Predicted 11 for Chennai Super Kings vs RCB: Sportsrush presents before you CSK’s Predicted Playing XI for first match of IPL 2019.
The time is here when Indian Premier League franchise Chennai Super Kings will take the field to defend their title in the 12th season of the tournament. With them slated to face Royal Challengers Bangalore in the first match, it calls for a nail-biting South Indian derby first up.
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Despite the numbers suggesting that Chennai have a stellar Head-to-Head record against Bangalore, they wouldn’t want to take the visitors lightly tomorrow.
Since Super Kings’ squad looks almost similar than what it was last season, don’t expect many changes in the first match of the season. Having said that, they would be looking to make sure that South Africa fast bowler Lungi Ngidi’s injury does not affects them in any manner tomorrow.
Below is Chennai Super Kings’ Predicted Playing XI for the first match of IPL 2019:
Top-order
Captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s masterstroke of sending Ambati Rayudu as an opening batsman alongside all-rounder Shane Watson in the last season of the IPL worked wonders for not just the franchise but for Rayudu as well. While CSK reaped fruits of starts provided by Rayudu, he also made it to the Indian team on the back of a fantastic season.
With both Watson and Rayudu scoring a combined total of 1,100+ runs, three centuries and five half-centuries last season, Chennai are all but likely to continue with them at the top of the order. With the former coming on the back of a tremendous season in the Pakistan Super League, things look bright for CSK at the top of the order.
Suresh Raina, highest run-scorer in the tournament, will continue to bat at No. 3, a batting position which he has made his own in the IPL.
Middle-order
After winning the trophy last season, Dhoni cited his age as the reason for him not batting down the order. While he mostly batted at No. 4 in IPL 2018, CSK Coach Stephen Fleming assigned him the role of a “floater” for IPL 2019. As a result, expect Dhoni to bat anywhere from No. 4 to 6.
All-rounder Kedar Jadhav had won the season opener for Chennai last year but couldn’t play any part in the tournament after succumbing to a hamstring injury. A fitter Jadhav will hold the key for Super Kings’ middle-order this time round. Other than him, the likes of specialists all-rounders in Dwayne Bravo and Ravindra Jadeja will have to finish innings on a high for their side.
Bowler
Super Kings’ immediate concern in the form of Ngidi’s replacement would be to play England all-rounder David Willey against RCB tomorrow. Willey will enjoy the cushion of bowling alongside two Indian pacers.
The young pacer-duo of Shardul Thakur and Deepak Chahar were lauded heavily post them taking on the responsibility in the absence of a specialist senior fast bowler. Despite CSK buying Mohit Sharma in the auction, one anticipates both Thakur and Chahar to open the attack for CSK, at least in the opening matches.
Out of the two overseas spinners in Imran Tahir and Mitchell Santner, the former should be picked on the basis of being a wrist-spinner as CSK already have a left-arm orthodox spinner in Jadeja their line-up.
CSK Predicted Playing XI vs RCB – 1) Shane Watson 2) Ambati Raydu 3) Suresh Raina 4) MS Dhoni (c & wk) 5) Kedar Jadhav 6) Dwayne Bravo 7) Ravindra Jadeja 8) David Willey 9) Deepak Chahar 10) Shardul Thakur 11) Imran Tahir
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