PM IST 🏏

🏏IPL 2023: Match 61 - CSK vs KKR at MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai on 14/05/2023 at 7:30 PM IST 🏏

Tag & Logo Credit: Sevenstreaks

It's spin vs spin as KKR visit CSK's den to keep their campaign alive. Win takes CSK to the top of the table, while KKR are pretty much done for the season if they lose this one

Tall ask for KKR in Chennai

On the list of most successful spin attacks in IPL 2023, Kolkata Knight Riders and Chennai Super Kings rank up there, at second and third with 37 and 35 wickets respectively, just behind Rajasthan Royals' tally of 40. That's pretty much the same, but CSK's economy rate of 7.52 compared to KKR's 8.14 gives them an edge, apart from the massive backing of the home crowd where the fans will come out in huge numbers.

More than spin, what separates the two teams is their batting. CSK's top order has given them fiery starts in the powerplay, while KKR have struggled with their opening combinations before finally settling on Jason Roy and Rahmanullah Gurbaz.

In Chennai, usually considered a spin-friendly track, Ruturaj Gaikwad and Devon Conway have registered two half-century and one century partnerships this season. Ajinkya Rahane's new avatar has added a different dimension to the batting, and Shivam Dube's hitting against spin (strike rate of 177.10) only adds to KKR's worries for Sunday.

KKR have largely relied on their middle-order muscle for wins this season, and even left a few of those finishes too late. That may not work against CSK because their new death-overs specialist Matheesha Pathirana has given away only 8.28 runs an over on average in the last phase this IPL, while also striking 12 times in eight innings, with his mixed bag of tricks delivered with a slingy action.

In a must-win game to stay alive in the playoffs race, KKR will have to be at their absolute best against the red-hot CSK, who had hammered a record 235 in the earlier fixture between the two teams in Kolkata.

CSK vs KKR: Weather Report And Pitch Report Of Chennai Stadium- IPL 2023, Match 61

The pitch at Chepauk has shown increasing signs of slowing down in the last couple of games. SK defended 167 in their previous match at the Chepauk against Delhi Capitals. They also managed to restrict MI under 140 in the match they played before DC. Thus 160 -170 is expected to be a match-winning score at this venue in the given conditions.

The CSK vs KKR match starts at 7.30 pm IST. The temperature will be around 31 degrees in the evening and partly cloudy as well. There is 7-0 percent of cloud cover expected but no forecast of rain. Dew will play an important role in the match.

Pitch and conditions

With the day temperature expected to touch 40 degrees Celsius, the evening will be extremely hot and humid. It remains to be seen if they dish out another black-soil pitch because of the spin resources in KKR, but it is expected to be slow again.

Chennai Super Kings

Injury/Availability: Sisanda Magala has resumed training after being ruled out with a split webbing. He is, however, unlikely to come in to the game. Ben Stokes too has been passed fit to play but has been unable to force his way back with CSK opting for the spinning option of Moeen Ali on the tiring surfaces at the end of Indian season.

Team news - can Ben Stokes break into the CSK XI

Dube is carrying a finger niggle and is likely to be subbed in or out again purely for his batting like CSK did in their previous game against Delhi Capitals. Ben Stokes is fit for selection but is finding it tough to break into the XI because of the limit of the four overseas slots.

Form guide - (last five completed games, most recent first)

Chennai Super Kings WWLLW

Kolkata Knight Riders LWWLW

Impact Player strategy

KKR are likely to be unchanged, ready to bank on their spin trio of Sunil Narine, Varun Chakravarthy and Suyash Sharma, who is likely to be subbed in or out for one of the batters, along with Anukul Roy.

Kolkata Knight Riders (probable XII): 1 Jason Roy, 2 Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), 3 Venkatesh Iyer, 4 Nitish Rana, 5 Andre Russell, 6 Rinku Singh, 7 Shardul Thakur, 8 Sunil Narine, 9 Harshit Rana, 10 Vaibhav Arora, 11 Varun Chakravarthy, 12 Suyash Sharma

Dube is likely to be subbed in or out with one of the frontline bowlers, depending on whether they bat or bowl first.

Chennai Super Kings (probable XII): 1 Devon Conway, 2 Ruturaj Gaikwad, 3 Ajinkya Rahane, 4 Ambati Rayudu, 5 Shivam Dube, 6 Moeen Ali, 7 Ravindra Jadeja, 8 MS Dhoni (capt, wk), 9 Deepak Chahar, 10 Maheesh Theekshana, 11 Matheesha Pathirana, 12 Tushar Deshpande

Numbers that matter

CSK have to be wary of KKR's six-hitting prowess. They have struck the most sixes in IPL 2023, the most sixes against pace this IPL, and second-most sixes in death overs too this season.

Pathirana has taken the most wickets (12) at the death this edition of the IPL and Tushar Deshpande has taken the joint third-most (eight).

How KKR use Narine will be interesting because he has an impressive record against many CSK batters. Opposite Rahane, Narine has conceded 73 off 58 balls with four dismissals. Against Ambati Rayudu, Narine has done even better: 51 off 59 balls with three dismissals. And against Dhoni, Narine's record is most interesting of the lot: 39 runs off 74 balls with one dismissal.

