IPL 2020: Chennai Super Kings SWOT analysis

Chennai Super Kings (CSK) had ₹14.6 crores in their kitty before the commencement of the IPL 2020 player auctions, and with an aging squad, the Chennai-based franchise aimed to bring in some young blood to maintain a good mix for the upcoming season.

England all-rounder Sam Curran was brought in for ₹5.50 Cr, while CSK reigned supreme in a bidding war to procure the services of experienced Piyush Chawla after they landed a decisive ₹6.75 Cr for his signature. Australian speedster Josh Hazlewood was roped in for ₹2 Cr while domestic left-arm spinner R Sai Kishore was signed for his base price of ₹20 lakhs.

Young Sam Curran, who clinched 10 wickets in nine matches for KXIP in the previous season was undoubtedly CSK’s best buy from the IPL 2020 auction. The 21-year-old has the ability to swing the ball both ways and can prove to be an impact player for Chennai Super Kings, with his skill of using the long handle to good effect as well.

On that note, here's a SWOT analysis of the Chennai Super Kings team.

---

Strengths

MS Dhoni

The biggest strength for CSK lies in their skipper MS Dhoni's calm presence on the field. One can go on and on while praising the veteran Indian wicket-keeper batsman. Dhoni's mere presence on the field is sufficient to instill a sense of calm in the team. His brilliant decision-making skills have helped Chennai claim the IPL trophy thrice while they have finished runners-up five times.

The 38-year-old was also Chennai's top run-scorer last season with 416 runs in 15 matches at a mind-boggling average of 83.20 and a strike rate of 134.62.

Also see – ICC Under 19 world cup winners list

CSK’s bowling department is fantastic as well. Imran Tahir topped the wicket-taking charts last season and picked up 26 scalps in 17 games at an astounding economy rate of just 6.69. Medium-pacer Deepak Chahar stood third on the list and was extremely effective as well with his 22 wickets in 17 matches.

Harbhajan Singh and Ravindra Jadeja also provided excellent support and chipped in by providing regular breakthroughs. Now, CSK have another great option in IPL veteran Piyush Chawla and in totality, boast of one of the most lethal bowling departments for the coming season.

CSK's tremendous fan support at home is another huge advantage. The Chepauk stadium is always thronged by CSK supporters and they act as the 12th man for the franchise, providing the players with immense support for every game.

Weaknesses

Suresh Raina was far from his best last season and has not actively played any cricket since IPL 2019

The poor performance of a few IPL veterans last season

The Yellow brigade does not have many weaknesses as such. This can be clearly highlighted by their brilliant performances year after year. However, the average age of the team is around 30 years. The ageing squad is certainly a little concerning. The team would certainly need to be revamped completely in the near future.

While it is always good to have experienced players in your ranks, CSK seem to have one too many. Last season, Shane Watson and Suresh Raina had poor batting averages of just 23.41 and 23.93, respectively. Ambati Rayudu also struggled to find form and had an ordinary strike rate of 93.06. Overall, the batting department remains a massive concern for CSK this season. Even though they have great names in their line-up, it is still important for them to find form.

Shane Watson recently captained Rangpur Rangers in the Bangladesh Premier League and his form was alarming. He could only manage 93 runs in 7 matches at a disastrous strike rate of 13.28.

Meanwhile, for Suresh Raina, who last featured for the Indian team in July 2018, IPL 2020 is the last chance to make an international comeback. Ambati Rayudu recently captained Hyderabad in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. The 34-year-old could not make much of an impact for his side and looked far from his best.

The three aforementioned players are part of the CSK's core batting line-up and how they perform will determine the team's performance to a great extent.

Opportunities

Sam Curran played for KXIP last season

Youngsters have the opportunity to make an impact

The younger players in the squad will be looking to make a mark in the upcoming IPL season, with players such as Lungisani Ngidi, Ravindra Jadeja, and Sam Curran keen to cement their spots in the national side for the 2020 World T20 squad.

CSK has been a breeding ground for players who eventually end up doing well for their national teams. Deepak Chahar's stellar performances in the IPL earned him a national team call-up while Shardul Thakur has also played quite a few matches in the shortest format of the game.

Another great opportunity for CSK is to lift the IPL trophy for the fourth time and match the Mumbai Indians' record for the most trophies won in the tournament. With the highest win percentage (61.34%) in the history of IPL, CSK do have the firepower to go all the way in IPL 2020 as well.

Furthermore, MS Dhoni and his troops have a 67.44% win record at the M. A. Chidambaram Stadium in Chepauk, Chennai. Backed by the outstanding home support, CSK will be keen to do well on their home turf.

Threats

Stephen Fleming and MS Dhoni would have to get the team combination right

With the additions of Piyush Chawla and Josh Hazlewood, CSK now have too many bowling options in the roster, and they might have a tough job of picking the perfect bowling combination.

With several all-rounders also in the squad, CSK coach Stephen Fleming will certainly have his task cut out in picking among the likes of Kedar Jadhav, Dwayne Bravo, Sam Curran among others. However, with Dhoni at the helm, CSK can rest a little easy since the ex-Indian captain knows exactly which bowler to throw the ball to in every situation.

Yet, a potential threat is the question surrounding the form of Dhoni, who has been on a sabbatical of over six months and recently was also dropped from BCCI's list of contracted players. The former Indian skipper recently trained with Jharkand players in Ranchi and even though he reportedly did not appear rusty, getting some more practice before the IPL will be vital for him and the side.