IPL: 5 Players with most final appearances
With the IPL final dawning, there is a very interesting difference in the two squads that will be facing off. Chennai Super Kings will walk out with a squad that is far more experienced than Sunrisers Hyderabad's. Even though at the end of the day, it will boil down to better execution of skills, it is interesting to have a look at the most experienced of IPL campaigners over the years in terms of players who have appeared in the most number of finals.
Unsurprisingly, it is players from Chennai Super Kings dominating the list, and why not? They have been known for refraining from chopping and changing their squad, and naturally, it is only their players who feature at the top.
Note: The stats do not include the 2018 IPL finals
MS Dhoni (7 appearances for CSK and RPS)
The talismanic Indian wicket-keeper has become a perennial sight in IPL finals, missing only three out of the ten finals staged so far. Of all the players in this list, he is the only one to have led his side in all eight of those encounters. From the heartbreaking disappointment of losing the inaugural final on the last delivery of the match, to shepherding his troops in a crushing win over an all-conquering Chris Gayle crazed Royal Challengers Bangalore in 2011, you name it and he has been there.
His unmatched experience will be invaluable come the big game on Sunday against Sunrisers Hyderabad, as Chennai Super Kings could use his level-headed thought process lest they stumble right on the verge of glory. With 455 runs and a strike rate of 150.66, Dhoni has silenced all doubters this year and will be looking to emulate his stunning run with the bat in the winner-take-all encounter.
Performance in finals:
178 runs at an average of 44.5 and a strike rate of 142.4