5 reasons why Chennai Super Kings are the most consistent team in IPL

Led by captain cool Mahendra Singh Dhoni, Chennai Super Kings (CSK) are the most successful IPL team, having won the title twice in succession in 2010 and 2011 and the Champions League T20 in 2010 and 2014. Two-time winners, two-time semi-finalists and three-time runners-up, CSK have never been eliminated from the tournament in the league stage.The team was fronted by India Cements for the first seven seasons. However, following a directive from the Supreme Court of India, the team was transferred to a wholly-owned subsidiary named Chennai Super Kings Cricket Ltd. However, in spite of the off-field controversies and setbacks, CSK remain a close-knit unit consisting of a number of players who have been with the team for most of the seasons.The brand value of the Super Kings is estimated at $75.13 million, making them one of the most valuable franchise in the IPL. Over the years, Chennai have evolved into a team of champions and are capable of winning the trophy this season with them being the odds-on favourites.We take a look at the reasons why CSK remain the performers that they are:

#5 Fielding

Dhoni has always known to be a captain who focuses a lot on fielding. Under his captaincy, the fielding of the Indian international team has improved dramatically. It has had an effect on CSK's fielding too.

CSK have focused a lot on fielding over the years and they have a specialist fielding coach, Steve Rixon, who also used to serve as Australia's fielding coach. Fielders like Suresh Raina, Ravindra Jadeja, Faf Du Plessis, Brendon McCullum and Dwayne Bravo ensure that opposition batsmen have to work hard to get their runs.

There have also been some exceptional catches taken by these fielders over the years and the positive energy that this provides for the team is often overlooked.

#4 Focus on all-rounders

CSK have always been highly reliant on all-rounders and their strategy in auctions has always been to buy some of the best all rounders available. They have structured their team in such a way that they bat deep, up to number 8 and have a variety of options when it comes to bowling.

Albie Morkel and Jacob Oram were the primary all-rounders for CSK in the initial seasons. CSK also bought all-rounders like Andrew Flintoff, Justin Kemp, Scott Styris and Thisara Perera as back up. As soon as Bravo was released by the Mumbai Indians (MI), CSK bought him in the auction and he has been an integral part of the MS Dhoni-led side ever since.

CSK also have two of India's best all-rounders, Ravindra Jadeja and Irfan Pathan in their roster. This provides Dhoni with so many options and is one of the prime reasons for their success.

#3 Fortress Chepauk

One of the main reasons for CSK's success is the emphatic support they receive from their fans worldwide and especially at the Chepauk stadium. There is a sea of yellow in the stadium for every match and many CSK players have conceded that the loud support they receive from the fans in the stadium motivate them to perform better.

Doug Bollinger, while playing his first game for CSK, was pleasantly surprised when he heard huge cheers and chants of his name when he was bowling. CSK's fan base is also global, an example for which would be the flash mob in San Francisco to the Whistle Podu anthem.

CSK have a 67.44% win record at Chepauk, which is often referred to as "Fortress Chepauk" and the "Lions' den". In IPL 2011, CSK won all their home games including the final against Royal Challengers Bangalore, becoming the first team to win all their home games in a season and also, the first team to win the tournament at home.

#2 Nucleus of the team

CSK have been one of the very few franchisees who have always used their maximum retention quota before any major IPL auctions. The emphasis of the team has been to retain the nucleus of the team and increase loyalty amongst the fan base.

Players like Dhoni, Raina, R. Ashwin and Michael Hussey (he spent a season with Mumbai and returned to CSK this year) have been with the team from the first edition of IPL, thus helping to maintain the identity of the team. CSK retained Dhoni, Raina, Murali Vijay and Albie Morkel before IPL 2011 and bought back a lot of their players like Ashwin and S. Badrinath in the auction that year.

CSK are known to be a team which does not chop and change their team every season and this has helped them to become the most flexible and balanced team in the IPL.

#1 Eight seasons, one captain

Chennai Super Kings are the only IPL side to have had a single captain for all the eight seasons. Aside from a few games when Dhoni was injured and Suresh Raina was given the mantle, he has always been at the helm of affairs at CSK.

The way he has led CSK for the last seven years has been phenomenol and it is safe to say that he can never be effectively replaced by any other captain, even though CSK have international captains like Brendon McCullum, Faf du Plessis and Dwayne Bravo in their ranks.

Teams like Delhi Daredevils and Sunrisers Hyderabad choose a new captain every season and this has affected their style of play and their team structure and strategy. It is very difficult for a captain to start afresh with the side every season. However, CSK have always followed the same principles and strategy and this has been largely due to the continuity of Dhoni and their coach Stephen Fleming, who is also the longest serving coach in the IPL.