Preview: CSK Vs KKR, Eden Gardens, Kolkata

CSK seeks a convincing win against KKR to consolidate its top position

The Mahendra Singh Dhoni-led Chennai Super Kings (CSK), easily the most loved and most-fancied team to lift the coveted Indian Premier League (IPL) trophy – 2018, meets the Dinesh Karthik-led Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in its ‘away’ match at the picturesque Eden Gardens, Kolkata tonight.

KKR, title winners in 2012 and 2014, have always been seen as strong contenders along with CSK, MI and SRH.  These four teams have won the title 8 times among themselves during the 10-year period from 2008-2017, with Rajasthan Royals (RR) and the now-defunct Deccan Chargers (DC) winning it once each.  CSK last won the title in 2011, while 3-time champion MI (which lies at the bottom of the points table) won last year’s title.

One thing is assured: as the most popular team in the tournament and led by the inimitable Dhoni, CSK would never be short of crowd support irrespective of the venue(s) of its matches.  CSK’s imperious batting prowess – led by the likes of Shane Watson, Ambati Rayudu, Suresh Raina, Faf du Plessis, M.S. Dhoni, Sam Billings, Dwayne Bravo and others – has been doing the trick for the team but its ‘death bowling’ has been found wanting on more than one occasion so far in the tournament.

Bravo had an uncharacteristic expensive last over (of his spell) during CSK’s match against DD which they could win only by a whisker despite scoring 212.  Lungi Ngidi saved the day for the team, though, after Vijay Shankar’s unexpected assault on Bravo wherein he hit three sixes off the 19th over.  KKR should have done better than its present standing and its shoddy performances with both the bat and the ball had cost it dearly during the first-round matches, relegating it to the fourth position on the points table with just four wins from eight matches.

Bowling in ‘power-play’ (in the first six overs) has been a major worry for KKR as it has failed to pick up any wicket of the opposing teams during this stage in its last four matches, which doesn’t augur well for it as CSK has a battery of attacking batsmen.  KKR would also be vary of the fact that it can’t allow either of the three teams – RR, DD or RCB to break into the top four in the points table and would put its best foot forward in front of its home crowd tonight at the Eden Gardens to beat CSK.

CSK’s bowlers, whether they bowl first or later, would be very keen to contain Sunil Naraine, who has the knack of playing big shots very early in the match.  CSK holds the edge in head-to-head encounters with a 11-7 record and an even better 4-3 record at the Eden which might witness some showers tonight.  All in all, it promises to be a cracker of a match.

Players to watch out for:

CSK: Shane Watson, Rayudu, Dhoni
KKR: Uthappa, Dinesh Karthik, Russel