IPL 2019: Best Chennai Super Kings top 6 from the list of retained players

The Chennai Super Kings defied all the odds stacked against then upon winning the IPL 2018. They had a very old team and a rusty MS Dhoni, and it was their first time they were playing as a team in 2 years after being banned due to corruption issues.

The defending champions therefore didn't tinker largely with the squad balance, only releasing three players: two uncapped players Kshitiz Sharma and Kanishk Seth and most notably, English quick Mark Wood.

The Chennai boys will only be one more year older considering the minimal changes to their squad, however, they will take comfort from the fact that their players are one year more experienced. So here it is - the best Chennai Super Kings Top 6 from the list of retained players.

The Top Order: Shane Watson, Ambati Rayudu and Suresh Raina

Shane Watson, the hero of the 2018 edition is likely to retain his place, considering his spectacular 57-ball 117 in the grand occasion of the IPL final. Not just this, Watson had a phenomenal tournament too, scoring over 500 runs with an explosive strike rate of over 150. He might be 37, but big Watson can still hit a long ball.

Alongside Watson, Ambati Rayudu can be an ideal opener. Rayudu didn't, in fact, open the innings in the IPL final and was slotted down at number four. However, the right-hander is someone who would enjoy some time to settle in and then change gears. There is absolutely no doubting the fact that Rayudu can play the T20 game. He scored 602 runs at a strike rate of 149.75 with an average of 43.00. Giving him some time would be ideal as this would allow him to have a greater impact on the game, considering the immense skill he already possesses.

Suresh Raina would be the ideally suited to the number 3 position. With 445 runs at an average of 37.08, Suresh Raina is expertly experienced to play the anchor when the team has lost one of the openers in no time. His 132.44 strike rate may seem underwhelming, but he has certainly displayed his big-hitting talents in the past. What's more is that he is a great player of spin through the middle overs who can rotate strike and reduce pressure.

He might have lots of grey hair, but each of them is worth his years on the field

Middle Order: MS Dhoni, Kedar Jadhav, Faf Du Plessis

MS Dhoni may not have played consistently at the No 4 spot for CSK in IPL 2018, but the wicketkeeper-batsman is certainly suited for the middle order slot. With age taking its toll, Dhoni has been characterised off lately by taking too much time to settle down, something he will get plenty of in this number 4 slot. The man still has lots left in his tank as he displayed last season with a mammoth strike rate north of 150, something he never achieved in IPL history.

Kedar Jadhav can prove to be the ideal number five for CSK, a role that was fluctuating drastically in the last season. His record speaks for himself: a strike rate of 140+ in 2017. However, the right-hander has been marred by injuries in almost every IPL as far as the mind goes. This is why he only got 1 game in IPL 2018 before his exit. Nevertheless, Jadhav has shown in the blues his ability to play aggressive or defensive cricket and coupled with his out-of-the-world bowling, he sure makes an ideal all rounder at number 5.

Faf du Plessis comes in at number 6 as a finisher down the order. CSK hasn't experimented with Du Plessis as a finisher, but rather kept him hopping around the top order. The problem with the South African is that while he may have an IPL career average of 30+, his strike rate only meanders at 129.69.

This isn't Faf du Plessis being utilised at his best. What is known are his big hitting capabilities, and possibly, the pressure of being a number 6 would free him from a conservative mindset and allow him to have a go.