3 reasons why CSK can win IPL 2019: The defending champions have it in them to replicate their performance from the last season.

IPL (Indian Premier League) champions Chennai Super Kings‘ return to the tournament after a two-year gap during the last season saw them standing tall on expectations, reputation and their past record. Under the captaincy of Mahendra Singh Dhoni, CSK bagged their third title, becoming only the second team (after Mumbai Indians) to do so.

Before the start of the season, there were murmurs of Chennai not having the best of auctions. The franchise was also criticized for picking a lot of players aged 30+. While a lot of experts and fans believed that it would hamper the team on the field, the experienced campaigners proved their worth at one point or the other in the tournament.

Talking specifically about the qualifying rounds, the first qualifier saw CSK being reduced to 62-6 in the 13th over while chasing a 140-run target against Sunrisers Hyderabad. It was then that opening batsman Faf du Plessis scored a match-winning 67* (42) with the help of five fours and four sixes.

In the final against the same opposition, veteran all-rounder Shane Watson scored 117* (57) with the help of 11 fours and eight sixes as Super Kings chased a 179-run target with nine balls to spare.

Having retained most of their players, Chennai bought a couple of players in the IPL auction before IPL 2019. With almost the same squad, CSK have it in them to become the first team to win four IPL titles.

3 reasons why CSK can win IPL 2019

1) Presence of several all-rounders – One of the major reasons why Chennai Super Kings won IPL 2018 was the presence of a significant amount of all-rounders. From batting all-rounders who can both open the batting and bat down the order to bowling all-rounders who can be used as pitch-hitters if the need arises, the franchise has ticked all those boxes.

Watson, who is currently the ninth-highest run-scorer (including a century) in the ongoing season of the BBL, has put on display signs of form despite not playing much in the recent times. Overseas fast bowling all-rounders in Dwayne Bravo and David Willey also have it in them to contribute in crunch situations in both the divisions.

With Mitchell Santner regaining fitness now, Chennai will have the cushion of a couple of left-arm spin bowling all-rounders in him and Ravindra Jadeja.

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What really should click for the franchise is their overseas all-rounders. The fact that only four overseas cricketers can play, it becomes vital for them to click. With them majorly being all-rounders, it gives them a chance to cover one failure with contribution in the other department.

2) MS Dhoni finding form – Coming on the back of a worst year in ODIs (in terms of number of runs scored), Super Kings would be delighted to see the 37-year old wicket-keeper batsman back among the runs and accolades.

In five ODIs this year, Dhoni has scored 241 runs at an average of 241 and a strike rate of 81.14. Him scoring 193 runs in three matches at an average of 193 and a strike rate of 73.10 including three half-centuries earned him the ‘Man of the Series’ award. Having last won it in 2011, it has taken Dhoni more than seven years to win another such award.

It wouldn’t be wrong to say that a player like Dhoni is beyond numbers and stats. Given his varying means of contributions, his mere presence has it in it to become a boost for the franchise.

Other than Dhoni, Super Kings would be also relieved to witness the way all-rounder Kedar Jadhav has batted in recent times. He might not have scored oodles of runs but it also comes down to him getting limited opportunities. That being said, Jadhav possesses the ability to change the course of the game or create a much-needed impact in the match.

3) Playing on their home ground – Due to unavoidable circumstances, Chennai Super Kings had to move their base from Chennai to Pune last season. Despite not playing a majority of matches in front of their home crowd, the players didn’t let the intensity drop.

Playing at their own den, Super Kings will have the support of their loyal fans. More than the audiences, CSK will be bolstered by the fact that their style of game suits better on the slow Chepauk wicket.

The fact that the surface is expected to provide assistance to their spinners will also come into play for them. The bowling attack comprising of Harbhajan Singh, Jadeja, Imran Tahir, Santner, Karn Sharma and part-timers in Jadhav and Suresh Raina should be able to build a web around the opposition batsmen.