A Franchise which is as old as the league, as consistent as one can dream of being, only missing out on playoffs twice, with one of them being the last year. Winners in 2021, Winners in 2023, can Chennai do the 6th in 2025 to give farewell to their greatest ever?
Squad Preview
Like previous mega auctions, Chennai has been able to add names to their squad as per their wish; their game plan, their strategies and templates all lie far different from the rest of the teams, making it easier for them to pick and choose rather than throwing hands at players whom everyone wants. The biggest addition can be said in the name of Ravi Ashwin, who reunites with his home after a decade-long exile. Noor Ahmed, the established spin talent of Afghanistan, completes the spin trio. Sam Curran is another player who has joined CSK for 2nd stint of his career. Deepak Hooda, Vijay Shankar, and Shreyas Gopal are some other notable additions to the team.
Strengths:
Spin Attack:Â A left-arm Orthodox spinner, an off-spinner, a leg spinner and a Left arm Chinaman, Chennai Super Kings on the auction table made sure there was not a single variety of spinner left behind from their arsenal. A team that always possesses a home ground privilege different from the rest, which they maximize to their advantage by any means possible. Given the amount of spinner bought and the aggressive auction bidding done for them, it shows that the Chepauk will be more spin-friendly than ever before, strengthening the Chennai team to their peak.
All-Rounders: Chennai Super Kings might be the most culture-ridden team in IPL history, ever since the inception of the league they have followed certain similar templates resulting in their success. One of the key features of the team has always been the number of All-Rounders they keep in their XI. Even going by this season probable playing XI, they will have a minimum of 7 Bowling options & a Batting deep till no. 8 without even using the Impact player.
Weaknesses
Ageing Indians: Out of 9 capped Indians who are part of squad, only 3 are aged under 30 with Deepak Hooda being 29, likes of Dhoni, Dube, Jadeja, Ashwin, Gopal, Shankar the ones who are most likely to make into the starting 11 are mostly on the wrong side of 30s. Although CSK has had a history of breaking the old age home criticism, they may find themselves falling behind in the new fast-paced t20 game where records get broken every season.
Pace Attack: The spinners and All-rounders will ensure CSK’s success at home, but the league saw some of the highest-scoring games last year, with venues like Hyderabad, Chennai, Kolkata, and Delhi regularly hitting 220+. The lack of an experienced, quality death bowler may cause Chennai to lose way too many away games.
