IPL 2020, Match 49: Chennai Super Kings vs Kolkata Knight Riders - CSK Predicted XI

In match 49 of IPL 2020, Chennai Super Kings will take on the Kolkata Knight Riders at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium in Dubai on Thursday. While CSK is out of the playoff contention, KKR has a lot to play for. Kolkata is currently at the fifth spot and is tied with Punjab on 12 points in as many games.

Chennai, on the other hand, is coming off an eight-wicket victory over Royal Challengers Bangalore. CSK bowlers did a splendid job in restricting a strong RCB batting line-up to a total of 145. They didn’t have any hiccup in the chase, as Ruturaj Gaikwad scored an unbeaten half-century to guide his team comfortably past the finish line. As MS Dhoni has suggested earlier, expect youngsters to get more chances.

Match 49: Chennai Super Kings vs Kolkata Knight Riders- CSK Predicted XI

Ruturaj Gaikwad

Ruturaj Gaikwad made his debut this season for CSK, and after three single-digit scores, he notched up his maiden IPL half-century against RCB in a winning cause. The right-hander looked calm in his 65* from 51 balls and finished the game with a six. Expect him to play all the remaining games.

Faf du Plessis

While Gaikwad took his time to settle, Faf du Plessis at the other end attacked the RCB bowlers. The right-hander gave CSK a quick start in the run-chase scoring 25 off 13 balls with two fours and two maximums. The protea batsman has been CSK’s highest scorer this season scoring 401 runs with 4 half-centuries.  CSK might also be tempted to give Lungi Ngidi a chance in the eleven in place of Faf and bring in an Indian player to open.

Ambati Rayudu

Ambati Rayudu was the player of the match in the opening game against Mumbai. However, injuries hit him, and he hasn’t had the kind of season as expected. Still, he has scored 291 runs – second highest in the team – with just a solitary half-century.

Narayan Jagadeesan

The 24-year-old is playing his first IPL season and has played three matches till now. He scored an impressive 33 runs in his debut game, then got out for a duck and didn’t get the chance to bat in the third match. Jagdeesan is a well-renowned name in the Tamil Nadu circuit, and will surely get more chances in the IPL as well.

MS Dhoni

MS Dhoni has had a lacklustre season with the bat and his team in no more in contention for playoffs. Dhoni has scored 199 runs in 11 innings at a strike rate of 118. He has already mentioned that since being a captain, he will be playing all the matches. However, with uncertainties around his future in the IPL, fans would love to see one MS Dhoni special.

Sam Curran

In a rather disappointing season, Sam Curran has been CSK’s lone bright positive. He has done whatever role he was asked to do; from opening to middle-order pinch hitter to a finisher and bowling with the new ball or in the death. Curran has scored 173 runs at a strike rate of 136 and picked up 13 wickets at an economy of 8.32.

Ravindra Jadeja

Ravindra Jadeja, a long-time CSK and IPL veteran, has been off-colour with the ball this season. He has picked merely wickets in 12 matches at an economy of 9.26. However, his batting has been a talking point, especially his strike rate of 162 for his 201 runs. Jadeja is part of India’s all-three formats for the Australia tour and would want to give more glimpses of his form with the bat in the remaining matches of the IPL.

Mitchell Santner

Mitchell Santner played his first IPL game against RCB and returned with figures of 1/23. The left-hander will be useful on the Dubai pitch and can bowl in the powerplay as well. He can also be handy with the bat in the lower-order.

Deepak Chahar

Deepak Chahar once again has been a standout player with the ball for CSK. Chahar has picked up 12 wickets – most of them in the powerplay – at an economy of 7.28. The pacer has been in excellent form and would hope to take the same to Australia as well.

Imran Tahir

After a long wait on the bench for last season’s purple cap holder, Imran Tahir finally got his chance this year. He couldn’t pick any wicket in a couple of games he has played. However, Tahir will fancy his chances in Dubai, where a day ago Rashid Khan took a three-fer.

Shardul Thakur

Monu Kumar played his first game in the IPL against RCB, but he was erratic in his lines and was expensive, giving away 20 runs in two overs. Shardul Thakur, who is axed from the T20I team for the Australia tour, will have a point to prove to the selectors. In fact, it is one of the seasons where Thakur has impressed people with his variations and maturity. The seamer has picked nine wickets in eight games, at an economy of 8.75.

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