IPL: Chennai Super Kings's first ever IPL XI- Where are they now?

Chennai Super Kings are the most consistent team in the IPL and are the only franchise to qualified for the playoffs in every edition of IPL they have participated in. Apart from that, Chennai Super Kings are one of the 3 franchises to have won the IPL trophy more than once, with the other two franchises being Mumbai Indians and Kolkata Knight Riders who have won the IPL Trophy thrice and twice respectively.

This year in IPL 2018, Chennai Super Kings will return to IPL after being suspended for two years by BCCI, due to the team owners being involved in betting and spot-fixing.

Chennai Super Kings reached the finals in the inaugural edition of IPL, where they lost to Rajasthan Royals in the last over. Chennai Super Kings played their maiden IPL match against Kings XI Punjab on 18 April 2008 and won the high scoring encounter by 33 runs.

Only two players who took the field for Chennai Super Kings in their maiden IPL match against Kings XI Punjab are now part of Chennai Super Kings franchise currently.

So let us look at the playing XI of Chennai Super Kings which took the field in their maiden IPL encounter:

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#1 Parthiv Patel (WK)

Parthiv Patel opened the innings for Chennai Super Kings in their maiden IPL match, along with Matthew Hayden. The Indian wicket keeper scored 15 runs off 10 balls and was dismissed by Brett Lee. Overall in IPL 2008, Parthiv scored 302 runs in 13 matches at an average of 25.17 with a strike rate of just above 100.

Parthiv Patel made his Indian debut in 2002 against England at Trent Bridge at 17 years and 153 days to become Test Cricket's youngest wicket keeper. Emergence of MS Dhoni, coupled with Parthiv's inconsistent performances with the bat and poor wicket keeping skills especially against spinners meant that Parthiv is yet to establish himself as a regular wicket keeper of Indian Test Team, even after the retirement of MS Dhoni from test cricket in December 2014.

Parthiv Patel is considered as a journey man in IPL, as his IPL franchise keeps on changing in almost every edition of IPL and has so far played for 6 IPL franchises. In IPL 2018, Parthiv will turn out for Royal Challengers Bangalore, who bought him at the recently concluded IPL auctions.

#2 Matthew Hayden

Australian legendary opener, Matthew Hayden scored 25 runs off 17 balls in Chennai Super Kings maiden IPL match, before being dismissed by Irfan Pathan in the 6th over of Chennai innings.

Hayden played just 4 matches in the inaugural edition of IPL, as he had to leave for national duty. But in the 4 matches, he played Hayden scored 189 runs at an excellent average of 63, with a strike rate of 144.27.

Hayden played for Australia from 1993 to 2009 and was hailed by his teammates Ricky Ponting and Justin Langer as the greatest ever opener from Australia. In IPL, Hayden was part of Chennai Super Kings from 2008-2010 and also won the Orange Cap in IPL 2009. Hayden finally retired from the IPL after Chennai Super Kings successfully won the IPL 2010, and currently works as a commentator and cricket analyst.

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#3 Michael Hussey

In Chennai Super Kings maiden IPL match, Mr. Cricket "Michael Hussey" scored the second century of the IPL. Hussey smashed Kings XI Punjab bowlers to all corners of the stadium, by scoring a match winning unbeaten 116 runs off just 54 balls, containing 8 fours and 9 sixes.

Just like his counterpart Matthew Hayden, Hussey played just 4 matches in the inaugural edition of IPL for Chennai Super Kings. But in the 4 matches he played, Hussey scored 168 runs at an excellent average of 56, with a superb strike rate of 168 and hit 11 sixes.

Michael Hussey was a relative latecomer to international cricket, having debuted at the age of 28 and 30 years in Australian ODI and Test team respectively, having scored more 15,000 runs in first class cricket before he made his Test debut. Hussey had a highly successful international career and was even top ranked ODI batsman of the world in 2006, and retired from international cricket at the end of December 2012.

Michael Hussey was part of Chennai Super Kings from 2008-2013 and even won the Orange cap in IPL 2013. In 2014 IPL, Hussey played for Mumbai Indians and retired from all forms of cricket after the completion of Big Bash 2015-16.

Currently, Michael Hussey is back in IPL as the batting coach of Chennai Super Kings in IPL 2018.

