CSK vs KKR IPL 2022: Strongest predicted XI for MS Dhoni’s Chennai Super Kings in opener

MS Dhoni's CSK will face off against KKR in the opening match of IPL 2022. (Source: Twitter)

CSK Playing 11: Defending champions Chennai Super Kings will kick off their Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 campaign against 2021 runner-up Kolkata Knight Riders at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on March 26. MS Dhoni-led CSK are dealing with some injury and other concerns as all-rounders Deepak Chahar and Moeen Ali are set to miss the opening clash for CSK. 

England’s Moeen Ali has failed to procure Indian visa and is yet to arrive in India while Chahar is recovering from a quadriceps injury at the NCA in Bengaluru. The likes of KM Asif or Rajvardhan Hangargekar are in line to replace Chahar in the playing XI for the clash against Shreyas Iyer-led KKR. 

Moeen Ali could be replaced by New Zealand batter Devon Conway, who will be making his IPL debut, while Adam Milne or Mitchell Santner could be the other foreign players apart from veteran Dwayne Bravo. 

Conway, if selected, will be opening the batting with Ruturaj Gaikwad. The Maharashtra opener was one of the three players retained by CSK along with Ravindra Jadeja and MS Dhoni.

Robin Uthappa is expected to take the No. 3 position in the batting line-up with Ambati Rayudu, Shivam Dube and Dhoni adding firepower apart from Jadeja.  

Predicted CSK Playing 11 vs KKR:

Devon Conway, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Robin Uthappa, Ambati Rayudu, Shivam Dube, MS Dhoni, Ravindra Jadeja, Dwayne Bravo, Adam Milne, Chris Jordan/Mitchell Santner, Rajvardhan Hangargekar/KM Asif/P Solanki 

CSK IPL 2022 Full Squad:

Ravindra Jadeja, Devon Conway, Dwaine Pretorius, MS Dhoni, Moeen Ali, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Dwayne Bravo, Deepak Chahar, KM Asif, Tushar Deshpande, Shivam Dube, Maheesh Theekshana, Mitchell Santner, Subhranshu Senapati, Adam Milne, Mukesh Choudhary, Prashant Solanki, C Hari Nishaanth, Rajvardhan Hangargekar, Ambati Rayudu, Robin Uthappa, Samarjeet Singh, N Jagadeesan, Chris Jordan, K Bhagath Varma 

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