The 33rd match of the Indian Premier League 2023 will witness Kolkata Knight Riders taking on Chennai Super Kings. The iconic Eden Gardens will host this epic encounter. Kolkata Knight Riders are really struggling in this year's competition. They are placed in the bottom half of the points table. KKR have only managed to win two out of six games. Chennai Super Kings, on the other hand, have played six games so far and won four of those. They have eight points and sitting on the 3rd of the table They grabbed their fourth win when they beat the Sunrisers Hyderabad at home in their previous outing. Read the full match preview, pitch report & every detail about the KKR vs CSK match with the likes of dream XI team prediction in our fantasy sports segment.
The pitch at the Eden Gardens is slow in nature. We can see spinners play a major role while bowling here as the ball tends to hold a bit on the surface. The batters will have to get their eye in before they can start playing their strokes freely. The temperature in Kolkata on Sunday is expected to hover between 26 to 33 degrees Celsius.
Kolkata Knight Riders vs Chennai Super Kings | Head To Head
Records T20I captain Suryakumar Yadav can break in Asia Cup 2025
If Suryakumar Yadav recovers in time, he will not only lead the side but also have a chance to break multiple T20I records in Asia Cup 2025. Let's have a look.
India’s T20I captain Suryakumar Yadav has returned to the nets for the first time since undergoing surgery on his lower right abdomen. Asia Cup 2025 is going to start from 9th September. All the teams have started their preparations. This time the tournament will be played in T20 format. In such a situation, it is very important for Indian T20I captain Suryakumar Yadav to be fit. The Indian skipper is now working hard to be fully fit in time for the tournament, which will also act as a key preparation for the ICC T20 World Cup 2026.
If he recovers in time, SKY will not only lead the side but also have a chance to break multiple T20I records in Asia Cup 2025. Let's have a look.
Records Suryakumar Yadav can break in Asia Cup 2025
3,000 T20I Runs with 160+ Strike Rate
The 34-year-old is on the verge of becoming the first player in T20I history to score 3,000 runs while maintaining a strike rate above 160. He is currently 402 runs short of the milestone. No batter in history has got to 3,000 T20I runs with a strike rate above 150.
Most Centuries in T20Is
Surya also needs one more century to equal the joint record of five T20I hundreds held by Rohit Sharma and Glenn Maxwell. Batting in the top order will give him a golden opportunity to at least equal, if not surpass, their record. Given his IPL 2025 form, breaking it outright isn’t out of the question.
Players with 150 T20I Sixes
Sky just needs four more sixes to join the elite club of players with 150 T20I sixes, with 146 sixes to his name. Only Rohit (205), Martin Guptill (173), Muhammad Waseem (168), and Jos Buttler (160) have cleared the rope more often. This one could be ticked off within a match or two.
Surya is focused on recovery and fitness
To speed up his recovery, Suryakumar withdrew from the Duleep Trophy 2025 and has been concentrating on strength-building, mobility work, and match fitness at the NCA. His training is aimed at ensuring he can handle the demands of back-to-back matches in the Asia Cup.
Surya was last seen playing for Mumbai Indians in IPL 2025. He batted brilliantly this season and won the Most Valuable Player award by scoring 717 runs for Mumbai Indians.
Rohit Sharma retired from the T20 format after the T20 World Cup 2024. After this, Surya is captaining the Indian T20I team. Surya has shown excellent captaincy. He has won 17 matches for India in 22 matches.
The Indian team will start its campaign in Asia Cup 2025 from September 10, where it will face UAE. Apart from this, the big match between India and Pakistan will be played on September 14.
Shreyas Iyer is on the verge of a comeback to India’s Test and T20I squads after dominating in ODIs and IPL 2025. Let's have a look at Shreyas Iyer's best knocks in Tests.
Shreyas Iyer is on the verge of a comeback to India’s Test and T20I squads after dominating in ODIs and IPL 2025. Selectors now see Iyer as an all-format solution for India’s middle order, especially ahead of the Asia Cup and West Indies Test series. His comeback is expected to bring stability and experience, especially on spin-friendly tracks where India has struggled lately.