#4 MS Dhoni (C)

India's most successful Captain MS Dhoni did not have a good first game for Chennai Super Kings with the bat. Dhoni scored just 2 runs and was dismissed by James Hopes in 7th over. But, Dhoni had a fairly successful IPL 2008 with the bat, and was Chennai's 2nd highest run scorer in the tournament behind Suresh Raina, with 414 runs from 16 matches at an average of 41.4 with a strike rate of 133.5, and led Chennai Super Kings to the finals of IPL 2008.

Dhoni made his Indian ODI debut in December 2004 against Bangladesh and made his Test debut against Sri Lanka in December 2005. In 2007, Dhoni was appointed as the captain of the Indian T20 team for the inaugural T20 World Cup, when then Captain Rahul Dravid decided not to participate in the inaugural T20 World Cup. After India successfully won inaugural T20 World Cup under Dhoni, the BCCI appointed Dhoni as a permanent captain of Indian team in ODI, after Dravid resigned from captaincy post in late 2007.

In late 2008, Dhoni become the captain of Indian Test team after the retirement of Anil Kumble and was the captain of the till his retirement from test cricket in December 2014. After his retirement from Test cricket, Dhoni stepped down as a captain in ODI and T20 format in January 2017.

Dhoni is the only player in the history of International Cricket to have won all the ICC Tournaments as a captain, and is widely regarded by many cricket pundits as the best finisher in the limited overs format.

In IPL, Dhoni has been the Captain of Chennai Super Kings since the inaugural edition, and played for Rising Pune Supergiant from 2016-2017 and even captained them in IPL 2016, when Chennai Super Kings were suspended for two years by BCCI.

#5 Suresh Raina

Indian left-handed batsman, Suresh Raina is the highest run scorer overall in the IPL history. In Chennai Super Kings first ever IPL match, Raina scored a quickfire 32 runs of just 13 balls and hit 2 fours and 3 sixes. Raina was Chennai's best batsman in IPL 2008, and finished the tournament as the highest run scorer for Chennai Super Kings, with 421 runs in 16 matches at an average of 38.27 with a strike rate of 142.27.

Raina made his ODI debut for India at a young age of 19 years against Sri Lanka in July 2005. However his Test debut came about five years later in July 2010 against the same opposition, and he scored a hundred on his Test debut. Raina was a part of the Indian squad that won the 2011 World Cup and played crucial knocks in quarterfinals and semifinals against Australia and Pakistan respectively, helping India win both the matches from precious situations.

Raina failed to establish himself as a regular member of Indian test team, due to his weakness against short pitch balls, but was an integral cog of Indian team in limited overs from 2008-2015, before a loss of form with the bat saw Raina getting dropped from Indian Team in early 2016, and was only recently recalled back to the Indian Team for a 3 match T20 series against South Africa in January 2018.

Apart from MS Dhoni, Raina is the other player to be currently playing for Chennai Super Kings since the inaugural edition of IPL. Raina also played for Gujarat Lions from 2016-2017 and was their Captain, when Chennai Super Kings were suspended by BCCI for two years.

#6 Jacob Oram

Former Kiwi all-rounder, Jacob Oram did not have a good game, as he was dismissed for just 13 runs by Irfan Pathan, and with the ball Oram bowled an expensive spell of 4-0-37-0.

In IPL 2008, Oram played just 4 matches for Chennai Super Kings before leaving for national duty. In those 4 matches, Oram put up a disappointing performance with the ball and conceded runs at an expensive economy rate of 9.31, and picked up just 3 wickets.

Oram played international cricket for New Zealand from 2001-2012, and ended his career as one of the successful all rounders for New Zealand in International Cricket. In IPL, Oram was part of Chennai Super Kings franchise from 2008-2009 and part of Mumbai Indians franchise in 2013.

In 2014, Oram became the bowling coach of New Zealand A side and is currently a mentor of New Zealand fast bowler Adam Milne.

#7 Subramaniam Badrinath

Former Tamil Nadu captain, Subramaniam Badrinath has got to be the most underrated and unlucky cricketers in the Indian Cricket history, as he played most of his cricket in an era where the Indian team's middle order was occupied by legends like Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly and VVS Laxman, due to which despite being a heavy run scorer in the domestic circuit, Badrinath failed to get a long run in Indian Cricket Team.

