Match Preview: Kolkata Knight Riders vs Chennai Super Kings

It’s crunch time for Kolkata Knight Riders! With playoff hopes hanging by a thread, KKR will take on Chennai Super Kings today at the iconic Eden Gardens, Kolkata, in Match 57 of the Indian Premier League 2025.

KKR, the defending champions, have a slim chance—just over 13%—to qualify for the playoffs. But a solid win over CSK could change things. If they manage a big-margin victory, they can finish with 13 points—equal to Delhi Capitals—and might even sneak into the fifth spot on the table.

Chennai Out of the Race, But Still Dangerous

Chennai Super Kings are already out of the playoff race and currently at the bottom of the table. However, they’ll be playing for pride—and to test their bench strength ahead of the next season.

CSK has made a few changes in their squad. Urvil Patel comes in as a replacement for the injured Vansh Bedi, and young Ayush Mhatre has been impressive with the bat. MS Dhoni, leading in Ruturaj Gaikwad’s absence, is expected to play today despite missing the practice session.

Match Details

• Fixture: Kolkata Knight Riders vs Chennai Super Kings
   
• Match: 57th Match, IPL 2025
   
• Date: Wednesday, May 7, 2025
   
• Time: 7:30 PM IST | 2:00 PM GMT
   
• Venue: Eden Gardens, Kolkata
   

Broadcast & Streaming Info

• ???? TV Channel: Star Sports Network
   
• ???? Live Streaming: JioCinema & Hotstar app/website
   

Predicted Playing XIs

Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR)

• Sunil Narine
   
• Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk)
   
• Ajinkya Rahane (c)
   
• Angkrish Raghuvanshi
   
• Venkatesh Iyer
   
• Rinku Singh
   
• Andre Russell
   
• Rovman Powell
   
• Anukul Roy
   
• Harshit Rana
   
• Vaibhav Arora
   
• Impact Sub: Varun Chakaravarthy
   

Chennai Super Kings (CSK)

• Shaik Rasheed
   
• Ayush Mhatre
   
• Sam Curran
   
• Ravindra Jadeja
   
• Dewald Brevis
   
• Shivam Dube
   
• Deepak Hooda / Urvil Patel
   
• MS Dhoni (c & wk)
   
• Matheesha Pathirana
   
• Noor Ahmad
   
• Khaleel Ahmed
   
• Impact Sub: Anshul Kamboj
   

What’s at Stake for KKR?

This match is a must-win for Kolkata Knight Riders. A win today could:

• Take them to 13 points
   
• Keep their playoff hopes alive
   
• Potentially push them to 5th place if they win big
   

CSK’s Focus: Future Planning

With no pressure of qualification, CSK will look to give opportunities to younger players and refine their strategies for IPL 2026. It’s a game where their bench strength could surprise KKR.

Full Squad Lists

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

CSK Squad
Ayush Mhatre, Shaik Rasheed, Sam Curran, Ravindra Jadeja, Dewald Brevis, MS Dhoni (c & wk), Shivam Dube, Deepak Hooda, Anshul Kamboj, Noor Ahmad, Khaleel Ahmed, Matheesha Pathirana, Ravichandran Ashwin, Jamie Overton, Kamlesh Nagarkoti, Ramakrishna Ghosh, Vijay Shankar, Rahul Tripathi, Shreyas Gopal, Devon Conway, Rachin Ravindra, Mukesh Choudhary, Urvil Patel, Nathan Ellis, Andre Siddarth C.

Final Thoughts

All eyes are on Eden Gardens tonight. Will KKR keep their playoff dreams alive, or will CSK spoil their party?

Stay tuned for all the live updates, scorecards, and action from this high-stakes IPL 2025 clash!