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IPL 2021 Match 38: CSK vs KKR Dream11 Prediction & Fan2Play Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report

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Last Updated on 4 weeks by Charbel Coorey

IPL 2021 Match 38: CSK vs KKR Dream11 Prediction & Fan2Play Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report | CSK vs KOL Dream11 Prediction Today | Chennai Super Kings vs Kolkata Knight Riders Key Players | Abu Dhabi Pitch Report

The 38th game of the 14th season of the IPL will see table-toppers Chennai Super Kings lock horns with the Kolkata Knight Riders in Abu Dhabi in what promises to be a cracking game.

Having won seven out of their first nine games, the Chennai Super Kings are on the cusp of confirming their qualification for the playoffs and the MS Dhoni-led unit will look to seal it with another comprehensive performance against Kolkata.

They come into this game on the back of a commanding six-wicket win over the Royal Challengers Bangalore which incidentally was their fifth win on the bounce in the Emirates nation.

It won’t be an easy task though against a Kolkata Knight Riders unit which is looking in top form at the moment. Having swept aside the likes of RCB and the Mumbai Indians courtesy of an all-round bowling performance backed by a red-hot top-order-led by Venkatesh Iyer, the Eoin Morgan-led unit is suddenly looking as one of the main contenders for the playoffs.

The last time these two sides met, it proved to be a run-fest with Andre Russell and Pat Cummins smashing whirlwind half-centuries and Sam Curran nailing the death over as KKR fell 18 runs short of their target of 221.

Key Players to Watch/Key Stats

Chennai Super Kings:

  • Ruturaj Gaikwad: The young opener scored a 42-ball 64 in his last outing against KKR. He has already made his presence felt with a match-winning 88* against MI in the UAE leg, and also looked good against RCB.
  • Faf du Plessis: The former Proteas skipper looked in brilliant touch in the last game during his 26-ball 31. The opener scored a brutal 60-ball 95* in his last outing against the Knight Riders.
  • His record vs KKR: 312 runs in 12 innings at 34.7 and a strike rate of 124.3 with one 50+ score. At Abu Dhabi, he has scored 157 runs in 5 innings at 39.2 and a strike rate of 137.7.
  • Ambati Rayudu: The right-hander has looked in red-hot form this season. He scored a 22-ball 32 in the last game against RCB. In Abu Dhabi, he has scored 192 runs in five innings at an average of 48 and a strike rate of 117.
  • His record vs KKR: 418 runs in 18 innings at an average of 24.6 and strike rate of 128.6.
  • Dwayne Bravo: The veteran all-rounder has turned up the heat with the ball in the second leg. He claimed 3/24 in the last game against RCB and was rightly adjudged player of the match.
  • His record against KKR: 17 wickets in 17 innings at 28.6. As far as Bravo’s record in Abu Dhabi is concerned, he has played just one game at the venue in which he claimed three wickets.
  • Deepak Chahar: The swing bowler claimed four wickets in his last outing against the Knight Riders. His overall record against KKR: 7 wickets in 6 games at an average of 25.09 and an economy rate of 9.05.

Kolkata Knight Riders:

  • Venkatesh Iyer: In the two games that KKR have played in Abu Dhabi, Iyer has been their hero with the bat. The southpaw smashed an unbeaten 27-ball 41 on debut against RCB and backed it up with a 30-ball 53 against Mumbai.
  • Rahul Tripathi: The 30-year-old smashed an unbeaten 42-ball 72 in the last game. His record in Abu Dhabi: 203 runs in 7 games at an average of 33.8 and a strike rate of 140.
  • As far as his record against CSK is concerned, the right-hander has scored 146 runs in 6 innings at an average of 29.2 and a strike rate of 141.7.
  • Andre Russell: The all-rounder is yet to bat in the second leg but he has already made a mark in the competition with a match-winning three-wicket haul against RCB at the same venue.
  • Russell smashed a brutal half-century in his last outing against CSK. Overall, he has scored 280 runs in 9 innings at an average of 46.7 and a strike rate of 172.8 besides claiming 7 wickets at 29.9.
  • Varun Chakravarthy: With the pitch in Abu Dhabi slow and sluggish, Chakravarthy has proved to be a force to reckon with. The right-arm leg-spinner claimed three wickets in the first game against RCB and then returned figures of 0/22 in 4 overs against MI.
  • His record in Abu Dhabi: 12 wickets in nine innings at an average of 18.2 and an economy rate of 6.06. The mystery spinner has four wickets against his name in three outings against CSK.

Stats and Facts

  • Both sides have locked horns in 26 IPL games thus far with CSK leading the ledger 16-9.
  • The last time these two sides met in Abu Dhabi, KKR emerged victorious by 10 runs.
  • If CSK win on Sunday then they will become the first side to qualify for the playoffs.
  • CSK will be aiming to get into KKR’s middle order as soon as possible. KKR’s middle order players (Nos. 4 to 6) were the slowest during the first leg with a strike rate of 120.
  • Dinesh Karthik is 54 away from 4,000 IPL runs.

Possible Playing 11

Chennai Super Kings: 1. Faf du Plessis, 2. Ruturaj Gaikwad, 3. Moeen Ali, 4. Ambati Rayudu, 5. Suresh Raina, 6. MS Dhoni (c & wk), 7. Ravindra Jadeja, 8. Dwayne Bravo, 9. Shardul Thakur, 10. Deepak Chahar, 11. Josh Hazlewood/Sam Curran

Kolkata Knight Riders: 1. Shubman Gill, 2. Venkatesh Iyer, 3. Rahul Tripathi, 4. Eoin Morgan (c), 5. Nitish Rana, 6. Dinesh Karthik (wk), 7. Andre Russell, 8. Sunil Narine, 9. Lockie Ferguson, 10. Varun Chakravarthy, 11. Prasidh Krishna

Abu Dhabi pitch report and weather conditions

In the past games played in Abu Dhabi, spinners have ruled the roost with KKR duo Varun Chakravarthy and Sunil Narine creating a strange hold on the opposition batsmen. However, the likes of Iyer has also shown that there are plenty of runs on offer.

As far as the weather is concerned, it is expected to be dry and sunny. The temperatures are set to hover between 32-37 degree Celsius. Humidity is set to be around 56 per cent.

Dream11 & Fan2Play Prediction

Note: Teams below are not based on the final playing XIs. We may not be able to update these teams in time after the final playing XIs have been announced.

IPL 2021 Match 38: CSK vs KKR Fan2Play

Match Prediction

Both sides are in red-hot form but given the fact that KKR have won their last two games comprehensively in Abu Dhabi, they have a great chance. However, CSK might have the edge given their middle order is performing a lot better.

Also read: Fan2Play vs Dream11 – What’s the difference?

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