IPL 2019: Insights and analysis of Chennai Super Kings
Chennai Super Kings (CSK) is the best franchise in the history of T20 cricket leagues as far as performance is concerned. CSK is the only team in the Indian Premier League to qualify for the playoffs in each of the seasons they have featured in the league.
They have won the IPL thrice and have been runner-ups four times. Chennai also has two Champions League title to their name. Super Kings made a grand comeback last year after serving a two-year suspension for being involved in the spot-fixing saga.
Chennai won the trophy and became the second team in the IPL history to win it thrice. If they would have not been banned for two seasons, who knows they might have won the trophy for one more time. Ambati Rayudu, Shane Watson, Suresh Raina and MS Dhoni himself were the most valuable players of the side last season.
Their major concern in the last edition of IPL was they bowling unit's poor performance which they will try to improve this time. Chennai already had their squad ready even before the IPL auction. They bought back Mohit Sharma in the auction and he is someone who definitely plays better in the yellow jersey.
CSK have a well balanced and stable squad but they will have to miss out on some of its important players like Faf du Plessis, David Willey, Imran Tahir and Lungi Ngidi due to the upcoming World Cup. Alike other teams getting good replacement options will be their top priority. Unavailability of four of its foreign players might prove to be a set back for them to retain their trophy. But as their past records suggest, they will surely qualify for the playoffs.
Chennai Super Kings squad:
Batsmen: Shane Watson, Faf du Plessis, Murali Vijay, Ambati Rayudu, Suresh Raina, Dhruv Shorey, Ruturaj Gaekwad
Wicketkeepers: MS Dhoni, N Jagadeshan, Sam Billings
All-rounders: Ravindra Jadeja, Dwayne Bravo, David Willey, Mitchell Santner
Bowlers: Harbhajan Singh, Karn Sharma, Mohit Sharma, Shardul Thakur, Deepak Chahar, KM Asif, Monu Kumar, Imran Tahir, Lungi Ngidi
Probable Starting XI: Faf du Plessis, Shane Watson, Suresh Raina, Ambati Rayudu, MS Dhoni (C & WK), Kedar Jadhav, Dwayne Bravo, Ravindra Jadeja, Harbhajan Singh, Mohit Sharma and Lungi Ngidi.