IPL 2025: Struggling CSK Eye Redemption Against KKR at Chepauk

Chennai Super Kings (CSK) will be under immense pressure to bounce back when they face Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in Match 25 of IPL 2025 at the M.A. Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on Friday. Having suffered four straight defeats and securing just one win, CSK currently sits ninth in the points table.

Recent Struggles Highlight Team’s Inconsistencies

Although CSK showed some fight in their previous match against Punjab Kings — especially in their spirited chase of 219 runs — they still lost by 18 runs, revealing cracks in both batting and bowling departments.

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Coach Fleming Calls Out Chepauk Woes

Head coach Stephen Fleming has voiced concern over the team’s failure to exploit home advantage at Chepauk. Traditionally known for aiding spinners, the pitch hasn’t provided the edge CSK’s spin-heavy unit usually enjoys.

MS Dhoni to Lead in Gaikwad’s Absence

With Ruturaj Gaikwad ruled out of the tournament due to an elbow injury, MS Dhoni will take charge. Dhoni’s late cameo (27 off 12) in the last match was promising and CSK will count on his experience to lead the turnaround.

Batting Hopes Rest on Senior Pros

CSK will be looking for solid performances from Rachin Ravindra, Devon Conway, and Shivam Dube, all of whom have shown potential this season. The pressure is on the top and middle order to fire consistently.

Bowlers Need to Step Up at Chepauk

In the bowling department, CSK will rely on Mukesh Choudhary, Matheesha Pathirana, and Khaleel Ahmed for pace, while Ravindra Jadeja, R. Ashwin, and Noor Ahmad will shoulder spin responsibilities.

KKR Aim for Consistency After Close Loss

KKR, who are defending champions, are coming off a narrow four-run defeat to Lucknow Super Giants. With two wins in five games, they are sixth on the table and equally in search of rhythm.

KKR’s Batting Remains a Threat

Despite bowling concerns, KKR’s batting lineup looks solid, with Quinton de Kock, Sunil Narine, Rinku Singh, Andre Russell, and Ajinkya Rahane in form. Their firepower could prove dangerous on Chennai’s surface.

Match Details

When: Friday, April 11, 2025
Where: MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai
Live Broadcast: Star Sports Network
Live Streaming: JioHotstar

Squad Details

Kolkata Knight Riders Squad: Quinton de Kock (wk), Sunil Narine, Ajinkya Rahane (c), Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Venkatesh Iyer, Rinku Singh, Manish Pandey, Andre Russell, Ramandeep Singh, Harshit Rana, Spencer Johnson, Varun Chakaravarthy, Anrich Nortje, Vaibhav Arora, Anukul Roy, Luvnith Sisodia, Moeen Ali, Rovman Powell, Mayank Markande, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Chetan Sakariya.

Chennai Super Kings Squad: MS Dhoni (c & wk), Ravindra Jadeja, Shivam Dube, Matheesha Pathirana, Noor Ahmad, Ravichandran Ashwin, Devon Conway, Syed Khaleel Ahmed, Rachin Ravindra, Rahul Tripathi, Vijay Shankar, Sam Curran, Shaik Rashid, Anshul Kamboj, Mukesh Choudhary, Deepak Hooda, Gurjanpreet Singh, Nathan Ellis, Jamie Overton, Kamlesh Nagarkoti, Ramakrishnan Ghosh, Shreyas Gopal, Vansh Bedi, Andre Siddarth.