Iyer has been out of favour in Tests since a back issue and poor form saw him lose his berth during the home series against England last year. The decision-makers, however, feel Iyer has done all the right things since losing his contract after expressing a reluctance to play domestic cricket.
Let's have a look at Shreyas Iyer's best knocks in Tests.
Shreyas Iyer's best knocks in Tests
105 vs New Zealand (2021)
It was one of Shreyas Iyer's best knocks in Tests against New Zealand in the first test match in Kanpur. Iyer played a phenomenal knock of 105 runs off 171 balls, including 13 fours and two sixes. This knock was memorable for Iyer as it was his debut hundred in the test match against New Zealand.
92 vs Sri Lanka (2022)
Iyer played a gem of a knock in the pink-ball Test at M Chinnaswamy Stadium against Sri Lanka in 2022. India were 86/4 after electing to bat. Iyer shone with a blistering 92 off 98 deliveries, whipping 10 fours and four maximums.
He played with the tail-enders and was the last man to be dismissed (252/10). India eventually won by 238 runs.
87 vs Bangladesh (2022)
Bowling first, India folded Bangladesh on 227. India, however, had a shaky start and were down to 94/4. Iyer then joined hands with a ferocious-looking Rishabh Pant and the duo plundered 159 runs for the fifth wicket. The pair played a part as India snatched an 87-run lead (314/10).
Iyer smacked 87 off 105 deliveries (4s: 10, 6s: 2), lifting India from the trenches.
86 vs Bangladesh (2022)
India stumbled in the first Test too (112/4 in 31.4 overs). They needed to keep the Tigers at bay. Iyer and Cheteshwar Pujara delivered the needful, stitching a 149-run partnership before the latter departed (261/5).
Iyer got out the next day after a well-struck 86 off 192 deliveries. India ended up scoring 404 in the first innings and eventually won by 188 runs.
67 vs Sri Lanka (2022)
Rishabh Pant put the Sri Lankan attack to the sword with a record-breaking half-century while Shreyas Iyer yet again conjured up a measured fifty to let India grab complete control of the second Test over Sri Lanka.
Pant’s 31-ball 50 and Iyer’s 67 after useful contributions from top-order batters meant that India set Sri Lanka a mammoth 447-run target after declaring their second innings at 303 for nine.
It was another mature knock from Iyer while playing only his second innings in the purest format. India (41/3) were in a spot of bother when the debutant arrived. Despite running out of partners, Iyer managed to carve a 125-ball 65. He ended up top-scoring for the hosts.
He was noted for fetching pivotal stands with Ashwin and Wriddhiman Saha, helping India reach 167/7.
Asia cup 2025: Team India's probable squad; Siraj may be rested; Gill’s inclusion uncertain
There is no official information yet as to when Team India's squad will be announced. But the team's possible playing XI for Asia Cup 2025 can be something like this.
The Asian Cricket Council (ACC) has officially released the full schedule of Asia Cup 2025. The tournament will start in UAE from 9 September. A total of eight teams will participate in this tournament divided into two groups and 19 matches will be played in Abu Dhabi and Dubai.
At the moment, the Indian team management is busy finalizing a squad that has a balance of experience and youthful enthusiasm. The team will not play any cricket for more than a month at the moment. The long and tiring Test series against England ended on Monday. Now the team's next assignment will be Asia Cup 2025. Now it will be interesting to see which players make it to the team for this tournament.
However, there is no official information yet as to when Team India's squad will be announced. But the team's possible playing XI can be something like this.
The command of the Indian team in the Asia Cup can be in the hands of Suryakumar Yadav, although the regular captain of the T20 team Surya is trying to regain fitness after hernia surgery.
He is training at the National Cricket Academy, there is still uncertainty about his availability. If he does not play, then Hardik Pandya could be the biggest contender for captaincy, while Axar Patel could be his deputy.
India's potential batsmen for Asia Cup 2025
Sanju Samson will be the first choice batsman in Team India's batting department. He scored 285 runs in 9 innings this year, averaging 35, and his place in the team is almost certain. His opening partner will be Abhishek Sharma, who recorded a blistering strike rate of 193 in 14 matches in IPL 2025.
Yashasvi Jaiswal can be kept as a reserve opener, who will be fielded in case of injury or need, while Riyan Parag can also definitely find a place in the team. Tilak Verma is also likely to be in the team.
At the same time, Shreyas Iyer scored 604 runs in 17 matches in the IPL and took Punjab Kings to their second final, which has strengthened his claim. At the same time, Tilak Verma is also almost certain to be in the squad and play all the matches, as he scored 343 runs.
Possible options for wicketkeeper and all-rounder
Even though Sanju Samson is present on the wicketkeeper front, Jitesh Sharma's return as the main wicketkeeper is possible, along with him Dhruv Jurel's name can also be in the list. But between Jurel and Jitesh, the RCB wicketkeeper may have the upper hand as he scored 261 runs in the IPL while playing for RCB and has become a contender to be included in the team again due to his excellent performance.
There can also be a place for Ishan Kishan in the team. His return to the Indian senior team has not been possible for a long time. Recently, he must have caught the attention of the management by performing brilliantly in county cricket.
As an all-rounder, Hardik Pandya is a permanent fixture in the team and it is almost impossible to drop him. Along with him, Washington Sundar is also in contention. Washington Sundar may have proved to be a reliable all-rounder for Team India, but he did not get many opportunities in the IPL. Axar Patel will definitely have a place in the team as the vice-captain.
Bowlers who are most likely to be in the team
In bowling, Arshdeep Singh and Varun Chakaravarthy are certain to be in the team. Along with them, Harshit Rana can also be seen in the team. The return of Kuldeep Yadav is also almost certain, who did not play a single match on the England tour but his selection in the Asia Cup is considered certain.
If Bumrah and Shami are not in the team, then the fast bowling can be led by Mohammed Siraj, along with whom Prasidh Krishna is also a strong option.
Shubman Gill is in great form and he scored 650 runs in 15 matches in IPL. His bat also spoke loudly on the England tour. Although there is still a lot of time for the Asia Cup, Gill has been out of India's T20 team for a long time. He played his last match against Sri Lanka on 30 July 2024.
KL Rahul's selection in batting is also uncertain, while Rishabh Pant is on 6 weeks rest after a toe fracture and it is not clear whether he will be fit in time or not. Apart from this, players like Ravi Bishnoi and Rinku Singh may be out of the team due to poor IPL performance. Bishnoi took only 9 wickets in 11 matches, while Rinku Singh scored 206 runs in 13 matches and weakened his chances.
The biggest concern for Team India is in fast bowling, where Jasprit Bumrah may not play in Asia Cup 2025 due to workload management. Mohammed Shami's fitness is also in question as he is still recovering from injury. Nitish Kumar Reddy can also be dropped from the team. He could neither show any magic in IPL nor could he give any impressive performance on the England tour.
Indian Cricket Team's upcoming schedule (men and women)
The men’s and women’s Indian cricket teams will compete in multiple series at home and away in the upcoming days. Let's have a look at Indian Cricket Team's upcoming schedule.
The men’s and women’s Indian cricket teams will compete in multiple series at home and away, including Asia Cup and Women's ODI World Cup in the incoming days.
Let's have a look at Indian Cricket Team's upcoming schedule.
After the series between India and England, with India's tour of Bangladesh postponed till 2026, as per the current situation, the Indian team will not be able to play any more cricket in August.
The next tournament for the Indian Men's Cricket team will be the 2025 Asia Cup, which will be held in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). In Test cricket, India will next be seen playing two-match home series against West Indies and South Africa.
Between the two Test series, the team will tour Australia for ODI and T20I series. India will also play home series in both white-ball formats against South Africa and New Zealand before their T20 World Cup.
Women's team try to claim their maiden ICC trophy
The Indian women’s cricket team started its year with a three-match ODI series at home against Ireland in January's second week. The Women’s Premier League (WPL) was played in February-March.
The ICC Women’s ODI World Cup will be hosted in India and Sri Lanka. The tournament starts from September 30 with the final scheduled for November 2. Harmanpreet Kaur’s side will have the perfect stage to claim their maiden ICC trophy. The team has finished as the runners-up twice before in the ODI World Cup.
Most Hundreds in Test cricket among active players
With 39 test tons, Joe Root is now the player with most hundreds in test cricket among active cricketers. Steve Smith and Kane Williamson follow him on the list.
Test cricket, mostly called the purest format of the game, has seen some of the greatest cricketers and batters showing their skills with patience, stroke-making ability and the perseverance to bat long and score.
Past greats and legends like Don Bradman, Sunil Gavaskar, Sachin Tendulkar, Brian Lara, Jacques Kallis and many others dominated test cricket during their time. But, with modern cricket kicking in, this time we will look at the list of active players with the most hundreds in test cricket.
Players with most Test centuries in cricket history
Infographic by Sportz Point
Before we talk about the current active cricketers, we should and must take a look at all the batters who dominate the overall list. As we all know, Sachin Tendulkar is the batter with most hundreds in test cricket. In fact, his record of 100 international tons might not be broken ever in cricket history.
Before Sachin broke into the scene, there was Sir Don Bradman, who had retired as the batter with the most test centuries (29), and later the little master Sunil Gavaskar broke his record and finished his career with 34 test centuries. But, do they come in the list of players with the most test centuries? Let's take a look at that.
So, sadly, one of the greatest cricketers in cricket history, Sir Don Bradman, does not even come in the top 10 batters with the most test tons in cricket history. Interestingly, only Joe Root is the active cricketer on that list. Hence, you already know who the active cricketer with the most test tons is: Joe Root.
Most Test Centuries by active cricketers
#10. Ben Stokes | 13
Regarded as one of the best test cricketers of the 2010s and 2020s, Ben Stokes is perhaps the greatest match-winner of modern cricket. The southpaw batter is as lethal with the bat in the lower middle order and can change his gear with regard to the needs of the game.
Not only that, his skill to bat with the tail and chase nearly impossible totals in the last inning is quite remarkable.
Stokes has 13 test centuries against his name in 113 test matches for the Three Lions. His 258 in just 198 balls against South Africa in Cape Town saw him make the fastest test double century by any English cricketer. That is also the highest test score by a batter batting at number six.
And, yes, who can forget his immortal innings of 135 at Edgbaston in the 2019 Ashes Test, where he single-handedly achieved England's highest successful run chase in Tests, with Jack Leach at the other end.
#9 Tom Latham | 13
Tom Latham, the Kiwi opener, is surely one of the best top-order batters of this generation. Although he has always been in the shadow of Kane Williamson, Latham has contributed well to his country since his test debut in 2014. In the last ten years, Latham has played 81 test matches and scored 5516 test runs so far, including 13 test centuries, which places him at number nine in this list.
Latham's unbeaten 264 against Sri Lanka in Wellington in 2018 is the highest score by any opener while carrying his bat. Not only that, he is only the second Kiwi cricketer to carry his bat in test cricket.
Latham is currently the vice-captain of the test team and one of the reasons for New Zealand's success in recent years.
#8. Mominul Haque | 13
He might be the most surprising name on this list of active players with most hundreds in test cricket.
Mominul Haque, the stylish and gritty test batter from Bangladesh, is at No. 8 on this list with 13 test tons. The top-order batter started his test career with a record-breaking 181 against Sri Lanka, which is the highest debut score by any Bangladeshi batter.
Since then, he has been one of the pillars of the Bangladeshi batting lineup in tests. From 2013 to 2017, Haque averaged over 50 with the bat, which dropped to below 40 post-2022.
