IPL 2018, Match 5: Will CSK tinker with winning combination for game against KKR? 

The 2018 IPL got off to a flying start after a high-voltage clash between the defending champions Mumbai Indians and the two-time winners Chennai Super Kings. The match lived up to all its hype with many twists and turns until Kedar Jadhav scored the winning runs for Chennai in the final over.

The Super Kings won the match by just one wicket much to the delight of the fans of the Yellow Army. Jadhav, who suffered a hamstring strain during the win over Mumbai, will be out of action for the next couple of weeks.

Next up for the Chennai Super Kings will be the Kolkata Knight Riders at their fortress, Chepauk, on April 10, 2018 (Tuesday). Here is how the Super Kings might line up for their clash against Dinesh Karthik's men.

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Openers

Murali Vijay

Local boy Murali Vijay will open the innings with the Aussie all-rounder, Shane Watson. Since this will be the first home game for the Chennai Super Kings since May 2015, Vijay will be eager to make a mark at his favorite hunting ground. Though Watson scored just 16 (14) in the opening game, he looked confident and timed the ball well.

The Sydney Thunders skipper was in good touch, scoring a boundary and a six during his short stay at the crease but could not make it count against Mumbai. Since it is a home game, the prospect of having an overseas batsman like Sam Billings won't be appealing to MS Dhoni.

Middle Order

Suresh Raina

Mr. IPL, Suresh Raina, will come out at his usual number three position for the Chennai Super Kings. Raina’s recent form has been really good but the stylish southpaw did not quite live up to the expectations at the Wankhede. The IPL has always brought out the best in Suresh Raina, so expect him to fire at Chepauk on Tuesday where he boasts an excellent batting record.

Following Raina will be Chennai's new recruit Ambati Rayudu and this will provide them with much-needed stability in the middle order.

Rayudu, who has batted in the middle-order for many years in the IPL, looked good when he opened the innings in the last game. Rayudu was an obvious choice for the last encounter since he is a former Mumbai Indians player accustomed to playing at the Wankhede. Following Rayudu, it will be the charismatic CSK skipper, MS Dhoni.

Dhoni’s recent form with the bat has been a bit disappointing but players like him are an asset, especially in crunch situations. Dhoni will be eager to get back to form on his return to Chepauk.

The middle-order will miss the services of the injured Kedar Jadhav, who played a stellar role in the opening fixture at the Wankhede.

All-rounders

Dwayne Bravo

Ravindra Jadeja will be an automatic choice in the starting eleven. The Saurashtra all-rounder had a disappointing outing at the Wankhede on Saturday, where he bowled just one over, giving away 9 runs. The Chennai pitch will assist him though, so expect him to complete his full quota of four overs against the Knight Riders.

Dwayne Bravo single-handedly took Chennai across the finishing line against Mumbai with his astonishing 68 (30). His breath-taking innings included three fours and seven towering sixes. He had a decent match with the ball, giving away just 25 runs in his four overs but failed to pick up a wicket.

Spinners

Harbhajan Singh

Harbjajan Singh will feature in the starting line-up given the nature of the Chennai wicket and his experience. Harbhajan bowled just two overs in the last game but expect him to play a major role against the Knight Riders.

Imran Tahir, who was far from impressive in the last game in spite of picking up a wicket, should once again be given the nod. However, he needs to make full use of his opportunities as there are plenty of spin options for the Super Kings this season.

Fast bowlers

Deepak Chahar

Mark Wood, the English pacer who had a forgettable IPL debut, could be benched for the game against Kolkata. He gave away 49 runs in four overs at an economy of 12.25 and had a disastrous start to his IPL career. The Proteas pacer, Lungisani Ngidi could take his spot. Shardul Thakur might once again be overlooked, since Deepak Chahar was pretty impressive in the first game.

The prospect of having a quality overseas pacer might give Ngidi the edge ahead of the other bowling options in CSK. Ngidi, who had a dream debut against India during their tour of South Africa earlier this year, will be looking to impress his skipper if given the opportunity.