Chennai Super Kings – All-time XI!!

CSK– The men in yellow and one of the most celebrated teams in the IPL!! The old school team and the one who always preferred to retain the core!! It has comprised the players from various countries under the head of the Indian captain over the last decade. In this article, we will see the players who go on to make it to all-time eleven!! Seeking forgiveness in advance as some of your favorite players may miss out on a seat on this bus.

1. Mathew Hayden

The tall, well-built Aussie - the man with the Mongoose bat, clearing the fences all-round the ground was a frequent sight whenever he donned the yellow jersey. He was the Orange cap holder in the 2009 edition as well.

Another strong contender for this spot is Shane Watson, the century hitter in 2018 finals. But he bowled little in that season and did not take the ball at all in 2019. So on a pure batsman basis, Hayden edges him to take this spot.

2. Murali Vijay

The other opening spot goes to this local lad from Chennai. Known for his ground clearing abilities, his knock of 95 runs against RCB in 2011 final is one of the great innings in the IPL history. His presence at the top established the left-right hand combination, which worked very well for the CSK.

3. Suresh Raina

There is no competition to this spot – the most consistent batsman for CSK fondly called as Chinna Thala. He comes second in the batting chart for all-time IPL records only next to Virat. He also rolls his arms picking up some crucial wickets and a livewire in the field.

4. Michael Hussey

Mr. Cricket provided a mix of stability and aggression at the top of the batting order for CSK. With his elegance and rotating strike abilities, he established himself as a reliable batter. Though he opened for CSK in most of the games, to accommodate the destructive Hayden at the top, he can play at No.4. Another strong contender is Badrinath – the most underrated player from the franchise due to the other big names in the squad. He brought serenity to the batting order composed of swashbuckling options, often rescuing the team from the dangerous situations, and playing second fiddle to other batsmen. But after all, Hussey is Mr. Cricket for a reason!!!

5. Mahendra Singh Dhoni (C) (WK)

The MAN!! Indispensable to the team in many ways, the adopted son of the Chennai city, fondly called as Thala. Starting from the first season, he is the leader of this team, and the entire team was built around him. The ground for his finishing skills was laid here and went on to yield many victories for the national team later. In addition to his captaincy acumen, his wicket-keeping skills caught everyone’s attention as well. Also, he tops the chart for wicket-keepers with the highest number of dismissals at 132.

6. Dwayne Bravo

The best all-rounder ever to have played for the franchise, No.6 spot undoubtedly goes to this man. Over a period, more than his batting, he contributed immensely to the bowling department being the go-to bowler for MSD in the death overs. Known for his dancing moves and exceptional fielding abilities, he brings the much-needed energy into the side.

7. Albie Morkel

Another overseas all-rounder making to the list is this South African lad. He brought the right balance to the team, opening the bowling at times and giving a power-packed punch to the bowlers in the final overs in batting as well. His knock of 28 off seven balls against Kohli (RCB) in 2012 is one of the great cameos in the league history.

8. Ravindra Jadeja

Though he came into the franchise at a later stage, he became one of the core players thanks to his all-round abilities. He has proven his worth with his left-arm spin, and some lusty blows with the bat down the order. Known for his sword-wielding celebrations, he is one of the best fielders ever to grace the game in this decade, proving to be a complete package.

Also read: https://www.sportzian.com/post/mumbai-indians-all-time-xi

9. Ravichandran Ashwin

The best spinner ever to don the yellow jersey, this local lad from Chennai came on the top over many batsmen by rolling his arms over. Bowling upfront in the power-plays, he changed the way the spinners operate in the game. His dismissal of Chris Gayle in the 2011 final is one of the all-time great IPL moments.

10. Deepak Chahar

This young bowling sensation is proving to be the leading pacer for the team in recent times. With his swing abilities, he is useful in the power-play overs. With his improving death bowling skills, he is becoming the complete bowler that every skipper yearns.

11. Mohit Sharma

This right-arm medium-fast bowler from Haryana had a good outing with CSK. He is the highest wicket-taker among the Indian pacers for the team.

The other contenders for this pacer spot are Ashish Nehra and Dough Bollinger. Nehra Ji impressed everyone during his CSK tenure, making a comeback to the national team and proving that age is just a number. Dough Bollinger, the fast-Australian lead the pace attack for three seasons (2010-12), proved to be a significant reason for the two titles clinched by CSK during that period.

Another contender for the spot is Imran Tahir, famous for his celebrations running from one side to the other. With the leg spinners becoming the attacking norm in the shortest format, he is the right man for the MSD. But with the four foreign players rule, it was tough to include them. So, we are going ahead with Mohit.

Playing XI: Matthew Hayden, Murali Vijay, Suresh Raina, Michael Hussey, Mahendra Singh Dhoni(Captain/WK), Dwayne Bravo, Albie Morkel, Ravindra Jadeja, Ravichandran Ashwin, Deepak Chahar, Mohit Sharma.

Honorable Mentions: Shane Watson, Subramaniam Badrinath, Imran Tahir, Ashish Nehra, Dough Bollinger

Do mention the players whom you think should have made it to this list in the comments section. Stay safe. Cheers!!

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About the Author

The post is written by Aravind . Aravind is a graduate from IIM Visakhapatnam and an avid cricket enthusiast. He follows the game with great passion. More than mere watching, he likes to analyze the game deeply and write blogs.