He is one of only six batters, including the likes of Don Bradman, Kumar Sangakkara and Jacques Kallis, to score seven test tons at a single venue; Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chattogram.
#7 Usman Khawaja | 16
Another top-order batter in the list of active players with most test hundreds, who has made tons of runs in the last few years for Australia. Usman, who was born in Pakistan and later moved to Australia as a young kid, made his test debut in 2011, replacing the great Ricky Ponting at number.
At that time, he became the first Muslim cricketer to play for Australia. Despite a decent debut match, Khawaja was never given a long run and kept losing his spot in the team.
In 2015-16, he made another solid return to the test squad, but his failure in away tests always kept him in and out of the team. But, after his comeback with two tons in a single test match in 2022 against England in Sydney, Khwaja has emerged as one of the best batters for Australia. His move at the top of the order has also helped him regain his lost confidence at the international level.
Post a stunning 2023, where he scored 1210runs in 13 test matches at 52.60, Khawaja won the 2023 ICC Test Cricketer of the Year award.
In 80 test matches so far, Khawaja has scored 5930 test runs, including 16 test tons and 27 fifty-plus scores. He is also the sixth-highest run-scorer (3251) in the World Test Championship's history, despite playing only 42 matches.
#6 Dimuth Karunaratne | 16
Dimuth Karunaratne has been one of the greatest modern-day batters for Sri Lanka in recent years. The Sri Lankan batter is sixth in our list of active players with most hundreds in test cricket.
The opening batter comes from the same St Joseph's College, which produced players like Angelo Mathews and Thisara Perera. Dimuth debuted for Sri Lanka in tests in 2012 and gradually cemented his place in the team despite a duck in his debut inning.
In 2014, he scored his debut hundred against New Zealand in Christchurch and has scored 15 more in his test career since then. Three years later, he missed his first double ton by four runs when he played an outstanding knock of 196 against Pakistan in Dubai. In 2021, he scored hundreds in three back-to-back test matches, and one of them was a 244 against Bangladesh, his best in test cricket.
Another Sri Lankan in the list of active batters with the most test centuries prove why, despite not being considered a force, they have done well in recent times. Dinesh Chandimal, one of the most underrated cricketers going around, has climbed up in the list with a stunning hundred (116) against New Zealand at Galle.
Chandimal, just like Angelo Mathews, emerged on the scene as one of the best talents in the country and became a mainstay in the middle order after the retirement of the legendary Sangakkara-Jayawardene pair. At 23, he was chosen as the T20I captain and as Mathews' deputy in tests.
In 2013, Dinesh scored back-to-back centuries against Bangladesh and then played an unbeaten 162 against India in 2015 to nearly drag Sri Lanka to a win from an impossible position. His 164 against India in Delhi in 2017 was one of his remarkable innings after leading Sri Lanka to a 2-0 victory against Pakistan, away from home.
However, after that, he could not keep his form, and it wasn't until 2022 that he came back to his best with an unbeaten 206 against Australia at Galle to deny the mighty Aussies a test series win.
Till now, Chandimal has scored 16 test centuries in 88 test matches and looks like a strong candidate to be the first one to reach 20 test centuries among the active Sri Lankan cricketers.
#4. Cheteshwar Pujara | 19
Although he has not been a part of the Indian test team since 2023, Cheteshwar Pujara is still an active test cricketer. The modern wall of Indian cricket, who was among one of the rarest batters in this counterattacking generation to tire the bowlers down and play a whole day of test cricket, without giving it a second thought.
Pujara's temperament was one of the main reasons why he was called up for the national team in 2010. After a very impressive 72 against Australia on debut, it was only a matter of time before Pujara became a mainstay of the Indian team.
Soon, he became the joint-fastest Indian to 1000 Test runs, and quickly he became the new Wall of Indian cricket. Till now, in 103 test matches, Pujara has scored 7195, including 19 centuries.
