Live Report - IPL 2023 - Kolkata Knight Riders vs Chennai Super Kings, Kolkata

Rinku Singh wages a lone battle in the end. His 30-ball half-century along with Roy's the highlights in an otherwise disappointing batting show. KKR eventually paid the price for conceding too many. Even by conservative estimates, they would've perhaps fancied chasing no more than 210 here. 235 was a bridge too far on the face of CSK's sustained aggression.

The low-arm slings of Pathirana has felled Russell. Surely that's the game for CSK. He was drilled through covers earlier in the over by Rinku in trying to bowl a yorker, only to miss his lengths. He unleashes a slower ball away from Russell's hitting arc, but he goes for it anyway and is caught.

As everyone comes together to celebrate the wicket, Dhoni takes Pathirana aside, puts his arm around him and gives him a few encouraging words for the effort. What more can a youngster expect of his captain? Theekshana dismissed Roy, Pathirana dismisses Russell. The Sri Lankan duo is doing the tough job quite admirably for CSK this season.

Gets clobbered for a six and four, but holds his composure to fire one full and straight as the ball sneaks underneath Jason Roy's bat to smash the stumps. Gone for a 26-ball 61. Dhoni enjoyed that, don't often seem fist-pumping wildly. CSK's game now as Russell comes in.

Five of those sixes to Jason Roy, who has raced to 47 off 18. Rinku Singh has joined in the fun. From 76/4 in 10 overs, KKR are 120/4 in 13. Make no mistake, they're very much alive in the contest.

Despite this onslaught, KKR's win percentage stands at 0.6% at the moment. It was at 0.38 when he came in to bat at 70 for 4 after 8.2 overs.

Jason Roy nearly chips one back to Jadeja, who underarms a flick onto the stumps at the bowler's end but Rinku Singh is in. Roy sees a window of an opportunity to pinch an overthrow, Rinku isn't alert to that possibility and sends him back. The throw comes in to Dhoni who has to put in a stretch to break the stumps at the striker's end, by which time Roy has put in a dive of his own to make it. So much for a single in a game where sixes are the order of the night.

Scoreboard pressure has Jagadeesan swinging wildly at every delivery. He's a much better batter than that, but he's out slashing to third man where Jadeja takes an outstanding catch covering plenty of ground before putting in a dive.

Jason Roy spent the last few overs off the field after seemingly twisting his ankle while attempting to cut off a boundary. And perhaps because he wasn't ready, Sunil Narine was sent out to open, but he's quickly been snuffed out by Akash Singh's late swing. He charged down the pitch to swing down the ground but missed it altogether to see his off stump flattened in the first over.

He said it yesterday, and it seems like Rahane and Dube carried that mentality into the game.

Here are the raw numbers of their partnership: 85 runs, 32 balls, 4 fours, 8 sixes. This is how the last two overs looked:

CSK have posted 235/4, the highest-ever IPL score at this venue. KKR will have to smash that record if they are to win this. Rahane finishes 71 not out off 29. Dhoni comes out to face the last two and give the home crowd what they want. KKR just stormed off as the final ball was bowled, perhaps relieved the carnage is over. The last two overs alone went for 36.

And to now think of it, Rahane may have not even played because of team balance had Ben Stokes been fit and occupied that No. 3 berth. Wonder how they'll now fit him in whenever he's ready. Because Conway, Moeen, Theekshana and Pathirana all have set roles. And there's Santner who could potentially come in as pitches tire in the second half. Interesting times.

This time it's Rahane's turn. And he's batting absolutely free of any shackles. The best of the lot is the pick up shot off his hip for six behind square. Just used Umesh's pace and allowed his wrists to take over. Incredible to see how far the ball sailed away.

Conway perished trying to loft Chakravarthy over long-off, but once again, CSK have offset that loss with Dube carting two huge sixes to get underway. The first one's absolutely muscled over deep midwicket as Varun bowls a carromball into the pitch. And because the short-of-length ball has disappeared, he bowls full and sees Dube cart him down the ground. His mates in the CSK dugout were scurrying to get out of the way of that ferocious hit. Momentum with CSK.

Elements that make for joyous viewing from a legspinner at play. Drift from wide of the crease, revs, flight, rip and a googly that snakes through the inside edge. It takes that much to beat a special batter like Gaikwad as a 73-run opening stand is broken, but any relief they may have had is quickly offset with Conway skipping down to launch Narine for a six.

Conway has now brought up his fourth successive half-century. Only one other opener, Faf du Plessis, has previously been able to achieve this for the Super Kings. The platform is set for a big second half. 100/1 in 11th over.

50/0 in 5.2 overs v KKR
52/0 in 5.4 overs v Sunrisers
53/1 in 6 overs v RCB

KKR yet to settle into a bowling rhythm.

They've so far already gone with Umesh Yadav's skiddy pace, David Wiese's cutters into the wicket and Varun Chakravarthy's mystery spin.

Devon Conway, though, has taken off like a bullet train. Length or a touch shorter hasn't worked so far because he's been superb with the pull shot.

Gaikwad hasn't had much strike, and is still feeling his way into the innings. Yet, CSK find themselves in a fantastic position at 45/0 in five overs.

Shardul Thakur continues to sit out due to a niggle as KKR ring in changes. N Jagadeesan returns to take over the gloves from Bangladesh's Litton Das who misses out due to injury. Mandeep Singh misses out and David Wiese, the Namibia allrounder, comes in for his first IPL game since 2016.

Chennai Super Kings are predictably unchanged. That means no Ben Stokes and Deepak Chahar, who continue to work their way back from injuries.

KKR XI: 1 N Jagadeesan (wk), 2 Jason Roy, 3 Nitish Rana (capt), 4 Andre Russell, 5 Rinku Singh, 6 Sunil Narine, 7 David Wiese, 8 Kulwant Khejroliya, 9 Suyash Sharma, 10 Umesh Yadav, 11 Varun Chakaravarthy

CSK XI: 1 Ruturaj Gaikwad, 2 Devon Conway, 3 Ajinkya Rahane, 4 Moeen Ali, 5 Shivam Dube, 6 Ambati Rayudu, 7 Ravindra Jadeja, 8 MS Dhoni (capt&wk), 9 Tushar Deshpande, 10 Matheesha Pathirana, 11 Maheesh Theekshana