Chennai in top gear after great start
Chennai Super Kings have started the season with a bang, winning matches against Mumbai Indians and Royal Challengers Bangalore to sit pretty at the top of the table. Not only have their batsmen stepped up admirably, but their bowling appears refined and perfect for UAE conditions, unlike the case in 2020. They have odds of 1.70 to beat Kolkata Knight Riders and consolidate their position at the top of the table.
Kolkata Knight Riders come off the back of two stunning wins over the same teams Chennai won their games. For a team languishing in the bottom half of the table after the first leg, KKR’s resurgence in two games has been remarkable and they have moved into the top four now. They have odds of 2.12 to beat CSK.
Overall and recent record against Kolkata
Historically, Chennai Super Kings have a better head-to-head record with 16 wins as against nine by KKR. In the last three seasons, Chennai have won four of the five matches against KKR, including a win in the 2021 season.
RECOMMENDED BET: Kolkata Knight Riders have found the perfect formula to tackle teams with and have the right players to give CSK a push. They have unfavorable odds of 2.12 to beat CSK, but expect them to pull a surprise.
We had a high-scoring affair the last time these teams met with Faf du Plessis’ unbeaten 95 and Ruturaj Gaikwad’s 62 pushing CSK to 220, a total they defended by 18 runs after a late cameo from Pat Cummins.
Keep an eye on…
Andre Russell: KKR have hinged on their newbie Venkatesh Iyer and the top order for runs, but expect Russell to come to the party against a spin heavy side like CSK. Russell’s additional role in the bowling department makes him a strong presence in the KKR squad.
Ruturaj Gaikwad: Excellent against high pace and spin, Gaikwad has had a remarkable start to his IPL career and has been Chennai’s in-form batter. His odds of a good score this game is pretty good, especially given he made a half-century the last time these sides met.
TIP: Josh Hazlewood is a good powerplay bowler for CSK and KKR’s vulnerability at the top could see him be CSK’s top bowler, the odds of which stand at 4.00
