Chennai Super Kings v Kolkata Knight Riders IPL Tips: Deflated KKR in a spin

• Chennai surge to continue

• Dube and Moeen value

• KKR may struggle on slow pitch

Chennai Super Kings v Kolkata Kngiht Riders
Sunday 14 April, 15:00
TV: Live on Sky Sports

Team news

Chennai are bang in the hunt for a top-two finish. They have a settled XI, each player knows their role and they remain almost unbeatable at home. Ben Stokes is available but it seems unlikely that he will force his way into the team, unless Moeen Ali steps out.

Probable XII: Gaikwad, Conway, Moeen, Rahane, Dube, Rayudu, Jadeja, Dhoni, Chahar, Deshpande, Theekshana, Pathirana *Potential subs

Kolkata's heavy defeat by Royals has alomost certainly ended aspirations of a top four spot. They are reliant on their batters swinging through the line on flat ones to keep them in games and this is not the sort of venue for that approach. Venkatesh Iyer could be subbed in for Suyash Sharma or vice versa.

Probable XII: Roy, Gurbaz, Rana, Venkatesh, Rinku, Russell, Thakur, Narine, Anukul, Chakravarthy, Harshit, Suyash *Potential subs

Pitch report

The Chepauk Stadium surface has been pretty reliable for the spinners this term. Chennai have squeezed teams expertly. And they have been on the receiving end, too, notably against Royals.

Three first-innings scores in the last four of 167, 134 and 139 suggests it's an unders play. We fear KKR may struggle to adapt so under 167.5 on the par line is a good starting wager.

How to play

Chennai are 1.748/11 to take the points and remain challenging for the all-important top two. We wouldn't have been surprised to see them go off in the 1.68/13 region.

With doubts about Kolkata's batting prowess and clarity on their lack of bowling nous - not to mention daft decisions by skipper Ntish Rana - we're hapy to back the hosts.

Tops value

Shivam Dube is one of the few remaining top-order batters underrated on win rate on the top bat markets. Sportsbook go 15/2. Moeen Ali could also bat in the top five so 9/1 looks chunky. Splitting stakes on the pair is sound.

For KKR's top bat, be aware we could be betting without Venkatesh or even Jason Roy with his troublesome back if the visitors bat second. Players must be in the starting XI or bets are void. Rinku Singh looks big at 13/2.