CSK vs KKR IPL 2026: KKR Opt To Bowl First As Rahane Wins Toss

In the 22nd match of IPL 2026, Chennai Super Kings are taking on Kolkata Knight Riders on Tuesday at the MA Chidambaram Cricket Stadium. KKR captain Ajinkya Rahane won the toss and decided to bowl first.

Kolkata Knight Riders have made one change to their playing XI. They have brought back Varun Chakaravarthy after his recovery from injury. He replaces Navdeep Saini.

Speaking after the toss, Rahane said, “We would like to bowl first. I think the last match was quite good for us. Unfortunately, the result did not go in our favour. However, I felt that the kind of cricket we played gave the players a lot of confidence from the previous match. It is all about starting afresh. When things are not going your way, it is very important to maintain that belief, stay positive, and understand the importance of those small moments in the T20 format. There is just one change in our team. Varun Chakaravarthy is now fit. He has come in place of Navdeep Saini.”

Chennai Super Kings have decided to go unchanged for this match. After losing the toss, captain Ruturaj Gaikwad said, “Yes, we would have bowled first as well. However, as I said, the pitch is unlikely to change much throughout the match. That is why it does not make much difference. Certainly, putting up a big score on the board in the first innings will be challenging, but it looks like a very good pitch. We have not made any changes to the playing XI.”

Chennai Super Kings secured their first win of the tournament in their previous match, defeating Delhi Capitals by 23 runs. Sanju Samson led the effort with a brilliant 115 off 56 balls. Ayush Mhatre supported him with a valuable 59 off 36 deliveries.

With the ball, Jamie Overton impressed with figures of 4 for 18 in four overs, and Anshul Kamboj claimed three wickets.

On the other hand, Kolkata Knight Riders currently sit at the bottom of the points table after four matches. Under Rahane’s leadership, the team has lost three matches, while one ended without a result.

Against Lucknow Super Giants in their previous outing, Rahane scored 41 off 24 balls. Angkrish Raghuvanshi added 45 off 33 deliveries, with Cameron Green and Rovman Powell contributing useful runs. The bowling unit has, however, struggled for consistency this season.

Chennai Super Kings: Sanju Samson (wicketkeeper), Ruturaj Gaikwad (captain), Ayush Mhatre, Dewald Brevis, Shivam Dube, Sarfaraz Khan, Jamie Overton, Anshul Kamboj, Noor Ahmad, Khaleel Ahmed and Gurjapneet Singh.

Kolkata Knight Riders: Ajinkya Rahane (captain), Angkrish Raghuvanshi (wicketkeeper), Cameron Green, Rinku Singh, Rovman Powell, Ramandeep Singh, Sunil Narine, Anukul Roy, Varun Chakaravarthy, Kartik Tyagi and Vaibhav Arora.

Also Read: SRH Beat RR By 57 Runs In IPL 2026 As Ishan Kishan Stars With 91