KKR's opening pair of Roy and Gurbaz have the best strike rate against spin this IPL (minimum 30 balls faced): 231.81 and 191.6 respectively.

The Chepauk suburb of Chennai was a hub of activity in the wee hours of Friday morning. Ticket seekers, of both the genuine and proxy variety, jostled outside the MA Chidambaram Stadium ahead of the city's last league game of IPL 2023. There are two Playoff matches scheduled to be played here and Chennai Super Kings are a good bet to feature in one of them. However, sales for the post-league games come under BCCI's ambit, and with no certainty as yet on which of those matches will feature MS Dhoni, Sunday's clash against the Kolkata Knight Riders has whipped up an extra shot of the frenzy, if that was even possible.

As such, the on-field narrative might pale slightly in comparison to the ongoing 'will he?' soap opera around the CSK captain and his playing future. But the team itself recognises there are crucial factors still at play and was hard at work in the nets two days out from the game when it would have been reasonable to take a day off heading into the business end of a gruelling tournament. CSK need at least a win from their two remaining games to rubber-stamp their 12th appearance in the final-four, and two in two will give them two shots at the final, an enticing prospect.

KKR, on the other hand, no longer have qualification destiny in their hands. It was snatched away two nights ago in a chastening defeat to Rajasthan Royals and defeat tomorrow will confirm their elimination. It's been a strange season for the two-time winners that began with them losing their captain to injury. They then lost a glut of games in a stretch and also won some while being second best for the most part. From that standpoint alone Nitish Rana & Co. will hope there is room for a couple of miracles left in them, starting at a venue that first turned Knight dreams into reality eleven years ago.

When:Chennai Super Kings vs Kolkata Knight Riders, IPL 2023, May 14, 19:30 IST

Where: MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai

What to expect: A muggy evening with a very small possibility of rain, but nothing that will disrupt the game. Stephen Fleming mentioned after the last game that the hot temperatures are finally having a say in the pitches at Chepauk taking turn in this latter part of the season. This game will be played on Pitch No.3 in the square, last used in the game against Mumbai Indians. It didn't take much spin that afternoon, but if it does, KKR will feel right at home with a troika of spinners in their ranks.

Head to head:

\CSK 18-9 KKR. The Super Kings have won five of the last seven matches between these sides including victory in the reverse fixture earlier this season where they powered their way to 235 - the second-highest total (so far) in this season.

CSK vs KKR: What is their head-to-head record at Chepauk?

The MA Chidambaram has been a fortress for the Super Kings, and it's no different against the Knight Riders as the Men in Yellow have been the Kolkata-based franchise seven time in nine meetings, with the latter winning just twice.

In fact, KKR's last win against CSK at this ground came 11 years ago, in the 2012 IPL final.

Out of 9 Matches CSK won 7 and KKR won 2.

CSK vs KKR: What is their overall head-to-head record?

CSK have won twice as many games as KKR, with a 18-9 record.

Tactics & Matchups:

After struggling in the first part of the season, Deepak Chahar has re-discovered his PowerPlay wicket-taking exploits, having struck twice in each of the last two games. He has a good record against KKR skipper Nitish Rana, who he has dismissed while conceding at less than a run a ball.

Probable XI: Ruturaj Gaikwad, Devon Conway, Ajinkya Rahane, Shivam Dube, Moeen Ali, Ravindra Jadeja, MS Dhoni (c&wk), Deepak Chahar, Tushar Deshpande, Maheesh Theekshana, Matheesha Pathirana (Impact Sub: Ambati Rayudu)

Kolkata Knight Riders

Injury/Availability: Umesh Yadav has been sidelined by a minor hamstring injury but did bowl in practice on the eve of the Rajasthan Royals game. His participation though will still be subject to BCCI clearance with the WTC Final looming.

Tactics & Matchups:

KKR are likely to play three spinners and will want to spread their resources wisely viz. their matchup advantages. Sunil Narine has dismissed Ajinkya Rahane four times and has conceded a solitary four to MS Dhoni in 73 balls. Varun CV, on the other hand, has dismissed Dhoni thrice in 15 balls bowled to the CSK captain.

Probable XI: Jason Roy, Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Venkatesh Iyer, Nitish Rana (c), Andre Russell, Rinku Singh, Shardul Thakur, Sunil Narine, Harshit Rana/Umesh Uadav, Suyash Sharma, Varun CV (Impact Sub: Anukul Roy)

Did you know?

- Andre Russell has an excellent record vs CSK (309 runs at 168.85 SR) and at Chepauk (203 runs at 150.37 SR)

- KKR and CSK sit first (114) and third (100) in the list of teams with most sixes hit in IPL 2023

- KKR have lost the most wickets to spin (34) and are the only side with a sub-20 average against spin (19.50).

What they said:

"We have a saying in our coaching group that conditions override planning. So we will have our planning in place but if the wicket on the day is different, then you have to adapt and change. I think the whole DC match changed in one over, which went for 23 runs. But when you as a player recognise that moment, you need clarity. whether it's bowling and batting. It's going to be very much about reading the conditions, reading the match," CSK bowling consultant Eric Simmons on being fluid with plans.