Kolkata Knight Riders will host Chennai Super Kings in match 57 of the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) at the iconic Eden Gardens. The defending champions had a poor start to the campaign, but things have changed in recent times. They have defeated Delhi Capitals and Rajasthan Royals in their previous two matches and will be carrying that confidence against CSK. Meanwhile, as things stand, Kolkata will have to win all their remaining games to remain alive in the playoffs race.
The captain, Ajinkya Rahane, has done a commendable job with the bat, and so has Angkrish Raghuvanshi. However, KKR need other batters to step up as well. Andre Russell played a scintillating knock against Rajasthan in the previous match, scoring a half-century but consistency remains one of the talking points. Bowlers, on the other hand, have done well, particularly the spin duo of Sunil Narine and Varun Chakaravarthy.
When it comes to Chennai, nothing has gone in their favour this season. They have focused on building the squad for the future, and for the same reason, the five-time champions signed Ayush Mhratre and Dewald Brevis, who interestingly, have done much better than the players that were signed in the auction. Mhatre is currently in scintillating form and will be hoping to keep up with the momentum. Among bowlers, Khaleel Ahmed and Noor Ahmad have done a decent job but there’s room for improvement.
Eden Gardens, Kolkata, Pitch Report
The surface at Eden Gardens is expected to favour the batters, but the spinners can enjoy their time in the middle overs. Dew can play a part in the second innings and hence, bowling first will be ideal. Anything above 190 runs can decide the fate of the match.