The Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) are back at the Eden Gardens, this time to welcome the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) for one of the most anticipated ties of IPL 2023. KKR have lost three straight games and are in desperate need of two points as well as momentum, while CSK are riding high near the top of the table, having won both of their last two encounters.
The two franchises have met 29 times before, including two finals (2012 and 2021), with KKR winning just 10 times compared to CSK’s 18 victories (one ended in a no result). Interestingly, KKR have never beaten CSK in consecutive games in the IPL. Suresh Raina has the most runs in the history of this fixture with 747, followed by Mahendra Singh Dhoni (550) and Faf du Plessis (437). In terms of wickets, Sunil Narine dominates once more, with 20 scalps to his name, four better than Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja, and eight clear of Dwayne Bravo in third place.
Before KKR and CSK renew their rivalry in 2023, My Kolkata would like to refresh your memories by revisiting three key moments from KKR-CSK encounters over the years.
Umesh Yadav in vintage form in season opener
Umesh Yadav was in full flow when KKR met CSK for the IPL opener last season TT archives
For the second time in the IPL, a new season began with KKR taking on CSK, this time at Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium. Batting first, CSK were reeling at 52 for four, thanks largely due to a sublime spell of swing bowling by Umesh Yadav. A rescue act by Dhoni eventually took CSK to 131, which was never going to be enough. In the second innings, KKR chased down the required runs with an over and a half to spare, with Ajinkya Rahane anchoring the effort with 44.
CSK too good on the biggest stage
Faf du Plessis led the way for CSK against KKR in the 2021 IPL final TT archives
Nine years after KKR had spoiled a hat-trick of IPL titles for CSK in the latter’s backyard, CSK avenged their 2012 final loss in style by winning the 2021 edition by 27 runs. Faf du Plessis’s wonderful 86 steered CSK to 192 runs in Dubai, making it a stiff chase for Kolkata. Despite a solid opening stand between Shubman Gill and Venkatesh Iyer, the rest of the KKR batting went AWOL, as Shardul Thakur picked up three wickets to wrap up CSK’s fourth championship.
Gambhir the key in narrow KKR win
Gautam Gambhir’s composure saw KKR tame CSK in Chennai in 2012 TT archives
Back to 2012 in Chennai, where CSK entertained KKR for what turned out to be a modest-scoring thriller. CSK went first with the bat and posted 139 on the board, with Raina hitting 44. But even that score seemed beyond KKR’s reach as batters struggled to find a way to support Gautam Gambhir, who soldiered his way to 63. With KKR losing their skipper Gambhir with four runs still to get in 11 balls, chaos broke out. Yusuf Pathan was dismissed in the last over and KKR risked imploding, but it was Debabrata Das who had enough composure to drag Kolkata across the finish line.