Match 27Balanced Pitch
KKRKolkata Knight Riders
VS
CSKChennai Super Kings
Saturday, 18 April 2026 10:00 am IST Eden Gardens, Kolkata
Captain & Vice-Captain Picks
Captain (2x)
Sunil Narine
Score: 97.9Form: 80/100Credits: 9.5
In red-hot formExcellent venue record at Eden GardensVery consistent scorerHigh ceiling (82 pts recent best)All-rounder advantage (bat + bowl pts)
Vice-Captain (1.5x)
Ravindra Jadeja
Score: 94.7Form: 82/100Credits: 9
In red-hot formGood venue record at Eden GardensVery consistent scorerHigh ceiling (85 pts recent best)All-rounder advantage (bat + bowl pts)
Top 5 Must-Pick Players
CAll-rounder
Sunil Narine
KKR · 9.5 Cr
Score97.9
Avg (L5)65 pts
6882427558
VCAll-rounder
Ravindra Jadeja
CSK · 9 Cr
Score94.7
Avg (L5)64 pts
7255488560
3WK-Batter
Phil Salt
KKR · 9.5 Cr
Score92.6
Avg (L5)70 pts
7285456878
4Bowler
Varun Chakravarthy
KKR · 8.5 Cr
Score90.5
Avg (L5)60 pts
5568457258
5All-rounder
Andre Russell
KKR · 9.5 Cr
Score89.7
Avg (L5)58 pts
5542883572
Full Player Rankings
| # | Player | Team | Role | Credits | Form | Venue | Pitch | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| C | Sunil Narine | | All-rounder | 9.5 | 80 | 22.5 | 18 | 97.9 |
| VC | Ravindra Jadeja | | All-rounder | 9 | 82 | 18 | 18 | 94.7 |
| 3 | Phil Salt | | WK-Batter | 9.5 | 82 | 19.5 | 16.5 | 92.6 |
| 4 | Varun Chakravarthy | | Bowler | 8.5 | 78 | 21 | 18 | 90.5 |
| 5 | Andre Russell | | All-rounder | 9.5 | 72 | 19.5 | 16.5 | 89.7 |
| 6 | Venkatesh Iyer | | All-rounder | 8.5 | 68 | 18 | 16.5 | 86.3 |
| 7 | Matheesha Pathirana | | Bowler | 9 | 85 | 15 | 16.5 | 86.2 |
| 8 | Ruturaj Gaikwad | | Batter | 9.5 | 78 | 15 | 16.5 | 82.4 |
| 9 | Devon Conway | | Batter | 9 | 72 | 15 | 16.5 | 79.8 |
| 10 | MS Dhoni | | WK-Batter | 8.5 | 55 | 16.5 | 16.5 | 76.3 |
Pitch Report — Eden Gardens
Balanced PitchAvg 1st Innings: 170-185
Eden Gardens offers a good surface that assists both batters and bowlers. The pitch is true and offers consistent bounce. Spinners get help in the middle overs as the surface dries out.
Toss Advice
Bat first in afternoon matches. The pitch can get slower in the second innings.
Head-to-Head Record
11
KKR wins
in 28 matches
17
CSK wins
Last 5 results:
CSKKKRCSKCSKKKR
Chennai Super Kings hold a commanding lead over Kolkata Knight Riders with 17 wins in 28 meetings. This rivalry has produced some iconic moments, with Russell's power hitting often testing CSK's bowling resolve.
KKR vs CSK — Match Preview
Defending champions KKR host CSK at the iconic Eden Gardens. 67,000 fans will create a cauldron of noise for Dhoni's possible farewell visit to Kolkata. Narine vs Jadeja — two all-time great all-rounders in a spin duel that could define the match.
Why Watch This Match
- Dhoni at Eden Gardens — potentially his last visit to Kolkata
- KKR defending their title against CSK's experience
- Narine vs Jadeja — battle of the greatest IPL all-rounders
- Eden Gardens atmosphere — 67,000 fans creating magic