4 loopholes that CSK have to plug to win IPL 7

Chennai Super Kings, the most consistent team in the history of IPL, have received a crashing defeat at the hands of Kings XI Punjab in their opening game of IPL 2014. The game, leaving alone the opening partnership, has thrown up a lot of loopholes in CSK's strategy. If CSK are to achieve something substantial this season, the following issues have to be promptly dealt with:

#4 Step on the gas in the slog overs

After a blistering opening partnership of 123 runs in 12.4 overs, one would have expected Dhoni to promote himself to No. 3. Despite having 9 wickets in hand, Raina, coming in at number 3, took some time to settle. He eventually scored just 24 off 19 deliveries. But for some lusty blows by Dhoni in the last over, CSK woudn’t have piled up 205 runs in 20 overs. 

When a team is fortunate enough to get the kind of a start that CSK did, the team must get ahead of the game by kicking off in their slog overs a touch early (say, the 13th over), which CSK didn't.

Even George Bailey, the KXIP skipper, confessed that they were slightly happy with 205 after it seemed at a point that CSK would stroke their way to 230 something. CSK need to have flexibility in the batting order if they are to go the distance this season. If Dhoni is hesitant to come up the order, then he may well have to find a pinch hitter, preferably Bravo (if fit).