Introduction:
The rivalry between Kolkata and Chennai has produced some memorable games in the history of the Indian domestic T20 League. While Chennai is led by one of the most beloved Indian cricketers, MS Dhoni, who earns them plenty of supporters, Kolkata’s approach and the presence of a number of young players makes them an equally exciting team to watch.
What makes the battle between the two teams even more interesting is that Kolkata had defeated Chennai in the finals of the 2012 edition to win their maiden title. Over the last few years, the battle between the Yellow and Purple Brigades has only intensified, with players such as Andre Russell, Suresh Raina, Faf du Plessis and Dinesh Karthik, along with Dhoni and Ravindra Jadeja, ensuring plenty of action and drama.
Overall, the two teams have met each other on 23 occasions, with Chennai winning 14 times, including thrice in the last five outings against Kolkata in the Indian domestic T20 league.
Chennai vs Bangalore – Head to Head Record in the Indian T20 league
| Matches | Chennai | Kolkata | Tie/NR |
| 24 | 15 | 8 | 0/1 |
In the 2020 edition, Kolkata got the better of Chennai in the first encounter as they won by 10 runs. However, Chennai staged a fine comeback to win the second league game by 6 wickets as they chased down 172 with ease.
Top 3 Performers Comparison and Stats:
The games between Chennai and Kolkata have always seen the best from the players in action. Considering the rich history of the two teams, the cricketers are always eager to perform and help their team over the line. The upcoming season of the Indian T20 domestic league is not going to be any different. Both teams have made a number of changes to their squad, and they will be raring to have a go in what will be a high-intensity match.
We take a look at the top performers to look out for when Chennai and Kolkata face off in the tournament beginning next month. These players will help in picking the best MPL fantasy team.
Batsmen (Kolkata):
| Batsmen | Runs v Chennai |
| Dinesh Karthik | 626 |
| Andre Russell | 340 |
| Harbhajan Singh | 196 |
Bowlers (Kolkata)
| Bowlers | Wickets v Chennai |
| Harbhajan Singh | 24 |
| Sunil Narine | 19 |
| Pat Cummins | 6 |
Batsmen (Chennai)
| Batsmen | Runs v Kolkata |
| Suresh Raina | 955 |
| M S Dhoni | 558 |
| Ambati Rayudu | 418 |
Bowlers (Chennai)
| Bowlers | Wickets v Kolkata |
| Ravindra Jadeja | 17 |
| Karn Sharma | 17 |
| Dwayne Bravo | 17 |
Chennai vs Kolkata, Indian T20 League Schedule 2021
The two teams will face-off in Mumbai and then in Bangalore this year, as no team is playing on their home venues in the upcoming edition of the T20 league. Here are the dates and timings of the two matches. For the full schedule of the Indian Fantasy T20 League, you can visit here.
| Date | Matches | Venue | Time (IST) |
| Wednesday, 21 April, 2021 | Kolkata vs Chennai | Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai | 7:30 PM |
| Sunday, 26 September 2021 | Chennai vs Kolkata | Abu Dhabi, UAE | 3:30 PM |
Statistics and Facts of Chennai and Kolkata
A number of historical records have been made in games between Chennai and Kolkata. We look at the most important figures and statistics surrounding the two sides.
- Kolkata had defeated Chennai to win their maiden title in 2012. In that game, the Kolkata team managed to chase down a mammoth 191, with Manvinder Bisla leading the way with an unbeaten 89 off just 48 deliveries.
- Chennai had managed to reach the playoffs in every edition of the Indian T20 league before 2020. The MS Dhoni-led side ended the league in a seventh spot last year with 14 points.
- Suresh Raina has scored more runs against Kolkata than any other batsman in the league. He has 955 runs in 24 innings, averaging a staggering 50.26 with a strike rate of over 139.
- Two current Kolkata players feature in the top-ten list of most wickets picked against Chennai in the history of the Indian T20 league. Harbhajan Singh is the second-highest wicket-taker against Chennai, with 24 scalps, while Sunil Narine is sixth on the list, with 18 wickets.
- Kolkata picked up eight players in the auctions in 2021, the costliest of which was Shakib Al Hasan from Bangladesh, who went for INR 3.2 crores.
- Chennai bought six players in the auctions this year. Krishnappa Gowtham was the most expensive Indian, at INR 9.25 crore, while Moeen Ali was the most expensive overseas player to be bought by the franchise, for INR 7 crore. They also traded Robin Uthappa from Rajasthan.
- Kolkata team for 2021: Eoin Morgan, Dinesh Karthik, Nitish Rana, Shubman Gill, Rinku Singh, Rahul Tripathi, Kamlesh Nagarkoti, Kuldeep Yadav, Lockie Ferguson, Pat Cummins, Prasidh Krishna, Sandeep Warrier, Shivam Mavi, Varun Chakravarthy, Andre Russell, Sunil Narine, Tim Seifert, Shakib al Hasan, Karun Nair, Harbhajan Singh, Sheldon Jackson, Pawan Negi, Venkatesh Iyer and Vaibhav Arora
- Chennai team for 2021: M S Dhoni, Suresh Raina, Ambati Rayudu, KM Asif, Deepak Chahar, Dwayne Bravo, Faf du Plessis, Imran Tahir, N Jagadeesan, Karn Sharma, Lungi Ngidi, Mitchell Santner, Ravindra Jadeja, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Shardul Thakur, Sam Curran, Josh Hazlewood, R Sai Kishore, Krishnappa Gowtham, Moeen Ali, Cheteshwar Pujara, K Bhagath Varma, C Hari Nishaanth, M Harisankar Reddy.
Chennai vs Bangalore: Overall Head to Head Stats in the Indian T20 League
The two teams have faced each other 23 times in the history of the league, with Chennai having a superior head to head record against Kolkata. We look at the season-wise results between the two sides.
| Year | Matches | Chennai | Kolkata | Tie/NR |
| 2021 | 1 | 1 | 0 | – |
| 2020 | 2 | 1 | 1 | – |
| 2019 | 2 | 2 | 0 | – |
| 2018 | 2 | 1 | 1 | – |
| 2015 | 2 | 1 | 1 | – |
| 2014 | 2 | 1 | 1 | – |
| 2013 | 2 | 2 | 0 | – |
| 2012 | 3 | 1 | 2 | |
| 2011 | 2 | 1 | 1 | – |
| 2010 | 2 | 2 | 0 | – |
| 2009 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 2008 | 2 | 2 | 0 | – |
How will Chennai vs Bangalore Stats Help You on MPL?
Knowing in-depth stats, updates through MPL Blog, Tips & Tricks & Predictions always give you a huge advantage when it comes to making your MPL Fantasy Cricket team. The player performance and statistics will give you a quick heads up about the best cricketers to include when Chennai and Kolkata face off against each other. It will allow you to get the better of your friends and give you bragging rights as well. Download the MPL fantasy cricket app, join contests and create teams for various leagues today!
