Dhoni Returns as CSK Captain Must-Win IPL 2025 Clash Against KKR, Chennai Super Kings vs Kolkata Knight Riders Head-to-Head, Key Players, Live Streaming, and Stats

April 11, 2025

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Chennai Super Kings vs Kolkata Knight Riders: Three years ago, Chennai Super Kings found themselves in a spiral that looked all too familiar: four straight losses to start their title defence in 2022, a new captain under pressure, and eventually, the return of MS Dhoni to steady the ship. Now in IPL 2025, the same man, now 43 years old, is back in charge. But this time, it’s not tactical — it’s a necessity.

Ruturaj Gaikwad, CSK’s designated skipper, has been ruled out of the season with a fractured elbow, thrusting Dhoni into a leadership role once again. But if history is any indicator, CSK fans will be both hopeful and wary. Dhoni’s return in 2022 didn’t yield a fairy-tale resurgence — CSK finished ninth, just ahead of Mumbai Indians on net run rate.

And this season? The situation is arguably worse. CSK have lost four of their first five matches, their top-order is misfiring, and their fielding has been the poorest in the tournament with the lowest catch efficiency (67.6%).

CSK VS KKR Match Preview

Fixture: Chennai Super Kings vs Kolkata Knight Riders
Date: April 11, 2025
Time: 7:30 PM IST
Venue: MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai
Weather: Clear skies expected
Pitch: Sluggish surface, likely to favor spinners and make chasing difficult

CSK VS KKR Head-to-Head

Overall: CSK 19 – 10 KKR
Recent Dominance: CSK have won 5 of the last 7 meetings
Playoff Ghosts: KKR have won 2 of their 3 IPL titles at this venue

Team News & Strategy

Chennai Super Kings

Unavailable: Ruturaj Gaikwad (fractured elbow)
With Gaikwad out, Rahul Tripathi is likely to slot into the top order. CSK may also look to bolster the middle with young wicketkeeper Vansh Bedi, possibly in place of a third pacer. Matheesha Pathirana, though underused with the new ball, could be deployed early to neutralize Sunil Narine, who thrives against spin.

R Ashwin might be Dhoni’s trump card against Ajinkya Rahane, against whom he holds a strong record. The fielding, however, will need urgent fixing — CSK have dropped more catches than any other team this season.

Probable XII:
Rachin Ravindra, Devon Conway, Rahul Tripathi, Shivam Dube, Vijay Shankar, Ravindra Jadeja, MS Dhoni (c & wk), R Ashwin, Noor Ahmad, Matheesha Pathirana, Khaleel Ahmed, Mukesh Choudhary/Anshul Kamboj

Kolkata Knight Riders

Possible Changes: Rahmanullah Gurbaz may come in for Quinton de Kock, who has struggled apart from a lone 97*. Gurbaz is familiar with Noor Ahmad’s bowling, which could prove handy. Moeen Ali could return as a third spinner in place of Spencer Johnson, especially on a spin-friendly track.

Tactical Focus: KKR will likely hold back overs from Narine and Chakaravarthy for Dhoni and Jadeja at the death — both of whom struggle against spin. Dhoni has been dismissed three times in four innings by Chakaravarthy and has a strike rate of just 52.7 against Narine.

Probable XII:
Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Sunil Narine, Ajinkya Rahane (c), Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Venkatesh Iyer, Rinku Singh, Andre Russell, Ramandeep Singh, Moeen Ali/Spencer Johnson, Harshit Rana, Varun Chakaravarthy, Vaibhav Arora

CSK VS KKR Key Stats & Trivia

Only the third time CSK have lost 4+ in a row (2010, 2022, 2025)
Jadeja’s bowling average in wins: 21.98 | In losses: 49.34
KKR’s catching efficiency: 87.5% (2nd best) vs CSK’s 67.6% (2nd worst)
Back-to-back 200+ scores for KKR show a resurgence in batting form
Dhoni is CSK’s most reliable finisher even at 43, highlighting the top-order’s inconsistency

CSK VS KKR Live Streaming and Broadcast Details

Cricket fans across the globe can catch the live action of CSK VS KKR through various platforms: