Kolkata take on MS Dhoni’s Chennai in their fourth match of Indian T20 League 2021 at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Wednesday, April 21.
Both the teams have had a contrasting start to their tournament so far. While three-time champions Chennai have registered back-to-back wins after losing their opening match, Kolkata have succumbed to defeats in their last two matches after starting the season with a win.
Under captain Eoin Morgan, Kolkata have looked like an unsettled unit and some of their high-profile names are yet to find their form in the league.
The franchise might bring in West Indies spinner Sunil Narine in place of out-of-form Shakib Al Hasan. In the previous seasons, Narine was an important cog of the Kolkata side as he opened the batting while bowling crucial overs for his side. However, this year, Shakib Al Hasan has been preferred over Narine in the playing XI.
"Sunil Narine stood on the rope before our first game which means he has had an injury where he was not 100 per cent fit. He certainly comes into our calculations, he was touch and go for this game against Bangalore but we opted for Shakib who has been good for us and he gives us an extra bit of batting," Kolkata head coach Brendon McCullum said after their defeat to Bangalore.
Chennai, on the other hand, seem like a more balanced outfit as compared to last season. The return of their leading run-scorer Suresh Raina and the arrival of England all-rounder Moeen Ali have already made a huge impact on their side.
However, MS Dhoni will be a little bit concerned with the form of their opener Ruturaj Gaikwad, who has scored just 20 runs in the first three matches. The franchise might consider veteran opener Robin Uthappa in their upcoming clash against Kolkata.
In the Kolkata vs Chennai head-to-head record in the Indian T20 League, MS Dhoni’s side hold a clear advantage as they have won 14 of the 22 matches played between the two sides.
Where to watch Kolkata vs Chennai live in India?
The Kolkata vs Chennai Indian T20 League match will be telecast live at 7:30 PM IST on Star Sports 1, Star Sports 1 HD, Star Sports 1 Hindi, Star Sports 1 Hindi HD, Star Sports Select 1 and Star Sports Select 1 HD TV channels in India, on Wednesday, April 21.
Live streaming of Kolkata vs Chennai will be available on the Disney+ Hotstar app and website.
SportsAdda will bring you Kolkata vs Chennai live scores from the Indian T20 League.
Featured photo: IPL/BCCI
