IPL Countdown: All-time Chennai Superkings XI

The most successful IPL team, Chennai Super Kings are the only team to qualify for the playoffs every season they have played, entering the finals 7 times out of 9 and lifting the trophy thrice. Their win percentage of 61.07% is the highest for any T20 team around the world. As Harsha Bhogle said, CSK must be doing something right that they end up in the playoffs every single season.

Out of the many things that CSK do right, one major thing is the retention of the core. CSK and MS Dhoni cannot be thought of separately and Raina, Jadeja, and Bravo also form an integral part of the team every year. The core has been more or less constant ever since the inception of the IPL, with the likes of Hussey, Ashwin, Vijay and Badrinath being an important part of the setup for a very long time.

As we near the twelfth edition of the biggest T20 league in the world, we look back at the legends who make it to the all-time best XI for Chennai Superkings:

Openers:

The first match CSK played in the IPL, they scored the highest team total of the tournament, which was surpassed by them 2 years later. The heroes of the two instances form the opening pair for the all-time CSK XI.

Mike Hussey

Mike Hussey

Mike Hussey's 116 in CSK's debut match came while batting at number four. It was in 2011 that Dhoni sent Hussey to open in the absence of an experienced overseas opener and the rest is history.

Playing most of his career as a middle-order batsman, Hussey adapted to the role brilliantly. He stands third in the list of run-getters for CSK with 1768 runs from 50 games at an average of 42.09 and a strike rate of 123.63.

Murali Vijay

Murali Vijay

Vijay, traditionally known as someone made for the longer format of the game, was a sensation in the 2010 edition. Starting the tournament slowly, Vijay turned into a destructive T20 opener by mixing his elegance with power.

He continued with CSK till 2014 and was bought back again in 2018. Vijay stands fourth in the list of run-getters with 1612 runs at an average of 26.42 and strike rate of 127.83 with 2 hundreds to his name. He is known for his hundred in the 2012 playoffs and his 95 in the 2011 finals.

Middle order:

Suresh Raina

Suresh Raina

Highest run-getter in the IPL, Suresh Raina has been associated with CSK from the very beginning along with MS Dhoni. The number three for the yellow brigade has 4144 runs at an average of 34.53 and a strike rate of 138.96.

The southpaw had the distinction of not missing a single game for CSK until the third match of the 2018 season. He also has the most fifties (29) and most fours for CSK (367). Raina's consistency can be attributed from the fact that he has crossed the 400-run mark for CSK every single season and has been their most dependable batsman.

Subramaniam Badrinath

Subramaniam Badrinath

S Badrinath was CSK's man for the crisis. Every time the top order failed, Badrinath was there to steady the ship. Someone who was used most when other batsmen failed and was pushed lower down the order when openers had a good start, he was more of a bridge between the aggressive top order and the devastating lower middle order.

The fifth highest run-getter for CSK, Badrinath had 1441 runs to his name at an average of 30.65 and strike rate of 118.89 with a best score of 71*.

Mahendra Singh Dhoni

Mahendra Singh Dhoni

MS Dhoni, the face of CSK, has been one of the best skippers in the history of the league with 3 IPL trophies, the joint-most with Rohit Sharma. A constant for the yellow brigade since the very beginning, Dhoni is the second highest run-getter for CSK with 3442 runs at an average of 41.97 and strike rate of 140.71.

One of the best finishers the game has seen, Dhoni has won CSK several games on his own from situations most others would have given up. The 2018 edition saw the best of Dhoni's captaincy, moving out of his comfort zone and optimizing the limited resources he had.

With the bat, return to CSK saw Dhoni wind back the clock and bat with disdain the way he did a decade back. Moving towards the twilight of his career, the craze for the big man is now more than ever and the fans expect a repeat of the 2018 performance from their favorite, both as a captain and a batsman.

All-Rounders:

Albie Morkel

Albie Morkel

Known for investing in players useful with both bat and ball, Albie was one of the many all-rounders CSK bought in the first season. The left-hander was the perfect finisher any T20 team looks for with his ability to hit even good balls out of the park.

His bowling improved at a constant rate during his six-year stint with CSK. He shared the new ball in the latter half of his stint and also bowled at the death. Remembered for his 124 meters six off Harbhajan and the 28-run over against Kohli, Albie has 827 runs for CSK as a strike rate of 144.83. He stands third in the list of wicket-takers for CSK with 76 wickets.

Dwayne Bravo

Dwayne Bravo

Dwayne Bravo has been the X-factor for CSK with his accurate death bowling, superhuman-like fielding, and improvised batting. Ever since his arrival in 2011, Bravo has been a constant pick for CSK, winning the Purple cap twice so far. He is the highest wicket-taker for CSK with 93 wickets from 77 games.

Mostly used only at the death by Dhoni, Bravo's variations proved to be really effective. His improvised and fearless in batting made CSK win numerous games from difficult situations, the most recent being the first game of the 2018 IPL against MI. Bravo has 827 runs for CSK at a strike rate of 137.05.

Ravindra Jadeja

Ravindra Jadeja

Ravindra Jadeja bowling in tandem with R Ashwin was an absolute treat to watch, both in the IPL as well as in international cricket. Bought by CSK in 2012, Jadeja had the backing of Dhoni and was retained in 2014 and 2018.

With 66 wickets from 86 games, Jadeja is fourth in the list of wicket-takers and is the second bowler from CSK after Balaji to pick a five-fer. Jadeja is not used as much in IPL as in international cricket by Dhoni, thanks to Dhoni's game of instincts.

With the bat, Jaddu has a number of match-winning knocks and has 759 runs to his name at an average of 20.51. Though not as consistent as the two other all-rounders in the XI, Jadeja on his day can run through the opposition and bat them out of the game as well.

Bowlers:

Ravichandran Ashwin

Ravichandran Ashwin

R Ashwin was one of the many players who came into the reckoning after a successful IPL stint. The second highest wicket-taker for CSK, Ashwin was the star of the 2010 and 2011 victorious campaigns and was an integral part of the team for 7 years.

Ashwin came into the limelight with the magic he spun with his carrom ball. He was the most economical bowler in the IPL until Narine arrived. The Tamil Nadu spinner, who was bought back by the franchise in 2011 and retained in 2014, has 90 wickets for CSK at an economy of 6.45 and average of 24.22.

Doug Bollinger

Doug Bollinger

Doug Bollinger is a name which is probably more popular in Chennai than in Australia, thanks to his stint with the Superkings. The three-year stint with CSK saw Bollinger emerge as the bowling spearhead of the yellow brigade.

Playing a key role in the victorious campaigns of 2010 and 2011, Bollinger picked 37 wickets from 27 games for CSK at an economy of 7.21 and a strike rate of 15.5. Among all the foreign pacers used by CSK till date, Bollinger stands out because of his excellence both with the new ball as well as at the death.

Mohit Sharma

Mohit Sharma

Out of the many Indian medium pacers who rose to the top with CSK, Mohit Sharma was the one who could make it big at the international stage as well. Impressing one and all with his clever bowling in 2013, Mohit was amongst the wickets more often than not.

His stint with CSK made his death bowling a lot more improved and made him a more matured bowler. With 57 wickets from 47 games, Mohit stands fifth in the list of wicket-takers for CSK.

Mohit's variations including the slower bouncers and outside off yorkers made him an effective death bowler and he will be looking forward to rejoin the yellow brigade in the upcoming edition and take the mettle of death bowling from Bravo, who has not been at his best at the death in recent past.

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