IPL cricket betting tips: Chennai Super Kings vs Kolkata Knight Riders & Sunrisers Hyderabad vs Punjab Kings

We’ve already previewed the whole Indian Premier League tournament, outlining favourites and talking points, but fast forward three weeks and it’s some less-fancied names fighting it out at the top of the IPL table. 

At this relatively early stage of the season, some of the most successful sides, overall and of recent seasons, are currently among the ‘also-rans’ in the bottom half!

Check out the best UK bookmakers to claim free bets worth up to £850!

No IPL franchise has won the tournament more than Chennai Super Kings or Mumbai Indians, but both teams have been able to record only one victory across their opening five fixtures in this campaign.

Kolkata Knight Riders and Sunrisers Hyderabad were two of the most exciting and effective sides in 2024 with both making the final. However, this season has been a different story with Sunrisers Hyderabad propping up the table on one win and Kolkata Knight Riders only one victory better off.

With these sides making up the bulk of the teams from sixth to tenth, there are opportunities for the likes of Punjab Kings, Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Delhi Capitals. All three who have never won an IPL title, to set the pace near the summit.

This year’s final on the 25 May in Kolkata is still a long way away, so there is still time for it all to change, but the big-name sides must start to put winning runs together sooner rather than later. 

Chennai Super Kings vs Kolkata Knight Riders preview

After starting this campaign with a four-wicket victory over Mumbai Indians in the ‘super clash’, CSK have gone on to lose four successive games in one season for the first time since 2022.

That was an IPL to forget for the Super Kings as they finished next to bottom, level on points with the side in tenth. 

The four defeats in this season have all come when bowling first. The pressure of chasing in the second innings has seemingly got to the Yellow Army with them having the highest-scoring batter in the match in only one game.

KKR have had an inconsistent start to the defence of their title with two heavy defeats and two big wins across their opening two matches.

Those one-sided contests gave way to a high-scoring close fixture with Lucknow Super Giants on Tuesday with Ajinkya Rahane’s team emerging with a narrow four-run defeat.

It all sets up this 32nd clash between CSK and KKR at Chepauk with both sides getting two victories from the last four head to heads, although it is Chennai who have come out on top in eight of the last 11 meetings!

FIRST’s top tip for Chennai Super Kings vs Kolkata Knight Riders

Rachin Ravindra to be Chennai Super Kings’ top batter - 4/1 with Highbet

The 25-year-old New Zealand batting all-rounder had an impressive 2025 ICC Champions Trophy and has already finished as CSK’s top batter in two of their matches this season.

Both of those innings have come at Chepauk and with fellow opener Devon Conway retiring hurt in the last game. 

Not to mention captain Ruturaj Gaikwad making a combined five runs in his last two knocks at the venue, Ravindra looks well-placed to be CSK’s main run contributor once again.

Sunrisers Hyderabad vs Punjab Kings preview

With their aggressive and proactive opening batting pair of Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma, Sunrisers Hyderabad blew away opposition bowlers during the powerplay and set their side up for regular success last season.

It looked like it would be the same in this campaign when Hyderabad posted 286/6 on their way to beating Rajasthan Royals in their opening fixture but since then the ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach has not reaped the same rewards.

Sunrisers have lost four in a row with scores of 190/9, 163 all out, 120 all out and 152/8 but do have a fine head-to-head record against Punjab Kings who they have beaten in each of their last three clashes.

This Punjab side do not care much for previous results and the new regime, with Ricky Ponting as head coach and Shreyas Iyer as captain, they’ve already yielded three wins from four games.

They lost their 100% winning record with a 50-run defeat against Rajasthan Royals but bounced back immediately with an 18-run success over CSK on Tuesday.

FIRST’s top tip for Sunrisers Hyderabad vs Punjab Kings

Lockie Ferguson to be Punjab Kings’ top bowler - 10/3 with Highbet

Across their four games so far in the 2025 IPL, Punjab Kings have seen a pace bowler return the best bowling figures for their side.

It was Arshdeep Singh who began the tournament as their top bowler in the wins over Gujarat Titans and Lucknow Super Giants, but Lockie Ferguson has since claimed the honour with 2/37 and 2/40.

The New Zealander missed the first game of the season but has picked up at least one dismissal in the following three matches with his strike rate currently at 13.2. 

Extra tips

Varun Chakravarthy to be Kolkata Knight Riders’ top bowler (CSK v KKR) - 12/5 with Highbet

The international mystery-spinner has gone wicketless in only two of his nine head-to-heads against CSK and comes into this game after already being KKR’s top bowler in two matches so far this season.

With the MA Chidambaram Stadium traditionally assisting spinners with turn and bounce, Chakravarthy could well be KKR’s main weapon with the ball.

Shreyas Iyer to score a fifty in the match (Sunrisers Hyderabad vs Punjab Kings) - 39/20 with Highbet

Across their five matches in the 2025 IPL, Sunrisers Hyderabad average only 4.60 wickets per game and this weakness offers an excellent opportunity for Punjab’s batters.

Despite a single-figure score in his last innings, Punjab skipper Shreyas Iyer is in excellent form, averaging 84.00 with a strike rate of 200.00 in this year’s tournament.

He will be relishing the chance to bat in Hyderabad where we have already had one fixture this season with 528 match-runs!

Odds correct at the time of writing.