IPL 2020: Chennai Super Kings’ strongest possible XI

Chennai Super Kings have not only lifted the trophy thrice, but they are also the only team in the history of the tournament who have qualified for the playoffs in every edition of the IPL they have played.

One of the reasons why CSK have been so successful over the years is their expertise in building the team. They have a core around which they pick and release players and they don’t necessarily go after the big names all the time. They always look for utility options that can fill the voids in their squad and provide them the balance that they need to compete in all conditions.

CSK went into the IPL 2020 auction with a budget of ₹14.6 crore and they aimed for an overseas all-rounder, an overseas fast bowler, and a leg spinner. While they couldn't get their first choice overseas fast bowler Nathan Coulter-Nile, they ended up getting Sam Curran and Piyush Chawla who were their first choices in the other two departments. They later bought Josh Hazlewood as the overseas fast bowler and the local boy Sai Kishore.

CSK Squad: Shane Watson, Ambati Rayudu, Faf du Plessis, Suresh Raina, Deepak Chahar, MS Dhoni (C & wk), Dwayne Bravo, Kedar Jadhav Sam Curran, Ravindra Jadeja, Mitchell Santner, Sai Kishore, Monu Singh, Harbhajan Singh, Piyush Chawla, Josh Hazlewood, Imran Tahir, Karn Sharma, Lungi Ngidi, Shardul Thakur, KM Asif, N Jagadeesan, M Vijay, Rituraj Gaikwad.

After the IPL 2020 auction where CSK bought a few players including a couple of overseas ones, here is CSK’s strongest possible XI.

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#1 Openers (Shane Watson, Ambati Rayudu)

Rayudu and Watson

Shane Watson is the first choice opener for CSK and his record speaks volumes of his abilities. He has scored 953 runs in the 32 games that he has played in the last two seasons with 2 hundreds and 5 fifties. Watson might not be the most consistent player in the CSK line-up, but whenever he gets going, he wins the match for CSK on his own.

Faf du Plessis opened the batting for CSK last season as Dwayne Bravo and Lungi Ngidi were injured. However, if those two are fit, they are the automatic picks in the XI and in that case, du Plessis will have to warm the benches.

If CSK can’t accommodate du Plessis in the XI, Ambati Rayudu is the best option to pair up with Watson at the top of the order. Rayudu is the perfect foil for Watson as the former plays solid cricket and allows the big Aussie to tee off at the other end.

#2 Middle-Order (Suresh Raina, Kedar Jadhav, MS Dhoni)

MS Dhoni and Suresh Raina

Kedar Jadhav struggled with his form a little bit last season as he averaged only 18 across the 14 games he played and struck the ball at a rate of less than 100. But the way he is hitting the ball playing for India at the moment, it seems he has regained his touch and CSK will expect a much better show from him next season as he holds the key position of No. 4.

Suresh Raina and MS Dhoni need no introduction as both of them are IPL legends and are in the top 5 in the list of all-time leading run-scorers in the league. Both have more than 4000 IPL runs under their belt and even though they are not getting any younger, they are still match-winners on their day, especially in the shortest format of the game.

While, Raina is locked in at the No.3 position for CSK, Dhoni’s batting position depends upon the situation of the game. The CSK skipper is, however, most likely to bat at No.5.

#3 All-rounders (Sam Curran, Ravindra Jadeja)

Ravindra Jadeja

Sam Curran and Ravindra Jadeja are the two best all-round options for CSK. While Dwayne Bravo is in the squad as well and has been a consistent performer for CSK over the years, he seems to have been past his prime now. He also doesn’t play a lot of cricket besides the IPL and there are always question marks over his match practice coming into the tournament.

Curran, on the other hand, is a part of the England white-ball set-up and is playing consistent cricket at the international level. He is a very talented and dynamic youngster. While he can be the finisher with the bat for CSK down the order, he is a new ball option as well to partner with Deepak Chahar.

Ravindra Jadeja is a floater in the batting order for CSK and has got a big range of shots against spin bowling. The southpaw also has a key role to play with the ball. He bowls in the right areas in the middle phase of the innings and builds pressure by drying up the boundaries.

Jadeja averaged 35.33 with the bat and 22.86 with the ball for CSK last season.

#4 Bowlers (Deepak Chahar, Piyush Chawla, Imran Tahir, Lungi Ngidi)

Deepak Chahar

Deepak Chahar is a swing bowler and the CSK skipper MS Dhoni uses most of his overs up front where he is most productive. He is a wicket-taking bowler for CSK with the new ball. He grabbed 22 scalps in IPL 2019 at an average of 21.89 and a strike rate of 17.59.

Lungi Ngidi will be the second seamer in CSK’s starting XI. He is a 'hit the deck' bowler but is capable of landing a mean yorker as well. He can potentially form a lethal combination with either of Chahar or Curran in the death overs.

CSK also signed the services of seasoned spinner Piyush Chawla from the auctions. Chawla is an experienced campaigner and has picked up 150 wickets in the IPL so far at an average of 27.14 and an economy rate of less than 8 RPO.

The 30-year old is likely to get into the XI straight away because of his experience and he can prove to be a really useful bowler in the middle overs with Imran Tahir, who is another veteran leg spinner in the CSK ranks.