Mahendra Singh Dhoni on Friday lost the toss in the IPL 2021 final as Kolkata Knight Riders captain Eoin Morgan called it right and decided to bowl first in the mega clash. Chennai Super Kings will depend on their opening duo of Ruturaj Gaikwad and Faf du Plessis to give them a solid start as they would look to set a big target for KKR to chase in the summit clash. After losing the toss MS Dhoni conceded that he too would have liked to bowl first had he won the toss. CSK are looking to win the title for the fourth time while KKR are aiming to win their third crown. The last time the two teams met in the IPL final was in 2012, when KKR had chased down a big target set by CSK.
"We were looking to bowl first as well, initially it stops a bit and as the game goes on it settles down and toss is uncontrollable and we are prepared for both," Dhoni said after being asked by Ian Bishop what he would have done had he won the toss.
"We are playing with the same squad. Often what really dictates terms is the result and I feel our international players are equipped to deal with whatever the situation maybe," the CSK captain added.
Both teams have contested against each other 24 times. CSK have emerged victorious on 16 of those occasions, with KKR winning the remaining eight.
CSK have won four of the last five fixtures against KKR. In Match 15 of IPL 2021, KKR were blown away by the CSK brigade by 18 runs. In the return fixture, CSK again walked away victorious by two wickets.
KKR though have won the only time the two teams contested an IPL final. Gautam Gambhir-led KKR beat Dhoni's team in the final of IPL 2012.