“For the IPL, Chennai is my home ground, the second home. I’m thankful for all that my team, CSK has achieved. I have never thought of playing for any other franchise.”
MS Dhoni (The Former Indian Skipper With The Coolest Temper)
No guesswork needed here, as we relive the journey of one of the most powerful domestic Indian cricket squads the Chennai Super Kings. Being one of the primary eight franchises, the Chennai Super Kings were born when the foundation for the Indian Premier League got laid in 2008.
Since then, these cricket gems from the South have witnessed many ups and downs but stood strong and gave some of the finest performances in the league history. They have provided fantasy cricket fans with moments of thrill, compassion, excitement, and action-packed game that has earned them a huge fan-base all across the country.
Excited To Know More About The Voyage Of The Dhoni Brigade, Right?
Hailing from the scenic land Chennai, M.A. Chidambaram stadium is the home ground for these players who are owned by Indian Cements by paying a whopping $91 Million. MSD is the current captain of the Chennai Super Kings team along with Stephen Fleming as the chief mentor, Hussey, and Balaji supervising the batting and bowling side of the squad respectively.
To witness the IPL voyage of these rock stars let’s explore their season-wise performances and relive some of the most enthralling cricket moments:
Does Dhone Squad Struggle A Bit In The Initial Seasons (2008 & 2009)?
Chennai Super Kings kicked-off the inaugural season of the premier cricket league by adding some of the best players like Dhoni, Muttiah Muralitharan, Flemming, and Matthew Hayden to the team. MSD was leading the squad and Kepler Wessels was appointed as the head coach.
The team won their first match at Mohali against Kings XI Punjab and made a record of the highest totals in the tournament. However, they lost the finals against Rajasthan Royals by 3 wickets in an immensely exciting match. One of the highlights of this season was Flemming taking retired from international cricket and being replaced Kepler to become the new mentor of the team.
Kevin Pietersen and Andrew Flintoff were the two new additions in the 2009 season whereas Hussey took a break to participate in The Ashes. Unfortunately, the Dhoni squad couldn’t perform up to the mark and landed at the fourth spot in the tables. However, the Australian batting sensation Hayden won the orange cap for the season by scoring five half-centuries in 12 innings.
Was 2010 & 2011 The Golden Era For The Lions From South?
The 2010 Indian Premier League season didn’t begin on a good note for CSK gems as they won only two matches out of seven. But gradually they picked up and started showcasing the finest cricket skills. Raina and Murali Vijay were acing their game. Dhoni was also in a great form, as a result, they defeated Mumbai Indians in the finals and grabbed their first-ever IPL title.
This enthralling victory paved the way for CSK to enter the 2010 Champions League Twenty20 tournament that was held in South Africa that year. Also, the pumped-up Dhoni brigade won the CLT20 and to become the first-ever IPL team to accomplish the same. Murali Vijay and Ashwin were recognized for their flawless performance in the tournament.
The spirit of CSK was high in the 2011 IPL and the owner retained the core strengths of the squad in the auction that includes MSD, Raina, and Murali Vijay. The energy wasn’t seen in a couple of the initial league matches but surprisingly the team picked up the pace and started defeating opponents like a pro.
In the finals, they beat the Royal Challengers Bangalore in an action-packed game where Vijay contributed match-winning 95 runs. The Dhoni brigade became the first IPL team to grab the trophy two years in a row but they couldn’t perform well at the Champions League that season and finished at the bottom of the table.
How IPL Seasons 2012 – 2017 Have Been A Wheel Of Fortune For The CSK Super Stars?
In the 2012 IPL season, Ravindra Jadeja joined the Dhoni squad but the team started slow. Somehow, they managed to reach the play-offs but by defeating giant opponents like Mumbai Indians and Delhi Daredevils they paved their way to the finals. Unfortunately, they lost the final match against Kolkata Knight Riders that snatched away an opportunity to earn the trophy for the third time.
Dhoni squad got empowered with some of the best overseas and Indian bowlers in the subsequent IPL season. The team performed quite well throughout the tournament but lost the finals against Mumbai Indians. However, two CSK gems Michael Hussey and Dwayne Bravo won orange and purple caps for their amazing contribution in the season.
