CSK Predicted Playing XI for IPL 2019: Sportsrush presents before you Chennai Super Kings’ playing XI for IPL 2019.
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With the IPL (Indian Premier League) auction done and dusted now, all the teams have a clear picture of what their squad for the 12th edition of the tournament looks like. While teams still have a chance to trade players among them, one doesn’t expect much of that happening.
IPL Champions Chennai Super Kings were expected to undergo a quite auction for they had retained 23 players and could buy a maximum of two players during the auction. Having bought fast bowler Mohit Sharma and opening batsman Ruturaj Gaikwad, Super Kings completed their quota of 25 players during the auction.
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In a squad which is high on experience, CSK would be hoping for the senior players to step up on the big occasion in a bid to make them become the first team to win four IPL titles.
One of the major plus points of the current CSK squad is the presence of all-rounders in it. A general Super Kings’ playing XI is likely to comprise of 8-9 bowling options. While all of them might not be required on a given day, they will come in handy in matches where their specialist bowlers go under the hammer.
CSK Predicted Playing XI for IPL 2019
1) Top-order – Captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s masterstroke of sending Ambati Rayudu as an opening batsman in the last season of the IPL worked wonders for not just the franchise but for Rayudu as well. With both of them 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.
Suresh Raina, highest run-scorer in the tournament, will continue to bat at No. 3, a batting position which he has made of his own in the IPL.
2) Middle-order – After winning the title last year, Dhoni opined regarding why he mostly batted at No. 5 in the tournament. Apparently, Dhoni had cited his age as the reason. Another year down the line, there are high chances of watching Dhoni bat at No. 4 in the upcoming season.
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Kedar Jadhav scoring 10 runs off two deliveries to seal the chase for CSK in the IPL opener earlier this year is a memory which Chennai fans will seldom forget. Unfortunately, it will also be the only memory of Jadhav from the last season for he was ruled out of the tournament due to an injury soon after.
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.
3) Bowlers – 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 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 bowling options in England’s David Willey and South Africa’s Lungi Ngidi, the latter might get the initial nod for picking up 11 wickets in seven matches at an average of 14.18, an economy rate of 6 and a strike rate of 14.18 last season.
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 Ravindra Jadeja their line-up.
Furthermore, with Super Kings’ five out of the top seven having it in them to contribute with the ball, it is highly likely of them forming a formidable bowling division.
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