IPL 2018, Match 1: Chennai Super Kings (CSK) Predicted 11 to face Mumbai Indians (MI)

Consistency is just another word for CSK. Throughout the course of the IPL, few have managed to rewrite what it means to be consistent better than CSK. Eight tournaments and eight appearances in the playoffs says it all.

After a two-year hiatus, Chennai Super Kings are back. Like a pride of lions patiently waiting for their prey, the returning CSK will face off against their biggest adversary in the first match of IPL 2018. While some have changed colours, others still continue to bleed yellow.

Here is a look at the Chennai Super Kings' Predicted 11 to face Mumbai Indians in the IPL 2018 opener at the Wankhede on April 7.

Openers

While the pride of lions look like they have all the necessary skills in their repertoire to finish off the prey and get off to the perfect start, they still have some choices to make. Chief among them will be the opening combination. Although CSK have plenty of depth in each department, as the only front-line opener in the entire squad, Murali Vijay will certainly have a lot on his plate.

Especially against the defending champions.

Thankfully for him, he will have plenty of experience to help with the hunt. Shane Watson might have retired from international but his performances in the BBL have shown that he has plenty left in the tank, especially against a side that will be baying for his blood. With his all-round repertoire of skills, the Australian should have enough to fend off the competition and lead the pack from the front.

The pillars of one of the most successful teams in domestic history are back

Middle-order

If the pride of lions don't get off to the greatest of starts, they needn't worry too much. In Suresh Raina, they have the general who commands over one of the most formidable troops in the tournament. That the general is the leading run-getter in the tournament's history and is also one of the most consistent players is an added advantage.

Wielding his blade like a weapon of mass destruction, the southpaw is the beating heart of the batting line-up.

Even if the beating heart stops, the pride needn't worry because the cavalry is what follows. Set to be given more responsibility and a promotion in the batting order, MS Dhoni will be keen on making the most of the opportunity that has been provided to him.

A veteran of many battles, the Indian keeper will have an ocean of experience to dip into, irrespective of what happens on the battlefield. With the extra responsibility, CSK will be hoping that the seasoned veteran still makes a mark, with the willow and on the war at large.

Amidst a collection of seasoned and skilled veterans, one man stands apart. Not because he lacks in skill or experience but because of the role he plays. Every team needs a factotum. Take a look back at CSK's two IPL-winning sides and you'll find that they had one too. The player who exemplifies that role more than anyone else is Ambati Rayudu.

When the going gets tough, you need plenty of grit to be able to grind it out if you are to come out on top. Rayudu certainly has plenty of that and he will be the floater that affords this batting line-up plenty of flexibility.

Bravo will be looking for another Purple Cap as he turns out for the Men in Yellow

All-rounders

There is more than one way to skin a cat and in battle, there is no course of action that will necessarily lead to victory at every turn. Different strategies are needed and as a result, you need to have different weapons in your arsenal that can help you bathe in the sweet sea of victory.

One such weapon for the pride of lions, who will be looking for their third IPL title, is Kedar Jadhav. Whether it is finishing the game with the bat or bowling at awkward angles that few would have practiced against, the diminutive dynamo affords Dhoni's side the option of going with an extra batsman or bowler.

At times, just because you know what the threat is, it doesn't mean that you can stop it or even reduce its impact. Much like Arjen Robben's single trick of cutting in from the left and shooting, Dwayne Bravo has one obvious skill he keeps going back to, the slower ball.

Everyone in the world knows what is coming, including the batsmen and yet they still fall for it. That speaks volumes about the skills that he possesses and the West Indian's ability to deceive even if everything seems so obvious.

Jadeja will be looking to fire on all cylinders to find his way back to the Indian limited-overs side

Spinners

Not every battle is won through sheer power or show of destruction. Sometimes you need to wear down the opposition with the steady consistency that will eventually tire them out. Ravindra Jadeja doesn't turn the ball a mile but what he does is ensure that the batsman doesn't get anything in the arc to swing at.

While his role might seem pretty straightforward, it isn't something that everyone can master. And that is why he was one of the three players retained by CSK ahead of IPL Auction 2018.

To give him company, CSK got in another spinner, whose accuracy has come to the fore more often than his ability to turn the ball. Harbhajan Singh might no longer be the turbanator who runs through opposing batting line-ups with a dizzying array of skills, but he can still be effective in a well-oiled army that knows what to do, to get the job done.

Drying up the runs and making the batsman work for everything is a lost art, especially in this era of right here, right now. But in Harbhajan, CSK have a warrior who is a master at just that.

The new ball will be entrusted with the newest lion to join the pride

Seamers

As good as the army is, you are only as good as the start that you get. If the start involves a lot of bloodshed, it is hard to come back and win the battle, no matter how strong you might be. The man tasked with ensuring that the returning pride of lions gets off to the perfect start will be Shardul Thakur.

Only time will tell if he can do what is expected of him, especially if he has been tasked with the responsibility of both opening and finishing the innings with the ball.

Despite the plethora of close combat options, every army needs an expert 'MARK'sman who knows how to hit the target from a long way out. For CSK, that will be Mark Wood, who needs to be spot on with his yorkers, bouncers and slower balls, both at the start and the end of the innings.