Moeen Ali To Replace Johnson, De Kock Out? KKR's Probable XI vs CSK

Moeen Ali and Quinton de Kock [Source: @KKRXtra/X]

The Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and Chennai Super Kings (CSK) are set to reignite their storied rivalry in a high-stakes IPL clash, with historical head-to-head records favouring the men in yellow. However, the mega-auction landscape has reshaped team dynamics and after a disheartening home defeat to LSG, Kolkata faces a pressing need to recalibrate their approach.

KKR must strike a balance between aggression and stability, optimizing their lineup to counter Chennai's arsenal and seasoned finishers. Here’s how the Men in Purple could assemble their playing XI to flip the script at Chepauk.

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KKR's Playing XI against LSG in the last match

Here's a look at KKR's Playing XI for the last match against LSG before diving into the predicted XI of the upcoming game.

Quinton de Kock, Sunil Narine, Ajinkya Rahane, Venkatesh Iyer, Rinku Singh, Andre Russell, Ramandeep Singh, Vaibhav Arora, Spencer Johnson, Harshit Rana, Varun Chakaravarthy
Impact Player - Angkrish Raghuvanshi

Should Gurbaz Replace De Kock? Narine, Rahane Stand Solid?

Though Sunil Narine and Quinton de Kock have given mixed performances this season with a few misguided missiles at the start, KKR is likely to continue with this pair at the top.

Narine's pinch-hitting skills give that early edge in the powerplays which pivots the game as the all-rounder acts as an extra batter for the squad. De Kock, though, cold in his last 3 IPL matches was scintillating to watch in the second match against Rajasthan Royals with his 97 off 61. 

Rahmanullah Gurbaz is a proven opener for KKR, however, given de Kock's ability to flourish and longstanding experience, he might be given another chance at Chepauk.

Table - Overall Stats for IPL 

Meanwhile, Rahane, the skip will be continuing at number 3. He is in form and has found his rhythm which is helping KKR anchor any early downfall.

Moeen Ali Or Markande, Who Will Replace Spencer Johnson?

Spencer Johnson was not impressive in his last outing conceding 46 runs against RR. The fact that the game will be played at Chepauk will call in for a spinner. Especially, CSK's lineup consists of left-handers like Ravindra Jadeja, Shivam Dube and Conway, hence an off-spinner might be more effective.

This calls for either Mayank Markande or Moeen Ali and in this case, the latter appears to be more effective. Firstly, Moeen has played in the CSK camp for 4 years which will impact his bowling given his familiarity with the batters and their batting style. 

Secondly, Moeen boasts a lot of experience at Chepauk with both the bat and the ball which will also help him asses the situations better given the familiarity with the pitch.

Table - Stats for Moeen Ali at Chepauk in IPL

Regarding Moeen's batting position, the natural opener might get called in as a floater after Venkatesh Iyer. Narine will secure the top spot and if wickets fall early, Moeen can revive the situation as a batter in the middle.

KKR's Predicted Playing XI against CSK

Quinton de Kock, Sunil Narine, Ajinkya Rahane, Venkatesh Iyer, Moeen Ali, Rinku Singh, Andre Russell, Ramandeep Singh, Vaibhav Arora, Harshit Rana, Varun Chakaravarthy
Impact Players - Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Manish Pandey, Luvnith Sisodia

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