CSK vs KKR IPL 2022: Strongest predicted XI for Shreyas Iyer’s Kolkata Knight Riders in opening game vs CSK

KKR Playing 11: Shreyas Iyer-led Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) will be aiming for their third title in the 15th edition of the tournament. 

It will be interesting to see which brand of cricket KKR plays under Iyer. They have a great side, at least on paper. 

In Iyer, they have a proven leader while with the team has all-rounders like Andre Russell, Venkatesh Iyer and Sunil Narine. Expect them to be in the starting XI when KKR plays Chennai Super Kings (CSK).

The _______ __ ______ from last night's practice match! _@ShreyasIyer15 @venkateshiyer @ShelJackson27 @rinkusingh235 #KKR #KKRHaiTaiyaar #______ #GalaxyOfKnights #IPL2022 pic.twitter.com/3d9qmk93Qa— KolkataKnightRiders (@KKRiders) March 24, 2022

The other two foreign players part of the playing 11 should be Afghanistan's Pat Cummins and New Zealand's Lockie Ferguson. Cummins will fly to India only after the conclusion of the third and final Test vs Pakistan at Lahore.  Umesh Yadav should play in place of him and KKR may opt for an extra spinner in Mohammad Nabi. Young Shivam Mavi should be the another pacer versus CSK in the opening game of IPL 2022.

Predicted KKR Playing 11 vs CSK:

Venkatesh Iyer, Nitish Rana, Shreyas Iyer (C), Rinku Singh, Sheldon Jackson (wk), Andre Russell, Sunil Narine, Varun Chakravarthy, Mohammed Nabi, Lockie Ferguson, Umesh Yadav, Shivam Mavi.

Alex Hales is missing out this year and hence we may see Nitish Rana and V Iyer opening the innings. Rinku Singh may make the cut, pushing veteran Ajinkya Rahane out.

KKR IPL 2022 Full Squad:

Andre Russell, Varun Chakravarthy, Venkatesh Iyer, Sunil Narine, Shreyas Iyer (captain), Pat Cummins, Nitish Rana, Shivam Mavi, Sheldon Jackson, Ajinkya Rahane, Rinku Singh, Anukul Roy, Rasikh Dar, Chamika Karunaratne, Baba Indrajith, Ashok Sharma, Pratham Singh, Abhijeet Tomar, Sam Billings, Aaron Finch, Ramesh Kumar, Mohammed Nabi, Aman Khan, Umesh Yadav.

CSK has an upper hand when it comes to head-to-head meetings, winning 17 of the 26 meetings and will start as favourites.