Top 5 run-getters for Chennai Super Kings

The most successful T20 team across leagues all over the world, Chennai Super Kings are an example for sides in terms of strategic planning and man management. With a win percentage of more than 63 per cent, three IPL trophies and two Champions League titles and the distinction of reaching the playoffs in every season they played, CSK are unmatchable in terms of success.

Such remarkable consistency can be attributed to the stability of the team and the coaching staff. CSK have always believed in retaining the core, which is one of the major reason for them being the most popular franchise. Retaining the core has also been one of the reasons for CSK being the second in the list of number of batsmen scoring 1000 runs for a team.

Here we look at the top five run-getters for Chennai Super Kings.

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5. Subramaniam Badrinath

The classy Tamil Nadu batsman, initially considered as someone fit for the longest format only, changed the perceptions of many with his performance in the IPL. Badrinath was a part of CSK for six seasons till he was bought by RCB in 2014. He was used as a floater in the middle-order, where he was the man CSK looked for when there was a top-order collapse. A crafty cricketer, Badrinath made most of his opportunities count as he applied himself beautifully to the match situations and changed his game accordingly.

Badrinath has 1441 runs from 67 innings for CSK, at an average of 30.66 and strike-rate of 118.89. His low strike-rate may be attributed to the fact that he mostly batted when the chips were down. He has 11 fifties to his name, with a best score of 71*. He retired from IPL after his stint with the Royal Challengers Bangalore.

4. Murali Vijay

Like Badrinath, Vijay too was considered as a Test batsman and hence was not a regular in the side till the third season, where he stole the limelight with his effortless sixes and classy strokeplay. Vijay was a big match player, scoring a hundred in the 2012 qualifiers and a 95 in the 2011 finals. He was an integral part of CSK till 2013 and was bought by DD after that. However, in the 2018 auction, CSK bought back Vijay.

Vijay has 1612 runs from 65 innings, at an average of 26.43 and strike rate of 127.84. He has seven fifties to his name, along with two hundreds with a best score of 127*. With 67 sixes, Vijay is the third-highest six-hitter for CSK.

3. Mike Hussey

Nicknamed as Mr. Cricket, Hussey started the CSK campaign with a bang, scoring a scintillating ton against KXIP in the very first match of CSK in the IPL. He went on to open the innings after 2011 in the absence of Hayden. The transition from a regular middle-order batsman to an opener was a rather smooth one, which saw a new side of Hussey's game. He was bought by MI in the 2014 auctions but did not get many opportunities. Hussey is currently the batting coach of defending champions CSK.

With 1768 runs from 49 innings, Hussey stands third in this list. He has the best average (42.10) in this list and a strike-rate of 123.64. Hussey has 13 fifties and a hundred with a best score of 116*. With 181 fours, Hussey has the third-most boundaries for CSK.

2. MS Dhoni

The face of CSK, Dhoni has a constant run-scorer for CSK, despite his astute captaincy overshadowing his batting. The suspension of CSK saw Dhoni lose his form a bit, but with the return of CSK in 2018, he turned back the clock and returned to his best. The 2018 season saw him boss the bowlers with utmost ease, outwitting even the best in the business. The three-time IPL-winning captain played a key role in making CSK the winners despite a number of ageing players with the idea of considering experience over age.

Dhoni has 3441 runs from 131 innings, at an average of 41.96 and a strike rate of 140.68, the highest in this list. He has 18 fifties to his name with a highest score of 79*, which came in a losing cause against KXIP in 2018. Dhoni is second in the list of fours and sixes for CSK with 242 fours and 156 sixes.

Going forward, Dhoni still holds the key for CSK in the middle order, despite not being in the scheme of things for the Indian side anymore in T20s.

1. Suresh Raina

Chinna Thala, as called by CSK fans, Raina has been the best batsman of the IPL. Being the only batsman to score 400 or above in ten seasons, Raina's consistency has been one of the key reasons for the consistency of CSK. He had the record for not missing a single game for CSK, until the match against KXIP in 2018. He has also captained the side in three games. His part-time bowling has also been used efficiently by Dhoni over the years, which has helped the team numerous times.

Raina has 4144 runs for CSK from 143 innings, at an average of 34.53 and a strike-rate of 139.01. He has the record of most fifties (29) for CSK, along with a solitary hundred. Raina also tops the list of fours and sixes for CSK, with 367 fours and 162 sixes.

The former Gujarat Lions skipper will look to make the most of his opportunities in the next IPL to stake a claim for a middle order position in the Indian team for the World Cup.