Recent drop in form has kept in out of the Indian team, but his love for the game has kept him going at the domestic level. Pujara is one of the 13 players in test cricket history to bat in each day of a five-day test match.
Although Pujara has not played a test match for a long time, since he has not retired, he is fourth on our list of active players with most hundreds in test cricket.
Kane Williamson has been the best Kiwi cricketer of the last two decades, and even the great Martin Crowe believed that he would finish as the greatest batter from New Zealand.
Debuted in 2010, Kane scored a ton against India in Ahmedabad and since then, has never had to look back. 24 years and 151 days old, Kane then became the youngest New Zealand cricketer to score 3000 test runs. In 2015, Kane hit his first double ton against Sri Lanka in Wellington and since then has scored five more test double tons.
As a leader, Kane in 2018 became the fourth Kiwi captain to win a test series in England, followed by a first-ever series triumph against Pakistan, away from home.
Williamson, with 9276 test runs, is the player with the most test runs for New Zealand. He also holds the record for most test centuries scored by a Kiwi batter (33). He is also the quickest batter in test history (by innings) to reach 33 test tons.
Moreover, Williamson was also the first-ever Kiwi captain to lead them to an ICC trophy success when he led them to the WTC title in 2021 against India. The former Kiwi captain is also New Zealand's highest run-getter in WTC history with 2822 runs at 61.34 average and 11 test tons.
#2 Steve Smith | 36
After starting as a leg spinner in 2010, Steve Smith's journey to become one of the greatest test batters for Australia is quite remarkable. Despite getting banned for 12 months due to the ball-tampering scandal in 2018, Smith made a great comeback to test cricket and has scored 9 test centuries since 2019.
Smith scored his first century in 2013 against England at the Oval and scored three more in his next six matches. Before he was made the captain in 2015, he was already the No.1 ranked test batter in the world, scoring seven centuries in 17 test matches in 2014-15, including centuries in four consecutive test matches.
In 2017, he scored six test tons, including a double ton in just 11 test matches to win his second ICC Test Cricketer of the Year award second time, after winning it in 2015.
Though in the past few years, bowlers have found some ways to stop him from scoring runs with his unorthodox style, he scored five centuries in 13 innings from July 2022 to June 2023.
In 2024, Smith scored two consecutive test centuries in the Australia vs India Border-Gavaskar Trophy series. With 36 test tons in just 118 tests, he is now the player with the second most hundreds in test cricket among active cricketers.
#1 Joe Root | 39
2021 Test Cricketer of the Year, nominated again in 2023 for the same award, most runs and tons in World Test Championship history, most test runs by any English batter, most test tons by any English batter; these are the few achievements Joe Root made in the last seven years.
The youngest of the "fav four", Root debuted in 2012 on England's tour to India and impressed with a 73 from 229 balls, and everyone saw his ability to stay at the crease and play long.
Five tests later, he scored his first test hundred in England against New Zealand in 2013. Two tests later, he followed that up with a 180 against Australia at Lord's.
Before he was made the captain in 2017, he had already played 53 test matches in five years with a batting average of over 50. 190 in the first inning as test captain, and all knew he would go on to break all the records for England. Root finished 2017 with 1481 for England despite scoring only two tons.
The story continued the same way for him in the following year, as despite scoring lots of fifty-plus scores, Root could score only two test tons as England struggled in tests as a team.
But, everything changed for him in 2021 as he started the year with one century and one double century in the first three tests. Another back-to-back hundred against India at home would mean he would go on to win the 2021 ICC Test Cricketer of the Year Award.
Root that year nearly broke the record of the most test runs scored in a calendar year with 1708 test runs, missing the record by 80 runs.
Since the start of 2022, Root has scored 16 test tons, scoring 4012 test runs at an average of 54.95. In WTC, he is the highest run scorer with6080 runsat an average of 52.86 and 21 centuries.
With 39 test tons, Joe Root is now the player with most hundreds in test cricket among active cricketers.