IPL 2019 – Match 23: Chennai Super Kings vs Kolkata Knight Riders – KKR Predicted Playing XI

The Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) will be up against their biggest challenge of this season so far when they face the Chennai Super Kings. The last time these two teams played in Chennai, Sam Billings proved to be too good for the visitors. His 23-ball 56 overshadowed Andre Russell’s 36-ball 88. However, the pitch isn’t the same as it was last year.

It has been a low-scoring one and the batsmen have usually struggled. Thus, it might get quite difficult for the KKR batsmen and the Indian batsmen will have to take up the responsibility. KKR’s bowling hasn’t been at his best thus far and it could prompt a few changes in the line-up.

Here is the Predicted Playing XI for the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR):

Openers (Chris Lynn, Sunil Narine)

Chris Lynn is getting back into form. He performed well in back-to-back games and is in a positive frame of mind at the moment. The Australian cricketer will hope to carry his form forward to Chennai as well and do well for his team. He has got another aggressive partner in the form of Sunil Narine.

It doesn’t matter who the bowler is when this Caribbean cricketer is batting. His only aim is to send the ball into the stands as soon as it is in his zone. Moreover, his role will be crucial with the ball as well. He could be dangerous when there is turn on offer as all his variations come into play and it gets quite tough for the batsmen.

Middle Order (Robin Uthappa, Nitish Rana, Dinesh Karthik (c)(wk), Shubman Gill)

The middle-order will have an important role to fulfill in the upcoming game. Robin Uthappa is a class act and is timing the ball beatifully. His has to take the role of being the anchor and should look to bat throughout the 20 overs. Nitish Rana struggled against the spinners slightly in the match against RCB. But he will look to make up for his poor knock in that game.

Dinesh Karthik will be the most important member for KKR in this match. He hails from Chennai and knows the Chepauk pitch in and out. He needs to guide his team as to how the pitch behaves as he played a decent amount of domestic cricket this year. Shubman Gill hasn’t got many batting opportunities this season. He was promoted up the order in the last match and faced 10 balls.

All Rounders (Andre Russell)

Andre Russell has scored most of his runs this tournament on good batting tracks. He is yet to be tested in tough conditions. Not many oppositions have tried much of spin against him. MS Dhoni will look to test him with the wrist spinner Imran Tahir and the finger spinners as well. It will be a huge test for Russell playing at the Chepauk this year.

Bowlers (Piyush Chawla, Kuldeep Yadav, Harry Gurney, Shrikant Mundhe)

The wrist spinners will continue in the eleven. Piyush Chawla has been doing a good job in the powerplay while gives DK the flexibility with the other bowlers at the death. Kuldeep Yadav hasn’t been at his best as yet and his variations haven’t worked out really well in the tournament thus far. However, he should enjoy bowling in Chennai.

Harry Gurney, after the good performance in the last match, will continue in the eleven. His variations will come in handy on what is expected to be a slow surface. Prasidh Krishna could be axed and replaced by Shrikant Mundhe. He last played an IPL game in 2011 and picked one wicket in the only over that he bowled. Mundhe can also bowl a bit.

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