With IPL 2020 set to be played in the UAE from September 19, the countdown for the tournament has well and truly begun and all eyes would be on the performance of Chennai Super Kings (CSK), and more specifically, MS Dhoni‘s return to competitive cricket after more than a year.
In this article, let us have a look at the SWOT analysis of the CSK squad ahead of the 13th edition of the IPL.
CSK: Strengths
For starters, MS Dhoni will always be considered as CSK’s biggest strength for as long as he is a part of the team. The master tactician has always brought the best out of his players.
His use of spinners on the pitches at UAE should make the team look formidable once again. Dhoni’s plans for this IPL season were crystal clear given the fact that he had a huge role in CSK signing Piyush Chawla.
CSK probably have the most extensive spin line-up of the season with as many as five international spinners–Imran Tahir, Ravindra Jadeja, Harbhajan Singh, Mitchell Santner, and Piyush Chawla, in addition to a domestic spin talent in R Sai Kishore. Dhoni also has the option of turning to the off-spin of his trusted lieutenant Suresh Raina or part-timer Kedar Jadhav whenever he feels the need to use a sixth bowling option.
Although the batting is a worry due to both the age factor and also the form of players like Suresh Raina and Ambati Rayudu, CSK players have this clutch mentality to come up with a superb knock in a crucial game. They have time and again proved that they possess the ability to come out of unwinnable situations.
CSK weaknesses
Even though CSK proved everyone wrong in 2018 by winning the IPL with a team that had the oldest average age out of all squads to ever have won the IPL and nearly repeated the same feat in 2019, they will be worried about the lack of match practice of their senior batsmen like Dhoni, Watson, Raina, and Rayudu.
Dhoni played his last international match when India went down to New Zealand in the semi-finals of the 2019 WC while Raina was undergoing treatment for an injury and the last competitive cricket match he played was the IPL final in which CSK went down to MI.
The same is the case with Rayudu–he retired from all forms of cricket after he was not selected in the Indian WC squad last year only to take a U-turn and reverse his decision.
CSK Opportunities
The heat factor of UAE and the nature of pitches there would hugely benefit the spin department of CSK. Additionally, much earlier starts than usual to match the time-zone of India would mean that spinners would not have to bowl with the wet ball in the second innings giving CSK’s spinners another advantage.
The inclusion of young Brit Sam Curran also may prove to be a great value-addition to the team. Curran is arguably one of the most exciting young all-rounders in world cricket right now.
With his left-handed lusty blows and his 130 kph out swingers with the ball, he will remind a lot of CSK fans of Albie Morkel, a CSK star whose huge boots need filling. He can also be considered to open alongside Watson or du Plessis in case one of them fails.
CSK threats
If it was not for Dhoni and the lower order’s heists in addition to the disciplined bowling department, CSK could have ended up winning much lesser games last season.
The top order looked extremely fragile and inconsistent despite boasting of international stars like Shane Watson, Faf du Plessis, and Suresh Raina.
Chennai Super Kings have traditionally relied on a solid yet steady start from their openers and Suresh Raina’s consistent performances at No 3. However, with Raina looking far from his best and Watson being extremely inconsistent at the top, the Super Kings face the threat of losing their top-order batsmen too soon, thus exposing the middle and lower order to too many overs, denying them the chance to play the attacking game.
All in all, making it to the playoffs of the IPL 2020 is something that is like a basic expectation from CSK. But the question whether they have it in them to go and clinch the title for a fourth time is something only time can answer.
Published 09 Aug 2020, 16:06 IST