In spite of adding some of the powerful cricketers like Ashish Nehra, Dwayne Smith, Mohit Sharma, and Brendon McCullum, CSK could only manage to enter the play-offs in the 2014 Indian Premier League season. The general elections that were held in UAE disturbed the entire season and eventually, the Dhoni brigade lost one of the play-offs against Kings XI Punjab. But they rose back in the next season and performed amazingly only to lose the finals against MI.
The subsequent two years 2016 and 2017 proved to be very disappointing for Chennai Super Kings as the entire squad was suspended for this duration. The reason behind the suspension was that the team owner’s relative was arrested in a match-fixing case.
What Was The Secret Sauce For CSK’s Revival In 2018 & 2019 IPL Seasons?
After a rough patch of suspension, the CSK came back to the tournament with a positive attitude. The fans went super crazy as the squad returned to their home ground for a practice session and as a result, more than 10000 people came to witness the same. The team began their winning streak by beating KKR in their first match and ended the tournament by defeating Sunrisers Hyderabad in the finals to lift the IPL title once again.
The 2019 season of Indian Premier League was great for the Chennai Super Kings squad but they, unfortunately, lost the title against MI by just one run. Imran Tahir of CSK won the purple cap for the season as he grabbed maximum wickets in the championship.
How Many Records Dhoni Brigade Has Earned In IPL Till Date?
CSK is one of the most powerful IPL teams because they have many records in their name. Let’s have a glimpse of a couple of them:
I. The CSK batting wizard Suresh Raina is the highest scorer in IPL history with 4540 runs in his name.
II. The team holds the record for defending the lowest score in IPL history against Kings XI Punjab.
III. They made the highest total twice once against Kings XI Punjab and the other against Royal Challengers Bangalore. But both of these scores have been surpassed by other teams.
IV. Chennai Super Kings is the IPL team with the best winning percentage of 61.66%.
V. MSD holds the record for playing the maximum number of matches in IPL history.
VI. Dwyane Bravo from CSK holds the record for grabbing the most number of wickets in the 2015 IPL season.
VII. The team holds the record for playing the maximum IPL finals.VIII. CSK is the only Indian Premier League team to score 100 runs in a power play.
Who Are Some Of The Finest CSK Cricketers In IPL History?
CSK has been blessed with some of the most efficient cricketers but there are a couple of gems whom we will mention as their contribution is the highest in the squad. Let’s look at them one at a time:
All-Time Favorite: MS Dhoni
CSK is nothing withoutMSD as his helicopter shots have driven the crowd crazy. He has tirelessly played for the squad since the beginning and supported the team through thick and thin.
The Leading Batsman: Suresh Raina
Raina, one of the finest T20 cricketers has scored numerous runs for the CSK squad and made multiple records. As of now, he is injured but the fans are waiting for his comeback in IPL 2020.
Mr. Dependable From Overseas: Shane Watson
The Australian all-rounder Shane Watson has proved to be an efficient asset for the Chennai team. He has great batting acumen and can bowl well which has been a bonus for the squad.
The Batting Star: Ambati Rayudu
Rayudu was the top run-scorer in IPL 2018 season where he made 602 runs in 16 innings. He has proved his caliber in just one season and now all eyes are set on him for the next IPL tournament.
The South African Leggie: Imran Tahir
Tahir is the perfect blend of experience and action as he has grabbed many wickets for the CSK team and proved to be the spine of the bowling line-up.
What’s In CSK Store For The IPL 2020?
The Chennai Super Kings is all prepared for facing the IPL 2020 as they have started refining the squad by adding and releasing some of the players. As per Cricket experts, they’ll retain the core players including Raina, Dhoni, Ravindra Jadeja, Faf du Plessis, and Murali Vijay. But have officially released Chaitanya Bishnoi, Mohit Sharma, Sam Billings, and David Willey. Everyone is expecting that the Dhoni brigade will perform their best in the tournament and grab their fourth IPL title.
Does The Lions From South Rules The Fantasy Cricket Landscape?
Chennai Super Kings have a huge fan base in the fantasy cricket world as there are millions of CSK lovers who can do anything to take these stars in their virtual teams. There is sheer excitement in sports enthusiasts to play fantasy cricket with their beloved CSK rock stars and win lucrative rewards.
The Dhoni squad is one of the most passionate and efficient IPL teams who have the potential to turn games in their favor at any given point. The subsequent IPL season is going to be immensely thrilling for CSK fans as there will be a lot of drama, action, and cricket!
