IPL 2019: 5 things Chennai Super Kings have done right to become the most successful T20 team in the world

#4 Banking on multi-dimensional players

CSK have always invested in multi-dimensional players

Dhoni has always been a skipper who likes to get at least 6-8 overs from his top 6 and 30-50 runs from his bottom four every game. No matter if he requires them or not, he likes to keep the options with him on the field. This is the reason why CSK have banked on all-rounders right from the beginning of the IPL. From Morkel, Kemp and Oram in the first season to Jadeja, Bravo, Karn Sharma, Watson and Santner in the current squad, CSK have always maintained a bunch of quality all-rounders in their squad.

Not only all-rounders, but CSK also tend to acquire players who can play multiple roles and be flexible according to the requirements of the team. The current squad has Watson, Rayudu, and Faf as opening options, with the latter two being converted to openers by CSK over the years. Mike Hussey, who batted most of his career in the middle order, transformed himself into a reliable opener for CSK, just like Faf and Rayudu.

The ones to follow -- Raina, Dhoni, Jadhav, and Billings can all play at any position between 3 and 7. This trend has continued from the very first season when they often used Badrinath, Dhoni, and Morkel as floaters in the lineup.