Chennai Super Kings v Kolkata Knight Riders IPL Tips: Chennai is must-win clash

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Chennai Super Kings v Kolkata Knight Riders IPL team news

Chennai Super Kings will need at least six wins from their last nine to stand any chance of making the play-offs. Defeat by Punjab last time was their fourth in a row and there just seem to be too many problems to solve after poor auction work signing domestic batters Rahul Tripathi, Deepak Hooda and Vijay Shankar.

Against Punjab they retired out Devon Conway in a chase of 220 despite the opener set and striking at 140. Their decision-making seems muddled. Nathan Ellis, Sam Curran and Jamie Overton are considered surplus.

Possible CSK XI: Ravindra, Conway, Gaikwad, Dube (Pathirana sub), Shankar, Jadeja, Dhoni, Ashwin, Noor Ahamad, Mukesh

KKR are struggling for consistency. Having bowled superbly against Sunrisers they then conceded 238 against LSG. They probably should have got up in the chase.

At 162 for two in the 13th they were in control but collapsed to 185 for seven by the start of the 17th. A flurry by Rinku Singh kept them keen but defeat was by four runs. 

Possible KKR XI: De Kock, Narine, Rahane, Venkatesh, Ramandeep, Raghuvanshi (Varun sub), Russell, Rinku, Harshit, Arora, Johnson

Chennai Super Kings v KKR IPL pitch report

This is the time when the Chepauk wicket starts to slow up. We shorted runs last time but were unfortunate to be on a loser at 179.5. In the last three IPL tournaments outside of the first two matches under 165 would have been a winner 14 times out of 23. Once again 179.5 is the mark and it does feel like with both sides well equipped to take advantage of spin and a low surface, that is a play. 

Chennai Super Kings v KKR IPL match prediction

Chennai are 2.0621/20 outsiders for a home game at fortress Chepauk. It's a price rarely seen but is indicative of the collapse of their form. It could, however, be construed as outrageous value if you subscribe to the view that KKR are vulnerable on a slower surfaces.

The problem with that is Anjinkya Rahane wants spinning pitches at Eden Gardens. It could be that Rahane is not taking into account batting frailties although evidence of a struggle against tweak is hardly overwhelming. They had an issue with Krunal Pandya but that was about it.

In reality this has the feel of a choice affair so a massive angle couldn't really be taken on either side. Expect an attritional affair.

Chennai Super Kings v KKR IPL Exchange strategy

Chennai's strength and Kolkata's weakness align here for an angle on match odds and innings runs. The hosts have been excellent in the death overs while KKR have a tendency to fall away (as seen against LSG, RCB for example). 

Factor it into your thinking that Chennai can roar back with the ball from around over 12-13, taking chunks out of their own price in-play. On innings runs it isn't wise to expect KKR to blitz in the death overs at much more than ten an over.

Chennai Super Kings v Kolkata Knight Riders IPL player bets

Matheesha Pathirana is having a quiet tournament by his own high top-bowler standards. He has one dead heat (shared wickets and shared runs conceded) so far. He is[ 5/2] to finally get a win and it may be worth a play as there are signs that KKR have some issues with pace in the middle and towards the end. MS Dhoni batted at No 5 last time for CSK but we don't advise getting sucked into a bet at 14s that he tops. 

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