MS Dhoni's Tactical Return as CSK Captain: Exciting Team Changes vs KKR

MS Dhoni is back at the helm for the Chennai Super Kings, ready to turn his fortunes around despite not winning the toss. The CSK legends were asked to bat first, a scenario that aligns with their plan. As they return to the same ground where they triumphed in their season opener, Dhoni’s squad sees a couple of strategic adjustments. With Ruturaj Gaikwad sidelined due to an elbow injury, Rahul Tripathi steps in to fill the void. Additionally, Anshul Kamboj replaces Mukesh Choudhary, whose previous performance was noted but not spectacular (6-0-71-1).

Meanwhile, the Kolkata Knight Riders, backed by a formidable batting lineup, look to chase under the leadership of Ajinkya Rahane. Rahane cites their batting depth as the key reason for his decision to bowl first. The Knights have also reintroduced Moeen Ali into the lineup, a move calculated to counter CSK’s several left-handers with his offspin. Both Rahane and Moeen carry the experience of winning titles with CSK in 2023, a confidence booster on this familiar pitch.

Chennai Super Kings Squad: 1. Devon Conway, 2. Rachin Ravindra, 3. Rahul Tripathi, 4. Shivam Dube, 5. Vijay Shankar, 6. Ravindra Jadeja, 7. MS Dhoni (capt, wk), 8. R Ashwin, 9. Noor Ahmad, 10. Anshul Kamboj, 11. Khaleel Ahmed
Impact Players Available: Matheesha Pathirana, Kamlesh Nagarkoti, Shaik Rasheed, Jamie Overton, Deepak Hooda

Kolkata Knight Riders Squad: 1. Quinton de Kock (wk), 2. Sunil Narine, 3. Ajinkya Rahane (capt), 4. Venkatesh Iyer, 5. Rinku Singh, 6. Andre Russell, 7. Ramandeep Singh, 8. Moeen Ali, 9. Harshit Rana, 10. Vaibhav Arora, 11. Varun Chakravarthy
Impact Players Available: Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Manish Pandey, Anukul Roy, Rovman Powell, Luvnith Sisodia