Is Chennai Super Kings the greatest IPL team? CSK playing 11, CSK strengths, CSK IPL history

IPL 2024: As usual, Chennai have a large, diverse set of all-rounders. Ravindra Jadeja, Shivam Dube, Moeen Ali, Mitchell Santner, Shardul Thakur, Deepak Chahar provide incredible depth even without their Impact Player. (Image source: X/@ChennaiIPL)

MS Dhoni has stepped down as captain of the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) ahead of the 17th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL). The five-time IPL title winners will now have to regroup under new captain Ruturaj Gaikwad. To be sure, this is not the first time Dhoni has stepped down as CSK captain. In 2022, CSK announced Ravindra Jadeja would take over the team captaincy just two days before the IPL was scheduled to begin. Jadeja led the team for eight matches before handing the reins back to Dhoni - the captaincy switch had not worked too well for CSK, which won only two of the eight matches and was placed ninth on the IPL Points Table when Dhoni returned as captain on May 1, 2022. Dhoni, 42, had hinted to a new role in CSK in a mysterious social media post earlier this month, setting off speculation around whether he could step down as captain or take on the added mantle of team mentor to the new joinees.

CSK have played 10 IPL finals when no other team has made it to seven. CSK also have the highest number of IPL titles - 5 -a record they share with the Mumbai Indians. The discussion around the greatest IPL team is long, but no franchise has produced comparable sustained success.

IPL 2024: CSK new players

Once trolled as the “Dad’s Army”, CSK have a reputation for backing cricketers well into their late thirties and even beyond. They were led by M.S. Dhoni for the better part of 2008-23. Dhoni, 42, remains in the team that also boast of Moeen Ali (36), Ravindra Jadeja (35), and Ajinkya Rahane (35).

Of late, however, there has also been an influx of youth into the team. Case in point: uncapped Indian batter Sameer Rizvi, 20, who blazed a trail in the 2023 Uttar Pradesh T20 League. Another example: Batter Shaik Rasheed, 19, who will look to make his IPL debut this year.

CSK strengths: Bat deep, different bowling attacks & mastery at home

Of 14 league matches, teams play seven at home. CSK CEO Kasi Viswanath had once commented that the team looked at the league games as two separate legs – home and away. Over the years, their spinners use the slow, low home surface well, with excellent support from their seamers. On the Chepauk surface, the Chennai franchise have won 66 IPL matches and lost 33 – an absurd win/loss ratio of 2.

But while Chepauk has played a significant part in Chennai’s success, it has not been the lone decisive factor. Like most successful T20 teams, Chennai bat deep, they have their power hitters (think Ruturaj Gaikwad, Devon Conway, and of course Ajinkya Rahane fresh off his Ranji Trophy mega success), and they can field different-looking bowling attacks in conditions different from Chepauk.

IPL 2024: CSK's secret sauce

In 2024, Chennai have – as always – a large, diverse set of all-rounders. Ravindra Jadeja, Shivam Dube, Moeen Ali, Mitchell Santner, Shardul Thakur, Deepak Chahar provide incredible depth even without their Impact Player. Devon Conway will miss out the early stages, but Chennai can pair Rachin Ravindra with Ruturaj Gaikwad at the top.

Towering over all is M.S. Dhoni, who agreed to stay on for this one final season. Dhoni faced fewer than four balls a match in 2023, but the sixes were reminiscent of the Dhoni of yore. The greatest cricketing superstar the city has known will want to bow out on a high.

CSK IPL history

CSK have won the IPL title five times; most recently in 2023. CSK have reached the final a staggering 10 times; finishing runners-up 50 percent of the time. CSK have also won 131 IPL matches, and lost 91 matches across 14 IPL seasons (they were barred for two seasons - 2016-17). CSK's win-loss ratio is a high 1.440.

CSK playing 11 (predicted)

Ruturaj Gaikwad (c), Rachin Ravindra, Moeen Ali, Shivam Dube, Ravindra Jadeja, MS Dhoni (wk), Shardul Thakur, Deepak Chahar, Tushar Deshpande, Mustafizur Rahman, Maheesh Theekshana. Substitute: Ajinkya Rahane

CSK IPL 2024 match schedule

1. vs Royal Challengers Bangalore – March 22, 8 pm | MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai

2. vs Gujarat Titans – March 26, 7.30 pm | MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai

3. vs Delhi Capitals – March 31, 7.30 pm | Dr YS Rajasekhara Reddy ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium, Visakhapatnam

4. vs Sunrisers Hyderabad – April 5, 7.30 pm | Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, Hyderabad