Gunning for title No. 3
The most successful franchise in IPL, CSK will be delighted to be playing its home games in Chennai this season.
Chennai Super Kings has the firepower to triumph in IPL-8. This is a resilient side that can fight its way back from adversity.
The most successful franchise in IPL, CSK will be delighted to be playing its home games in Chennai this season.
Off-field controversies did not seem to affect the on-field displays of the side last season. This year too, CSK will need to show fortitude.
Talent the side has in plenty. CSK is the only team in IPL to have reached the semifinals of all the editions.
The chemistry between the side’s talismanic skipper M.S. Dhoni and canny coach Stephen Fleming is just right.
Match-winners the side has in plenty. The in-form Brendon McCullum can alter course of games in a hurry. His rapier-like shots can leave attacks in tatters.
The heavy-hitting Dwayne Smith may not have fired for the West Indies, but has been an explosive opener for CSK. The rampaging McCullum-Smith associations at the top have often left the adversaries deflated.
Faf du Plessis is a formidable batsman whose technical expertise enables him to adapt to different situations. He can blow attacks away with big hits or don the role of an innings builder during stressful periods.
The ageless and reliable Michael Hussey is also in the mix. And Influential southpaw Suresh Raina can alter scripts in a matter of a few deliveries.
Allrounder Irfan Pathan — the side’s new acquisition — adds to the side. His left-arm swing bowling and strokeful batting at the crunch can be invaluable.
This side has so many game-changers. West Indian Dwayne Bravo’s clever changes of pace and length, furious hitting, and athletic fielding have swung matches for CSK.
The side is strong in spin and lower order batting with R. Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja teaming up.
Off-spinner Ashwin’s versatility has often opened avenues for his side. On sub-continental pitches where the ball grips, left-arm spinner Jadeja is a different proposition.
Samuel Badree’s leg-spin can play a part too. So could Pawan Negi’s left-arm spin.
CSK has some interesting pacemen. South African Kyle Abbott and New Zealand’s Matt Henry are capable seamers. And the much-improved Mohit Sharma’s variety will be an asset to the team. Old warrior Ashish Nehra is still around.
Simply put, CSK will be gunning for title No. 3.
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