CSK to get MS Dhoni boost for KKR clash?:Kolkata aim for first win; Ton-up Sanju Samson in focus

Chennai Super Kings (CSK) will look to continue their winning momentum as they prepare to host Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in their fifth match of the IPL 2026 season at the iconic MA Chidambaram Stadium on Saturday evening. The match is scheduled to begin at 7:30 PM IST, with the toss taking place at 7:00 PM. Under the leadership of Ruturaj Gaikwad, CSK have managed just one win in four matches and are currently placed ninth on the points table. On the other hand, Ajinkya Rahane-led KKR are struggling at the bottom of the standings, having earned only one point so far after their match against Punjab Kings was washed out due to rain. Last season, both teams faced each other twice and shared the spoils with one win each. KKR defeated MS Dhoni’s CSK by eight wickets on April 11 in a low-scoring encounter, chasing down 104 runs in just 10 overs. However, CSK bounced back in their second meeting on 7 May, securing a narrow two-wicket victory. CSK vs KKR, IPL 2026, Match Details Match info: Chennai Super Kings vs Kolkata Knight Riders, match 22 Date Time: 14 April 2026, 7:30 PM IST (toss at 7:00 PM) Venue: MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai How to watch: JioHotstar Star Sports How to follow: Follow the live coverage on the Bhaskar English App CSK vs KKR, head-to-head record Chennai and Kolkata have met 32 times in IPL history. Out of these, CSK have won 20 matches, while KKR have secured 11 victories. One match between the two teams ended without a result. MS Dhoni might play, Samson leading CSK with the bat Ahead of the clash against Kolkata, there is a piece of good news in the Chennai camp as MS Dhoni is likely to be available for selection, according to a RevSportz report. CSK captain Ruturaj Gaikwad had also said that fans would get to see Dhoni on the ground. Sanju Samson, meanwhile, bounced back to form after a lean start as he slammed an unbeaten 115-run against DC. For CSK, ‘Chetta’ Sanju Samson is the leading run-scorer, scoring 184 runs with a strike rate of 182.66 in three matches. Anshul Kamboj is currently the leading wicket-taker with eight wickets for Chennai. He conceded runs with an economy of 10.70. Also read: Virat throws gloves, helmet in anger; Digvesh’s notebook celebration: Gill completes 4,000 IPL runs – top moments records KKR eye first win of this season, Pathirana to join camp post recovery Winless Knihgt Riders aim to secure their first victory of this season. Since the campaign started, the three-time champions couldn’t win a single game under the captaincy of Ajinkya Rahane. Kolkata are currently at the bottom of the standings with one point which they got courtesy of a washout against the Punjab Kings at the Eden Gardens. Meanwhile, the Knight Riders have gotten a Matheesha Pathirana boost with Sri Lanka Cricket granting a NOC (No-Objection Certificate) to the pacer. KKR’s ₹18 crore signing is likely to join the camp soon. Angkrish Raghuvanshi is the leading run-scorer for the side, scoring 155 runs with a strike rate of 158.16 in four matches for Kolkata. Vaibhav Arora is currently the leading wicket-taker with five wickets. He conceded runs with an economy of 11.41. Also read: Hyderabad break Rajasthan’s winning streak, win by 57 runs: Dream debuts for Praful Hinge, Sakib Hussain as both scalp four each Sunil Narine deceived Sanju Samson three times in IPL history In IPL history, Sanju Samson has faced the veteran Off-spinner Sunil Narine in 13 innings, out of which he has scored 66 runs, facing 82 balls so far with a strike rate of 80.86. On the other hand, Sunil Narine had deceived the CSK opener fo three times and conceded runs with a very cheap economy of 4.82. Khaleel Ahmed vs Ajinkya Rahane contest could determine early momentum The Khaleel Ahmed vs Ajinkya Rahane contest up front could determine which way the momentum swings. Rahane has batted with aggression inside the powerplay and he would look to dominate against Khaleel, who has not had the best of forms so far, managing just one wicket in four matches. However, the Rahane vs Khaleel battle has been slightly tilted in favour of the CSK pacer in the IPL. In 21 balls against Khaleel, Rahane has hit just 25 runs at a strike rate of 119.04. Khaleel’s economy rate has been an impressive 7.14 against Rahane. Also, Khaleel has dismissed the KKR captain once. Chepauk Stadium pitch report The traditional pitch at the MA Chidambaram Stadium (Chepauk) is slow and helps spinners as the match goes on. Batters may find it easier to score early, but batting becomes tougher later. Teams batting first could have an edge, with 160–175 being a competitive total. Patience will be key for batters on this surface. Chennai weather report According to the AccuWeather report, Tuesday evening is expected to be clear and pleasant, with a temperature of 29°. There are no signs of rain in the city during the match. The humidity is expected to be 82% while the wind will blow at SSE 19 km/h in Chennai.