In a high-octane IPL 2025 clash between Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and Chennai Super Kings (CSK) at the iconic Eden Gardens on Wednesday, May 7, fans were surprised to see Venkatesh Iyer missing from KKR’s playing XI. Instead, the experienced Manish Pandey was drafted into the side, bringing a touch of composure to the top order.

KKR captain Ajinkya Rahane won the toss and chose to bat first, citing the dry but good-looking wicket. "We will look to bat first. Looks a very good wicket. We have seen here the wickets are on the drier side. But this looks a good wicket. In the last two games, we batted first and did really well. We will look to put a good total on the board and defend it," Rahane said at the toss.

The team management made a notable change by replacing Venkatesh Iyer, who has been a key part of KKR’s middle order in recent seasons. While no official statement was provided at the toss regarding Iyer’s absence, sources suggest he has been rested due to a minor niggle and is being preserved for the business end of the tournament. In his place, Manish Pandey, known for his calm demeanor and vast experience, was slotted in. Pandey’s inclusion adds stability and a wealth of experience, especially useful against a seasoned CSK attack.

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Conway Back, Urvil Debuts as Dhoni Feels at Home in Eden Gardens

On the other hand, CSK made a couple of changes as well. Devon Conway returned to the side, adding solidity at the top, while Urvil Patel made his debut for the franchise. Captain MS Dhoni, speaking at the toss, reminisced about his long history with Eden Gardens. “I have played a lot of cricket over here growing up U-16, U-19, club cricket. It’s like a home ground for me,” Dhoni said.

With match number 57 promising fireworks, fans will be keenly watching how the reshuffled lineups perform under pressure.

KKR Playing XI: Gurbaz (wk), Narine, Pandey, Rahane (c), Rinku, Raghuvanshi, Russell, Ramandeep, Moeen, Vaibhav Arora, Varun Chakaravarthy

CSK Playing XI: Mhatre, Urvil Patel, Conway, Jadeja, Brevis, Ashwin, Dhoni (c & wk), Kamboj, Khaleel, Noor Ahmad, Pathirana