Chennai Super Kings are on the brink of significant transformation, as MS Dhoni prepares to step in for the injured Ruturaj Gaikwad. They are set to compete in their fourth match at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chepauk, and exiting this stage of the tournament with only one victory would be detrimental for a team that prides itself on its home performances. Will the return of their legendary captain enable them to rally and regain their momentum?

Their efforts to salvage the season will continue as they face the Kolkata Knight Riders, who have also encountered difficulties this season despite being the reigning champions. However, KKR finds themselves in a slightly better position, just one win away from achieving a balanced win-loss record. In their last match against LSG at Eden Gardens, despite conceding 238 runs, their batting showed signs of life as they narrowly missed victory by just four runs. Their challenge this season has been the inability to secure consecutive wins, yet they have managed to avoid prolonged losing streaks.

Conversely, CSK has experienced four straight losses since their initial victory against MI. Breaking free from such a losing streak is challenging, but history suggests that even less formidable teams can achieve unexpected results at this juncture. CSK is acutely aware that their campaign is not over; they missed last year's playoffs after RCB made a remarkable ascent from a similar position. Can CSK draw inspiration from their rivals and mount a comeback?

Changes are necessary, particularly in the batting lineup, which has been underperforming and will now be without its top batsman, Ruturaj Gaikwad. Replacing a player of his caliber is a significant task, especially for a team already facing challenges. Will CSK opt for Rahul Tripathi to fill the number three spot, or will the young and talented Shaik Rasheed be given a chance?

Additionally, it will be intriguing to observe how CSK utilizes MS Dhoni in this critical phase.

Likely XIs

CSK likely XI: Devon Conway, Rachin Ravindra, Rahul Tripathi, Shivam Dube, MS Dhoni, Vijay Shankar, Ravindra Jadeja, R Ashwin, Noor Ahmad, Matheesa Pathirana, Khaleel Ahmed

KKR likely XI: Quinton de Kock, Sunil Narine, Venkatesh Iyer, Ajinkya Rahane, Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Moeen Ali, Rinku Singh, Andre Russell, Ramandeep Singh, Harshit Rana, Varun Chakravarthy

Read Also: MS Dhoni Remains the Top Keeper-Batter Globally, Beyond IPL; Rohit Sharma Just One Hit from Centuries: Clarke

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