IPL 2024, CSK vs KKR: Decoding the key player battles
What's the story
Defending champions Chennai Super Kings (CSK) will be up against a confident Kolkata Knight Riders unit in Match 22 of the Indian Premier League (IPL). CSK won their first two games before losing two on the bounce. Meanwhile, KKR have been on a roll, winning all their three fixtures so far. Here we look at the key player battles that can be on display.
#1
Sunil Narine vs Deepak Chahar
KKR got off to stunning starts in their last two outings as Sunil Narine cleared boundaries for fun in the powerplay overs. Deepak Chahar will have the onus to send Narine cheaply. According to ESPNcricinfo, Narine has smashed Chahar for 21 runs off seven balls while getting dismissed once (IPL). Chahar's tally of 57 powerplay wickets in IPL is the second-most for any player.
#2
Andre Russell vs Ravindra Jadeja
While Narine has been brilliant while opening the innings, Andre Russell has aced the finisher's role. His strike rate this season reads 238.64. CSK skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad might turn to Ravindra Jadeja to keep the dasher quiet. Though the veteran left-arm spinner has dismissed Russell twice in the 20-over format, the latter has accumulated 69 runs off just 38 deliveries in this battle.
#3
Rachin Ravindra vs Mitchell Starc
Rachin Ravindra has played a couple of fiery cameos for CSK while opening the innings. Against KKR, he is likely to have a face-off with the veteran Mitchell Starc. Though the latter has looked out of touch this season, he remains a threat with the new ball. Notably, Ravindra did well against Starc in a Test series earlier this year.
#4
Shivam Dube vs Sunil Narine
Narine will also have the responsibility of delivering with his mystery spin bowling. He might face the in-form Shivam Dube in the middle overs. The latter will have his task cut out in this battle as he has only managed 23 runs off 22 balls against Narine in IPL though he has not been dismissed.
Details
Key details about the match
Chennai's MA Chidambaram Stadium will host this duel on April 8 (7:30pm IST). Spinners will enjoy bowling here and the pacers will look to provide variations to gain maximum impetus. Meanwhile, teams have crossed the 170-run mark in three out of the four innings here this season. One can watch the match live on the Star Sports Network and stream the same on JioCinema.