CSK vs KKR, Match 1 of IPL 2022: Kolkata Knight Riders Player Availability & Probable Playing XI

CSK vs KKR: The IPL 2022 is here, bigger and better this time around with 10 teams in the competition. The season opener will see the defending champions in Chennai Super Kings and the former 2 time champions in Kolkata Knight Riders locking horns against each other. Lets take a look at the composition of the KKR side for the first game.

CSK vs KKR, Match 1 of IPL 2022: Pat Cummins and Aaron Finch to miss four games

As Australia is in Pakistan for a brief multi format series, the Cricket Australia (CA) has stated that its contracted players wont be available till April 6, and this includes the players who are even not part of the white ball series against Pakistan which is ending on 5^th of April.

KKR will be without the services of Aaron Finch and Pat Cummins for IPL 2022 opening match. Also, the NZ pacer Tim Southee’s availability is uncertain at this stage as there is no clear communication about his arrival to India. 

KKR will also have to decide on the batting position of Venkatesh Iyer who opened in the previous season and was magnificent which helped him earn a place in the Indian white ball side. But he was given a different batting position for India, where he did the role of a finisher. The Indian captain Rohit Sharma also insisted his players to play at the position in IPL where they are asked to play for India.

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If KKR are to use Venkatesh Iyer as a finisher along with Andre Russell, KKR can open with Ajinkya Rahane and Sam Billings who are not complementary by hand but they are complementary by type as Ajinkya Rahane can take down pacers while Sam Billings can take down the spinners.

KKR Playing 11

Sam Billings

Ajinkya Rahane

Shreyas Iyer

Nitish Rana

Venkatesh Iyer

Andre Russell

Sunil Narine

Aman Khan/Chamika Karunaratne

Shivam Mavi

Varum Chakravarthy

Umesh Yadav