4 former CSK players who played at the US Masters T10 League 2023
The highly-anticipated inaugural US Masters T10 League will reach its climax on Sunday after an action-packed week, with packed crowds enjoying their favorite stars on display. Featuring six teams in an eight-day league stage followed by the playoffs and the final, the 10-over-per-side competition has been played at Central Broward Park in Lauderhill, Florida.
The New York Warriors, California Knights, Texas Chargers, and the Morrisville Unity qualified for the playoffs after playing seven games each. The high-intensity tournament finally culminates with the grand finale to crown the first US Masters champion set to be played between the Warriors and the Chargers on Sunday, August 27.
Led by astute captains with a truckload of experience like Gautam Gambhir, Robin Uthappa, Suresh Raina, Harbhajan Singh, Misbah-ul-Haq, and Ben Dunk, all six sides had their share of highs and lows throughout the tournament.
The league's popularity has also been amplified by several high-quality and accomplished cricketers partaking, most of whom have played in the Indian Premier League (IPL).
While several former players from all the IPL teams have featured in the tournament, Chennai Super Kings (CSK) fans have a heightened sense of curiosity about the participation of their former stars. Boasting the joint-most IPL titles in the league's incredible 16-year history, CSK remains undeniably the benchmark franchise for on-field success and fan following.
With no further delay in quenching the thirst of IPL fans around the globe, here are the top four CSK cricketers in the 2023 US Masters T10 League.
# 1 Suresh Raina
Although MS Dhoni is the first name that pops up when mentioning CSK, there is a strong case for Suresh Raina as the franchise's most valuable performer.
Popularly called Chinna Thala, Raina was the first batter in IPL history to achieve the 5000-run landmark.
Overall, the destructive southpaw slaughtered bowlers around the ground for 5,528 runs at an average of 32.52 and a strike rate of 136.76 with 39 half-centuries and a century in his IPL career.
Raina is also the fifth all-time leading run scorer in IPL history and 10th in Player of the Match (14) awards. His numerous match-winning knocks were instrumental in CSK winning four of their five titles in 2010, 2011, 2018, and 2021.
Furthermore, Raina's half-century in the final of the 2010 season against the Mumbai Indians (MI) and his 25-ball 87 in Qualifier 2 against the Punjab Kings in 2014 are two of several scintillating moments for the left-hander.
Despite tapering off slightly in his last couple of seasons, the champion batter remains among the most decorated batters to grace the most prestigious T20 league.
In the ongoing Masters T10 league, Raina led the California Knights to second place on the points table before being eliminated in Qualifier 2 by the Texas Chargers.
# 2 Albie Morkel
Perhaps the first of several star overseas players that wore the yellow uniform, Albie Morkel took to IPL like a house on fire in the inaugural season. The South African all-rounder played the first six years of his IPL career for MS Dhoni's side.
Morkel established himself as one of the most destructive finishers, with the ability to produce monster hits out of the stadium. His 124-meter hit in 2008 is still the longest six in IPL history.
The 42-year-old was also valuable with the ball and could bowl inside the powerplay and at the death. In CSK's run to the final in the inaugural IPL season, Morkel scored 241 runs at a strike rate of 148 and picked up 17 wickets in 13 games.
He picked up at least 11 wickets in all but his final season with the franchise and consistently struck at over 140 strike rate with the bat during his six-year CSK stint.
The two-time IPL champion is part of the New Jersey Triton's unit, led by Gautam Gambhir. Unfortunately, the side finished second to last on the points table, with two wins and five losses to miss out on playoff qualification.
# 3 Harbhajan Singh
Following a decade of incredible success for the Mumbai Indians, one of India's most accomplished spinners, Harbhajan Singh, took his talents to the Chennai Super Kings in 2018.
Albeit at the fag end of his illustrious career, the 43-year-old added massive value to the franchise with his guile and experience, particularly in the 2019 season.
Harbhajan picked up only seven wickets in CSK's triumphant return to the IPL in 2018, but added 16 scalps in 11 games in 2019 to help them return to the final. The champion spinner is 10th all-time in IPL wickets, with 150 dismissals at a sensational economy rate of just over seven runs per over.
The Punjab-born cricketer also embodied winning trophies and was part of three of Mumbai's five IPL titles before his final triumph with CSK in 2018.
Harbhajan led the Morrisville Unity franchise to the final playoff spot in the inaugural T10 league, with the side winning and losing three games each before going down in the Eliminator to the Chargers.
# 4 Robin Uthappa
Robin Uthappa, much like Harbhajan Singh, provided the finishing touches to his glittering IPL career playing for the Chennai Super Kings. The Orange Cap winner in 2014 played a vital role in KKR winning their second title that year.
However, Uthappa began his CSK tenure warming the benches for most of the 2021 season until an inspirational move saw the batter play the side's final two league games.
Despite twin failures, MS Dhoni persisted with the old war horse, and the move paid rich dividends. Uthappa scored a magnificent 63 off 44 deliveries in CSK's thrilling run-chase against the Delhi Capitals in Qualifier 1.
He followed that up with another valuable cameo in the final against KKR, scoring 31 off 15 balls to power CSK to a match-winning score of 192 on the board.
Uthappa's final IPL season was also with the franchise in 2022, where he scored 230 runs in 12 games with a couple of half-centuries.
The wicket-keeper batter led the Atlanta Riders, who endured a dismal season by finishing at the bottom of the points table in the T10 Masters League.