Chennai Super Kings have proved it time and again why they are one of the best sides in T20 cricket. They are the most consistent side in the IPL who’ve made it to the playoffs in all editions that they have competed in, winning the IPL trophy on 3 occasions (2010, 2011 and 2018).
In IPL, the MS Dhoni-led side has a win percentage of 60.20, which comprises 115 wins in 191 T20s, and with the few months of additional break each of the players received, the Men in Yellow would be eager than ever to get hold of the title for the fourth time in their kitty.
Here are the five possible reasons why CSK can win in IPL 2020 –
Dhoni and Raina factor
With MS Dhoni and Suresh Raina announcing retirement from international cricket a few weeks before IPL 2020, the duo might adopt a more aggressive style of play in the forthcoming matches.
Raina, also known as Chinna Thala, has been one of the consistent run-getters in IPL, with 350-plus runs in each edition.
MS Dhoni has had a terrific run in IPL since the inception. With the bat, he has been extremely dominant in the last two seasons, scoring over 400 runs at average 75-plus in 2018 and 2019.
When on song, the duo wouldn’t mind smashing even the good deliveries for boundaries across the stadium.
Tailor-made conditions in UAE
The Dhoni army has five highly experienced T20 spinners in their unit, namely – Imran Tahir, Piyush Chawla, Mitchell Santner, Ravindra Jadeja and Harbhajan Singh, who would be hungrier than ever to capitalize on the slow and turning conditions offered at the pitches in UAE.
Moreover, they have batsmen who are well versed in taking on the spinners from the very moment, making it a win-win case for them in the upcoming season. Shane Watson, Faf du Plessis, Suresh Raina, Ambati Rayudu, and Dhoni himself, are all experts in handling spin and can easily gun them for hits across the fence when needed.
Big match players in the team
Chennai Super Kings have some of the biggest match winners in their team who can turn the match in their favor in a few minutes. Shane Watson played a gem of a knock in the IPL 2018 finals, where he scored 117* and guided his team to a victory over Sunrisers Hyderabad.
Similar knock was put to witness in the finals of IPL 2019. Watson had an average run with the bat throughout the tournament, but he came up with a crucial 80 off 59 deliveries, and took the match to the last stages. Though they couldn’t win as they lost the game by a margin of one run, they would look to settle the scores with Mumbai Indians in the forthcoming season.
Another instance which proves the players’ potency while performing in big matches include the Qualifier-1 in IPL 2018, when the team needed to chase 140 against Sunrisers Hyderabad. While wickets kept falling, Faf du Plessis held the innings from an end, scoring a match-winning 67* off 42 deliveries.
Clever buys in IPL auctions
The 3-time IPL champions have been smart at the auctions. In spite of having four spinners, the franchise went for another experienced leg-spinner in Piyush Chawla as soon as he was available for the bid.
Chawla, is currently fourth in the list of leading wicket takers in IPL, with 150 wickets while averaging 27.14.
Another interesting buy in the IPL 2020 auction was English all-rounder Sam Curran. His international performances have made him the centre of attraction since day one, and him about to play under MS Dhoni at CSK, one could expect some cracker of performances from his end.
Solid bench strength
One of the things that sets apart CSK from other teams is the bench strength that they possess. Though they mostly go unchanged in all matches of the tournament, they still keep reserves ready and give them a few occasions to showcase their prowess.
For instance, Josh Hazlewood would be an ideal backup for Protea pacer Lungi Ngidi. Leg-spinner Piyush Chawla can easily fit in as a replacement for Harbhajan Singh or Ravindra Jadeja.
Thus, they have all their areas sorted and look like a side waiting to hunt their 4th IPL title.
