When opener Colin Munro was run out without facing a ball, Chris Morris and Shreyas Iyer were at the crease.
Chasing 203, Watson and Ambati Rayudu gave CSK a dream start before they got out and KKR reined in with one more wicket.
With the bat, Rana scored a vital 25-ball 34 coming in at No.4 to help the hosts register a four-wicket win.
Smith and Warner were barred by the BCCI from taking part in the IPL after their role in the ball-tampering scandal in South Africa.
Chasing a decent score of 166, Chennai openers started the proceedings on a positive note.
Asked if he feels CSK spent a lot of players who are over the hill, Fleming said, "I'm not sure when a young player came out and was the top run-scorer.
It will be a litmus test first up for Karthik and his charges against RCB who once again look very strong on paper.
Under new leaders Gautam Gambhir and Ravichandran Ashwin, both outfits will want to make a fresh start and make the most of the talent pool they have in their ranks.
Plunkett has featured in 13 Tests, 65 One-Day Internationals (ODIs) and 15 T20 Internationals for England so far.
Chief Judicial Magistrate Dev Kumar Khatri called Salman Khan a "habitual offender" under the wildlife protection laws of the country.
They have also roped in the services of seasoned campaigners like spinners Harbhajan Singh and Imran Tahir along with Australian all-rounder Shane Watson.
Klaasen, who made his international debut against India earlier in the home season, showed his clean-hitting abilities in the four ODIs and three T20Is.
Actor Ranveer has been strictly advised by doctors to avoid performing at the cricket tournament's opening ceremony on April 7.
Mitchell Starc was on Friday ruled out of the fourth Test against South Africa due to a tibial bone stress fracture in his right leg.
Cricket Australia slapped a one-year ban on Steve Smith and David Warner for their involvement in the ball-tampering scandal.