In Chennai Super Kings first ever IPL match, Badrinath scored a quickfire unbeaten 31 runs from 14 balls and hit 3 fours and 2 sixes. Badrinath was an integral member of Chennai Super Kings from 2008-2013, and later on played for Royal Challengers Bangalore as a backup player in IPL 2015.

Badrinath played 2 Tests, 7 one-day games and a solitary T20 for India, and last played for India in June 2011 against West Indies. Currently, Badrinath plays for Hyderabad in the domestic circuit.

#8 Joginder Sharma

Haryana all rounder, Joginder Sharma is fondly remembered by Indian cricket fans, as the man who bowled the last over of the inaugural T20 World Cup final against arch-rivals Pakistan and dismissed Misbah Ul Haq, thereby helping India win the inaugural T20 World Cup 2007.

In IPL 2008, Joginder picked up 8 wickets in 8 matches at a higher economy rate of 9.8, and was often the go through bowler for MS Dhoni in death overs. In Chennai Super Kings maiden IPL match, Joginder was expensive with the ball and conceded 47 runs in 4 overs but picked up the key wicket of Yuvraj Singh.

Joginder Sharma played 4 one-day games and 4 T20s for India, and his last appearance was in the T20 World Cup final against Pakistan which made him famous. In November 2011, Joginder had a career threatening car accident, where he suffered severe head injuries. However, Joginder recovered well and returned to the 2012-13 domestic season.

Joginder Sharma is currently the Deputy Superintendent of Haryana Police and plays for Haryana in the domestic circuit.

#9 Manpreet Gony

Punjab fast bowler Manpreet Gony is often referred as one season wonder in IPL as he failed to replicate his good performance of IPL 2008 in next editions of IPL. In IPL 2008, Gony was often a strike bowler for MS Dhoni and picked up 17 wickets from 16 matches, there by finishing as the 5th highest wicket taker overall in the tournament.

In Chennai Super Kings first ever IPL match, Gony was expensive with the ball and conceded 42 runs in his 4 overs and picked up one wicket.

Impressive performances in IPL 2008, earned Gony a call-up into the Indian Team for the tri-nation series at Bangladesh in 2008, where he was a replacement for injured S. Sreesanth, but Gony failed to impress with his bowling at the international arena, and played his last international match against Bangladesh in the same year.

In IPL apart from Chennai Super Kings, Gony also played for Deccan Chargers, Kings XI Punjab, and Gujarat Lions, and currently plays for Punjab in the domestic circuit.

#10 Palani Amarnath

Palani Amarnath(center)

Palani Amarnath burst into the scene very late, and perished very quickly too. Amarnath made his debut in the domestic circuit for Tamil Nadu at the age of 25 in 2007, and is one of the fastest bowlers to have ever played for Tamil Nadu.

Amarnath was bought up by Chennai Super Kings in the inaugural IPL auctions 2008, and played for them from 2008-2009. In Chennai Super Kings maiden IPL match, Amarnath was expensive with the ball and conceded 42 runs from his 4 overs, but picked up the important wicket of James Hopes who was threatening to take the game away from Chennai Super Kings.

Amarnath played his last domestic game for Tamil Nadu in 2009, and currently plays for Madurai Super Giants in Tamil Nadu Premier League.

#11 Muttiah Muralitharan

Sri Lankan legend Muttiah Muralitharan was Chennai Super Kings most economical bowler in their maiden IPL match, and conceded 33 runs from his 4 overs and picked up the wicket of his Sri Lankan teammate Kumar Sangakkara. Overall, Muralitharan had a fairly good IPL 2008, and picked up 11 wickets from 15 matches at miserly economy rate of 6.98.

Muralitharan played international cricket for Sri Lanka from 1992 to 2011 and retired from international cricket as the highest wicket taker in both Test and ODI formats with 800 and 534 wickets respectively. Muralitharan was also rated as the greatest test match bowler ever by Wisden Cricketer's Almanack in 2002.

In IPL apart from Chennai Super Kings, Muralitharan also played for now defunct Kochi Tuskers Kerala and Royal Challengers Bangalore, and is currently the bowling coach and mentor of Sunrisers Hyderabad.