IPL 2024 PREVIEW
Follow UsIPL 2023 Finish: Winners
New Additions: Daryl Mitchell, Sameer Rizvi, Shardul Thakur, Rachin Ravindra, Aravelly Rao, Mustafizur Rahman
Please Note: Devon Conway won't be available till May with a thumb injury
That sixth title. Thala Paathupaaru (Leader will take care).
Chennai Super Kings’ motto over the years hasn’t changed a bit — just like their jersey, like their Thala Dhoni (leader) and their fans.
Some things, though, have changed, like how they can no longer rely on the ever-dependable Ambati Rayudu. That’s where Chennai have added the Kiwi duo of Daryl Mitchell and Rachin Ravindra to fill the void. It doesn’t end there, in Sameer Rizvi, Chennai have an exciting prospect to fill in Rayudu’s shoes.
Not just that, their cult hero, Shardul Thakur, has made a silent return back home.
What can win them the trophy?
Versatility in the batting unit
LHB ✔️
RHB ✔️
Pace hitters ✔️
Spin hitters ✔️
Finishers ✔️
Not many teams can boast such a versatile batting unit. And this list is even without Devon Conway, who won’t be available for much of the upcoming IPL season.
Read: How can Chennai Super Kings replace injured Devon Conway?
There’s a proper pace basher in the form of Rahane, who scored 165 runs against pacers last year, averaging a staggering 82.5, with a strike-rate of 232.39. It was the best strike-rate against pacers last year (min 5 innings) for any player, so Rahane’s presence can tackle pace.
And then come the duo of Shivam Dube and Daryl Mitchell. Dube’s numbers are quite incredulous against spin, considering that he takes a lot of risks. Last IPL, Dube had the third-best strike-rate (176.5) against spin and also averaged a high 52.5, showing his dual nature.
Daryl Mitchell didn’t play the last IPL, but his numbers against spin at the 2023 ODI World Cup were one to savour. The right-hander scored 234 runs against tweakers, striking at 106.8. But that doesn’t mean he’s someone who got out quickly against the spinners, with his balls per dismissal of 73 deliveries showing his prowess. He will add a vital different dimension to the CSK setup.
Also Read: Daryl Mitchell and Chennai Super Kings - a match made in heaven?
To round it all off, there’s Sameer Rizvi. The 20-year-old is someone who has the calibre to shoot off with his explosive batting. From thereon, there's the trio of Ravindra Jadeja, MS Dhoni and Shardul Thakur. Just imagine.
Bowling depth
Second-best bowling unit in powerplay ✔️
Second-best bowling unit in middle-overs ✔️
How can a team get better?
The addition of Shardul Thakur only makes CSK the bowling unit more deadly. Till last year, there was this dearth of experience in the bowling unit.
Shardul will be one of the eight bowling options for the franchise, a luxury that other teams can only dream of. Thakur’s ability to be an all-phase bowler will certainly be a key factor for the franchise chasing their sixth IPL title.
For CSK, the Mumbai all-rounder has picked up 55 wickets, averaging 27.5, something he hasn’t been able to replicate elsewhere. 27 of those wickets have come at the death, a phase where the franchise were overly reliant on Matheesha Pathirana last year.
What could cost them the title?
Overreliance on home conditions
It is quite a staggering effect. Much of Chennai’s success last year depended heavily on their home success.
In Chennai, the five-time IPL winners have an overall win% of 70.3, with 45 wins in their 64 home games. Over the years, the Men in Yellow have been known to rely heavily on their home conditions to get the desired results.
Time and again, the home factor has got them to the playoffs, but their worry has popped up when conditions have been alien. If spin doesn’t turn out to be a big factor, that problem could crop up yet again. Not only that but not having a quality wrist spinner in the setup could be one underlying factor.
Pathirana = CSK’s death bowling?
CSK were the third-best death-over bowling unit last year. So, how can that lose them the trophy?
At the death, Chennai picked up 43 wickets, averaging 18.3. 18 out of those 43 wickets were because of one Matheesha Pathirana. Pathirana was almost like Dhoni’s secret cheat code.
The Sri Lankan pacer had an IPL to remember, with a gap of four wickets between him and the next best, Mohit Sharma.
Batters struggled massively to understand the angles with which he was bowling, making his life a lot easier. But after his success last year, a lot of batters would now come better prepared. Since the last IPL, Pathirana has picked up 18 wickets in T20s, averaging 15.8 at the death.
Having such an overreliance on a single player at the death might come at a cost for CSK. If the Sri Lankan is injured, their success might be in big jeopardy, given that Thakur hasn’t bowled a lot in the IPL across the last two seasons.
Things to watch out for
- Shardul’s return
- Daryl Mitchell’s inclusion and whether it will bolster the middle-order
- New opening pair
- Ravindra Jadeja’s bowling form
Probable XI
CSK's likely XI: Rachin Ravindra*, Ruturaj Gaikwad (c), Ajinkya Rahane, Shivam Dube, Daryl Mitchell*, Sameer Rizvi (IP), Ravindra Jadeja, MS Dhoni (wk), Shardul Thakur, Deepak Chahar, Maheesh Theekshana*, Mustafizur Rahman (IP)*
Last year, CSK used Matheesha Pathirana, a lot as an impact player, and with Pathirana injured, it could well be Mustafizur Rahman's time. And when they bat, they might lengthen their batting by fielding Sameer Rizvi, who they rate so highly.
Uncapped X-Factor
Only 20 years old, Sameer Rizvi captured the imagination of multiple IPL scouts with his stroke play in the inaugural edition of the Uttar Pradesh T20 League. He impressed multiple IPL scouts in that tournament with 455 runs in nine innings, scoring multiple hundreds. In one of the many dazzling knocks he played, Rizvi smashed nine sixes en route to a 59-ball 122.
Schedule till April 7
March 22: Chennai Super Kings vs Royal Challengers Bangalore (Home)
March 26: Chennai Super Kings vs Gujarat Titans (Home)
March 31: Delhi Capitals vs Chennai Super Kings (Away)
April 5: Sunrisers Hyderabad vs Chennai Super Kings (Away)
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