With two titles, three runners-up finishes and last-four appearance in each of the seven editions, Chennai Super Kings have been the most consistent side of the Indian Premier league (IPl). They are the gold standard that every other team wants to achieve. Apart from the massive talent that they have managed to acquire in the auctions over the years and their maverick captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni, CSK’s biggest strength is their ability to retain the core — despite compulsory shuffling.
Dhoni, Suresh Raina and Ravichandran Ashwin have been with the team since its inception and Michael Hussey, who played for Mumbai Indians last season, is also back with the team. You can also add Ravindra Jadeja in that core group of players. Although he joined the yellow-brigade after two seasons, he has since become one of the constants of the team. Talking about constants, you can’t forget about their coach Stephen Fleming. His cricketing acumen and man-management abilities make him an important cog in the wheel.
In that context, it seems some what unbelievable that they have failed to win an IPl title in the last three years despite appearing twice in the Final. last year CSK finished 3rd as they lost second qualifier to Kings XI Punjab. It was a mixed season for them as they started in top gear winning six matches on trot but lost steam towards the end. What hurt them the most in 2014 was their pace bowling. Their frontline seamers leaked too many runs - more than eight per over. And the fact didn’t escape the keen eyes of the team management and they beefed up the pace department by acquiring Kyle Abbott, Irfan Pathan and Andrew Tye — after offloading Ben Hilfenhaus and James Hastings - to go with Mohit Sharma, Ashish Nehra, Ishwar Pandey, Matt Henry and Dwayne Bravo.
Their spin department is already strong with Ashwin and Jadeja being the permanent members of first eleven. They also have West Indies leg-spinner Samuel Badree who has good reputation as a Twenty20 specialist. However, they will need to solve a problem in the batting department - problem of plenty. With Hussey back in the squad, Brendon McCullum in rampaging form and Dwayne Smith being their top-scorer in previous edition - who would they open the innings withIJ They will need to keep all of them in loop as McCullum is set to miss the last stretch of the tournament with New Zealand touring England in May.