10 Players you might not know played for Chennai Super Kings
The Chennai Super Kings are one of the most successful T20 teams in the world. They have won the coveted IPL trophy three times, and their list of accolades is endless. They even approach the auctions strategically with the key aim to retain their core each year.
Everyone remembers the players who made the team what it is today, but only a few will remember those talented players who remain a memory from CSK’s past. Here is a list of those ten players you might not know played for Chennai Super Kings.
#10 Tim Southee
Tim Southee debuted in the Indian Premier League (IPL) in 2011, playing for the Chennai Super Kings. His stint with CSK wasn’t very good. The Kiwi played five matches and picked up four wickets with a very poor average of 41.50 and an economy rate of 8.73. Due to his poor performances, he spent only a single season for the franchise and was released in 2012.
After his release by CSK, he was picked up at the auctions by Rajasthan Royals in 2014 to bolster their bowling lineup. In his first season with the Royals, he played only three games and went wicketless.
Surprisingly, he was still retained by RR for the following season. Despite a lot of faith shown in him, he still struggled to find any form. He picked up just six wickets in 7 games. Finally, the Royals decided they’d had enough and released him from his contract.
Following his release in 2016, Mumbai Indians were quick to pick him up at the auctions. This is where he got a chance to perform at his best alongside fellow New Zealand pacer - Mitchell McClenaghan.
In 2016, he played 11 games and scalped nine wickets at an average of 36.55. It was with MI that he picked up his IPL best bowling figures of 3/24. Seeing his decent performances, Southee was given another chance by Mumbai Indians in 2017. This time he played second fiddle to Mitchell McClenaghan. He only played three games and picked up three wickets. He was released after that.
Royal Challengers Bangalore desperately in need of a death over specialist, placed their bets on Tim Southee. He again failed to deliver performing at his all-time worst. He picked only five wickets in 8 games at an abysmal economy rate of 9 in 2018.
#9 Scott Styris
We have all seen Scott Styris on the microphone during IPL matches. But many seem to have forgotten that Styris was once part of the CSK dugout. Yes, that’s right.
Scott Styris spent only one season with the franchise in 2011 and most of his time was spent sitting on the bench. He played only two matches and scored only five runs. He wasn’t of much use with the bowl either bowling just one over and conceding 13 runs without taking a wicket.
One could wonder why Scott Styris was even purchased at the auctions. They already had a solid all-rounder (Albie Morkel) who could score runs and take wickets. Styris clearly didn't make a good fit for the franchise.
It should come as no surprise that he was released from his contract. Post-release, he was seen as an expert analyst before and after matches. He performed in many such behind the scenes roles, but he never took the field to play for an IPL team again.
#8 Stephen Fleming
Former New Zealand skipper Stephen Fleming once played for the Chennai SuperKings in 2008. He opened the batting for CSK scoring only 196 runs from 10 matches. His performances weren’t memorable, and he was relegated to coaching duties in the following season. Fleming went on to become one of the most successful coaches in IPL history.
Fleming’s story showcases loyalty at its highest point where he stuck to the same franchise right from its inception. It’s hard to imagine a CSK dugout without Stephen Fleming. His calming nature almost mirrors that of CSK captain - MS Dhoni and the two have formed a formidable duo off the field.
In fact, a majority of CSK's success can be attributed to Fleming's strategic thinking and quick decision making. He also made wise purchases at the auction table that has uncovered talented players over the past many years.
It's almost like he can sniff out talented players. As long as CSK keep up their consistency, Fleming will remain their coach.
#7 George Bailey
No one seems to remember that George Bailey was once part of the three-time IPL winners. He was part of the CSK squad for four seasons from 2009-2012. One could wonder why he was retained continuously by the franchise if they barely intended on using him.
During his tenure with CSK, he only played a total of 4 matches scoring a meagre 63 runs. He was released from his contract in 2013.
He returned in 2014 to captain the Kings XI Punjab, successfully leading them to their first IPL finals. He also put on a decent show with the bat, scoring 257 runs from 17 matches with a strike-rate of 135.26.
Unsurprisingly, KXIP decided to retain Bailey for one more season. While his performances with the bat remained the same, his leadership skills seemed to diminish over a year. He was released the following year only to be picked up by the now-defunct Rising Pune Supergiants team.
#6 Thisara Perera
Thisara Perera made his first appearance in the Indian Premier League by dawning the yellow jersey in 2010. He played a single game for the franchise before being dropped from the playing XI.
In his only game for CSK, he bowled just one over and conceded 19 runs. He was released from his contract the following year only to resurface at the 2011 IPL auctions. This time he was picked up by the now defunct Kochi Tuskers Kerala. He played just 4 games for them and didn’t contribute much with bat or ball.
