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7 Reasons behind Chennai Super Kings' phenomenal success in IPL across seasons

Thala Dhoni - The face of CSK
Thala Dhoni - The face of CSK

Chennai Super Kings (CSK) has been the most consistent IPL team over the years. CSK is the only team to qualify for the playoffs of all the seasons that they have played. CSK had been in the final for a record seven times and they had won the title three times.

Led by the astute MSD, CSK is the team the oppositions fear the most. They have been so dominant in the IPL for so many years that at the start of each season, irrespective of what their squad looks like, they are in with a chance of winning the title every year.

CSK and jersey No.7 are made for each other. Let us analyze the 7 reasons behind CSK’s unparalleled run of success in IPL over the years.

1.    Consistency in selection and continuity in retention

The CSK management believes in tried and tested players
The CSK management believes in tried and tested players

CSK believes in consistency in selection and continuity in retention. The management has been conservative in selecting the team at every IPL auction. They are never overambitious and very rarely go overboard at the auction. At times, they have been aggressive in auctions but that was mostly in their effort to retain an existing player like a Ravichandran Ashwin.

Led by the shrewd Kiwi Stephen Fleming at the auction, CSK has been clear in its thought as to what exactly was needed. And once a player is selected, CSK believes in backing him up for a minimum of 2 seasons to achieve the desired results.

A prime example of that strategy was none other than Ashwin. Though Ashwin didn’t get enough opportunity to prove himself in his first IPL season in 2009, Dhoni backed him up in 2010 which paid the rich dividends to CSK and Team India in the subsequent seasons.

Another criteria to which CSK doesn’t pay much attention in the selection process is the age of a player. So many players at the wrong side of 30 like Ashish Nehra, Shane Watson, Ambati Rayudu and Mike Hussey have contributed to the success of the team.

Again once a player comes into the CSK fore, he is made to feel at home as the dressing room environment is most cordial. The captain, head coach and the members of the support staff ensure that a player’s needs are taken care of so that he can give his best on the field. The professionals playing franchise cricket all over the world have admitted that CSK has been the best among all the franchises they have represented.

CSK believes in retaining the core of their team across seasons. Even ahead of the IPL Auction 2019, they retained as many as 23 players. Mark Wood has been released out of compulsion to give up one overseas player to make the right numbers. Otherwise, he too would have been retained. CSK’s strategy of continuing with tried and trusted players has paid them rich dividends in the past.

Like Ashwin, CSK management would be hoping that players like Sam Billings, David Willey, and Dhruv Shorey would come good in their second season playing for the franchise.

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