CSK vs KKR: Three masterstrokes during the game

In a much-hyped game, courtesy the return of Chennai Super Kings at their home ground after an exile of nearly two years, Kolkata Knight Riders were to battle it out against the men in yellow in their second game of the season.

Put into bat by CSK, Kolkata, despite losing early wicket of Sunil Narine, had a formidable start as the innings progressed with more than 10 runs in an over.

The innings met a hiccup in the middle overs, but it was a late resurgence and some gigantic sixes from Andre Russell, that saw them post 202 in their 20 overs.

The target of more than 200 was a huge ask for the home team but in the quest to keep the winning momentum going, CSK needed a brisk start in the powerplay.

Things went on the expected lines as they were off to a flier courtesy Ambatai Rayudu and Shane Watson.

Before some tight overs from Narine and Kuldeep Yadav could do more damage, Billings kept the hopes alive for them to clinch a thriller of a contest.

In the end, it was some last over heroics from Jadeja and Dwayne Bravo that saw the home team over the line with five wickets to spare.

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#3 Saving Kuldeep and Narine for MSD

Kuldeep has foxed Dhoni twice in the IPL

It is for the first time that Dinesh Karthik is appointed as the skipper for any team in a full-fledged season.

But the veteran cricketer has been so far exceptional in leading his troops. In the game at his home ground against CSK, Karthik was much ahead of the game, saving his best spinners in Narine and Kuldeep for the opposition skipper.

There's no denying the fact that Dhoni finds it difficult to get going against the two KKR bowlers.

He has struggled against Yadav in the past and has been foxed by the Chinaman twice before.

Also, for all the unlikely reasons, Dhoni hasn't scored a boundary against Narine in the IPL faceoff between the two.

Knowing these facts, Karthik cunningly kept both them to attack the opposition skipper and was much successful in choking the flow of the runs.

#2 Spinners against the likes of Narine and Lynn

Dhoni brought in the spinners early to prevent the KKR openers from going on a rampage

Knowing the trend of this attacking opening pair, Dhoni made sure that they don't let them tee off in the first six overs.

In order to so, Captain Cool brought on the spinners in the second over itself with an experienced campaigner in Harbhajan Singh leading the charge.

Turbanator didn't disappoint his captain as he got rid of the dangerous looking Narine in his first over, giving first blow to the visitors.

The man behind the stumps was yet again effective in his planning as he introduced Ravindra Jadeja from the same end in the fourth over.

Jadeja, one of Dhoni's most trusted spinner, dismissed Lynn, who was going all guns blazing before he was sent packing in the ultimate powerplay over.

#1 Promoting Rayudu ahead of Sam Billings

Rayudu's explosive innings was the perfect platform for CSK in the run chase

Chasing a mammoth total of 203 runs, Chennai went quite effectively about their business. On a pitch that was turning fairly, it was obvious to see Kolkata start with some spin.

To encounter the same, Dhoni sent Rayudu, a better player of the slow bowling, ahead of English batsmen Sam Billings to open the innings.

Ambati fared well in his second game for CSK as he looked much confidence in his ability to tackle spin in the early overs.

Before his dismissal, he had given his team a good flourish at the top as the team was on route to chase the total. Rayudu scored quick 39 runs in 26 deliveries that he faced.

Eventually, Billings, in the end, gave them a glimmer of hope to win the match after his quick fifty made it much easier for the likes of Bravo and Jadeja to capitalise and take the team home for their consecutive win.