IPL 2025: KKR vs CSK Toss Report - Kolkata Win the Toss, decide to Bat First; Venkatesh Iyer Misses Out

KKR vs CSK: Kolkata Knight Riders are set to lock horns against the Chennai Super Kings in a monumental IPL 2025 encounter on Wednesday (May 7) at the Eden Gardens.

The toss assumes critical importance in this must-win encounter for the hosts. KKR, currently sixth on the points table, must secure victories in their remaining matches to keep playoff aspirations alive. Conversely, CSK, already eliminated from contention, aim to play spoiler and test their bench strength.

KKR vs CSK Pitch Conditions

Eden Gardens has exhibited a dual nature this season, alternating between spin-friendly surfaces and batting paradises. Evening matches often see the pitch slowing down, favoring teams batting first. Notably, in games where the first innings score exceeded 200, the team batting first emerged victorious. However, dew can be a significant factor, potentially aiding the chasing side.

KKR vs CSK Toss Report

Kolkata Knight Riders captain Ajinkya Rahane won the Toss and decided to Bat first.

"We will bat first. Looks a good wicket. Last two games we batted first and did really well. We want to put runs on the board and defend it. What's important is taking one game at a time. Not thinking much about the future. Lots of learnings from the previous match, guys are looking forward to this game. You are bound to lose close games, but you need to be confident. If there's a chance, we will try to give our best. Venkatesh Iyer misses out, Manish Pandey comes in," Rahane said.

KKR vs CSK Playing XI: Kolkata Knight Riders vs Chennai Super Kings Lineups

KKR captain Ajinkya Rahane confirmed that Venkatesh Iyer is not playing the match.

Kolkata Knight Riders: Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Sunil Narine, Ajinkya Rahane (c), Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Manish Pandey, Andre Russell, Rinku Singh, Moeen Ali, Ramandeep Singh, Vaibhav Arora, Varun Chakaravarthy

KKR Impact Subs: Harshit Rana, Anukul Roy, Luvnith Sisodia, Anrich Nortje, Mayank Markande

Chennai Super Kings: Ayush Mhatre, Urvil Patel, Devon Conway, Ravindra Jadeja, Dewald Brevis, Ravichandran Ashwin, MS Dhoni (wk/c), Anshul Kamboj, Noor Ahmad, Khaleel Ahmed, Matheesha Pathirana

CSK Impact Subs: Shivam Dube, Kamlesh Nagarkoti, Ramakrishna Ghosh, Jamie Overton, Deepak Hooda