In 2012, he got another chance to play in the cash-rich league, this time for Mumbai Indians. He wasn’t given much of a chance to shine as he was selected to play in just 2 matches.
2013 was his breakout year as an integral part of the Sunrisers Hyderabad franchise. He played 16 matches scoring 233 runs and scalped 19 wickets. Despite proving himself a worthy lower-order batsman, he was released the following year.
He spent 2014 and 2015 as part of the Kings XI Punjab dugout, but again he was overlooked. He played just 2 matches for KXIP before moving on to Rising Pune Supergiants.
His last stint in the IPL came in 2016 for the RPS team. This time he received a solid platform to showcase his skills, but he just couldn’t live up to the hype and again found himself out of another IPL contract. Unsurprisingly, he went unsold in the 2017 and 2018 IPL auctions.
#5 Ben Laughlin
Many fans remember Ben Laughlin for his performances in the 2018 edition of the Indian Premier League, but very few fans know that this isn’t his first appearance in the cash-rich league.
He first debuted in the IPL for the Chennai Super Kings in 2013. He played only two matches and picked up a single wicket with a horrible economy rate of 10.14. CSK already possessed a very talented and experience bowling lineup, and hence his services in the playing XI weren’t required.
Post his stint with CSK, he remained unsold in the IPL until 2018 when Rajasthan Royals saw some potential in the bowler. He was given a chance midway through the tournament and did well to redeem himself picking up nine wickets in just seven games at an economy rate of 10.04. Despite his good showing with the ball, he failed to retain his contract with RR.
#4 Jason Holder
Many people seem to have forgotten that it was the Chennai Super Kings who thrust Jason Holder into the spotlight. He arrived at the franchise in 2013 as a young West Indian bowler who can generate decent pace and bounce. Holder was everything you would want in a fast bowler.
However, he failed to live up to the hype picking up just two wickets in his six games. Since his release from CSK, he played for two more franchises (SRH and KKR).
His IPL career stats show that he picked up just five wickets in 11 games at an economy rate of 8.5. Despite his poor performances, things turned out well for the young pacer as he was later made the captain of the West Indian team.
With IPL franchises looking for wicket-taking bowlers, this could mean the end for Jason Holder’s IPL career or maybe not. You never know.
#3 Muttiah Muralitharan
The legendary Sri Lankan spinner Muttiah Muralitharan was once part of the CSK team. He played for them for a period of three years (2008-2010). The wily spinner had a pretty successful tenure before being released. He took a total of 40 wickets in 40 matches across those three seasons.
After he departed from CSK, he played for Kochi Tuskers Kerala (2011) and RCB (2012-2014). He picked up just two wickets in 5 games for Kochi Tuskers Kerala and 21 wickets in 21 games for RCB. It was clear that he wasn't the wicket-taking he once claimed to be.
After the 2014 season, he decided to hang up his boots and settle into a coaching role. Muralitharan was the bowling coach of RCB before moving to SRH where he is their current bowling coach. He played a massive role in shaping SRH's bowling into what it is today.
#2 Andrew Tye
CSK are known to having a keen eye for talent, but they really messed up here. Andrew Tye was part of CSK’s bowling lineup in 2015, but passed under their radar because CSK already had an impressive set of bowlers.
He didn’t get a single game under his belt. Following CSK’s ban from the IPL, Tye moved on to Gujarat Lions were he played for two years from 2016-2017. He didn’t get a game until the middle of the 2017 season.
His debut was memorable, to say the least, picking up a five-wicket haul. Andrew Tye had arrived, and all teams were put on notice. He went on to scalp 12 wickets in 6 games.
His best year came in 2018 when he showed up to play for KXIP. He was their standout bowler of the season by a huge margin picking up a total of 24 wickets in 14 games. Tye has earned himself a reputation of being a consistent wicket-taking bowler. CSK must be regretting their decision of not using him when they had the chance.
#1 Andrew Flintoff
Everyone has forgotten that one of England’s greatest all-rounders was once part of the legendary CSK team. All eyes were on Andrew Flintoff as he made his debut for CSK. The platform was set perfectly for him to come in and wreak havoc, but what ensued next was unimaginable, to say the least.
Flintoff was dispatched to all parts of the ground like an amateur bowler. He was very expensive with the ball (conceding runs at an economy rate of 9.54) and couldn’t contribute properly with the bat either. It was clear that he was a shadow of his former self and it wasn’t long before CSK had enough and decided to pull the plug on Flintoff’s chaotic IPL career.
No one saw this coming and he hasn’t been part of the league since. After his departure, he decided to retire from all forms of cricket to pursue a career in boxing.