IPL 2024: A Comprehensive Analysis Of Chennai Super Kings For The New IPL Season

Chennai Super Kings (CSK) will start the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 campaign as the defending champions. Retaining their crown will be an uphill task, but the roster has the potential to pull that feat off. In this article, we will shine the spotlight on CSK’s squad, performance at the IPL 2024 Auction, ban from IPL, and past titles.

CSK are one of the most successful IPL franchises, having won the title five times. They have made the playoffs for every season, barring one in 2020. Former India captain MS Dhoni, who led them during the inaugural season in 2008, continues to be at the helm even though he announced his retirement from international cricket four years ago.

India Cements owns the Dhoni-led franchise. Its chairman, N Srinivasan, bid for the team in 2008 when he was BCCI treasurer and acquitted it at a cost of INR 360 crores. CSK play their home games at the MA Chidambaram Stadium, also known as Chepauk, in Chennai.

The association with Dhoni over the past 16 years has been significant to their positioning as a brand. The former Indian skipper was CSK’s highest-paid player (INR 9.5 crore) at the inaugural edition, since which he has been the face of the franchise. His combination with Stephen Fleming, who has been head coach since 2009, has been key to CSK’s success over the years.

The defending champions beat Gujarat Titans in a nail-biting thriller in Ahmedabad in the final of last year’s IPL. Needing ten runs off two balls, Ravindra Jadeja, their premier all-rounder, smashed a six and a four to clinch their fifth title in front of 120,000 fans at the Narendra Modi Stadium.

Over the past couple of years, the Super Kings brand has slowly extended its canvas to leagues in South Africa and the USA. India Cements acquired the Johannesburg franchise—Joburg Super Kings—in the SA20, while their team in the MLC (Major League Cricket) is known as Texas Super Kings.

CSK have a few injury concerns this season. Devon Conway, one of their prolific openers, will be out for at least the first four weeks due to a thumb injury. Conway was the Player of the Match in the IPL 2023 final and has become a key member of the squad at the top of the order alongside Ruturaj Gaikwad.

The team will also potentially miss the services of Sri Lanka fast bowler Matheesha Pathirana to begin with. Pathirana has a right hamstring injury that he picked up during the team’s recent series against Bangladesh. He picked up 19 wickets in 12 games last year, largely bowling in the middle and death overs.

Another massive blow early on for them is the absence of Shivam Dube, one of their spin-enforcers in the middle order. Dube enjoyed a breakout year in 2023, hitting 418 runs in 14 innings at a strike rate of 147.50. Dube is currently recovering from a side strain and could miss the first few games.

CSK bought back Shardul Thakur at INR 4 crore. Shardul was released after an unmemorable stint with Kolkata Knight Riders last year. In Ambati Rayudu’s absence (he has retired), the franchise has signed young Uttar Pradesh batter Sameer Rizvi. He was the costliest domestic player at the auction at INR 8.4 crore. 

Conway’s New Zealand teammate, Rachin Ravindra, who had a breakthrough 2023 World Cup, could potentially throw his hat into the ring as an opener who can also bowl handy left-arm spin. He was signed at INR 1.8 crore. Daryll Mitchell, at INR 14 crore, was their costliest buy. The New Zealander could be their spin-hitter in the middle order.

CSK were banned from the IPL for two years, in 2016 and 2017, after one of the team management personnel, Gurunath Meiyappan, the son-in-law of chairman N Srinivasan, was alleged to have shared critical team information with bookies.

Gurunath was subsequently handed a life ban, and the team, along with Rajasthan Royals, was banned from the IPL for two years.

In the inaugural edition of the IPL in 2008, CSK finished as runners-up. They lost in the penultimate game to Rajasthan Royals. A year later, the Dhoni-led side reached the semifinals before winning back-to-back titles in 2010 and 2011. In 2010, they beat Mumbai Indians, while the following year, they beat Royal Challengers Bangalore at home.

In 2012, they finished second-best behind Kolkata Knight Riders, while Mumbai Indians avenged the outcome of 2010 in 2013. CSK next won in 2018, the year of their return, when they beat Sunrisers Hyderabad in a thrilling final. They could have made it two-in-two in 2019 but were pipped off the last ball by Mumbai Indians.

In 2020, they failed to make it past the league stages for the first time and finished last. They returned with a bang the following season, winning in 2021 by beating Kolkata Knight Riders in the final. CSK equalled Mumbai Indians’ title tally of five last year after defeating Gujarat Titans in their own backyard.