The 15th season of IPL is just two days away. Since it is the season after the mega auction, each team is in the process of building a new team with many newcomers. The Chennai Super Kings have sacked some of the key players like Raina and have signed new players. In that case, what’s CSK’s new playing eleven? What is Dhoni’s plan?
CSK does not have the job of building a whole new team like other teams, as it has retained most of those who were key players on their team last season.
Rudraj Kejriwal was CSK’s superstar last season. The man who was sidelined as ‘no spark’ turned into a wildfire and gave a thermal performance. Going down as the opener and scoring a barrage, he also won the orange cap with 635 runs at the end of the season. CSK retained him before the auction. Rudraj Kejriwal has definitely secured a place in CSK’s opening slot this season as well.
Who is the partner of Rudraj Kejriwal?
Duplessis, who was the opener last season with Rudraj Kejriwal, has left for Bangalore this time. Duplessis was as much responsible as Rudraj was as the CSK champion last season. He had missed the orange cap by taking just 2 runs less than Rudraj. His absence this time is a loss to CSK. But CSK has bought some other players in the auction to make up for it.
Most teams like this opening combination of an Indian + a foreign player. The same goes for CSK. CSKA’s overseas openers have been of a very high standard until Matthew Hayden, Mike Hussey, McCullum, Smith, Watson and finally Duplessis. Foreign player Devon Conway is more likely to land in the opening in this line. The Conway Left Hand Batter is an added advantage. Conway emigrated from South Africa to New Zealand to play cricket. Able to play well in all three formats. He has rocked the bar in the Super Smash T20 series. He has also played well in the T20 matches for New Zealand. Able to fill the tracks of CSK’s previous foreign openers. So, one can only hope that Dick will hit the Conway name as Dhoni’s Rudraj’s partner.
Next is the No. 3 position. Known as CSK’s iconic head, it was once Raina’s permanent home. Dhoni will keep Moin Ali at the No. 3 spot after dropping Raina a bit last season. Raina would have played at No.4. This time there was no rain. In that case, the number 3 may seem to be Moin Ali. But, that is not the case. Moin Ali will be ranked No. 3 only if Raina is on the team. Without Raina, Moin Ali would have landed at No. 4.
Yes, Raina was injured during the close of the playoffs last season. Uthappa would have banged in response to Raina. Uthappa was then dropped to No. 3 and Moin Ali to No. 4. The more Uthappa dances, the better he will play. This is understandable if you flip through his records. Accordingly, Uthappa was made the No. 3 player in Raina’s absence. This time Raina was not on the team. So Uthappa is more likely to bang in that No. 3 position. If so, Moin Ali will bang at No.4.
However, Moin Ali has not yet arrived in India due to non-availability of visa. He is said to have a chance to miss some matches in the beginning. If Moin Ali does not dance it will be a big setback for CSK. Dhoni saw Moin Ali as CSK’s property. That is why they gave more importance to Moine than Duplessis and retained him.
CSK was severely hampered in the 2020 season. But, in the 2021 season CSK was the champion. Moin Ali was also instrumental in turning the situation upside down in the space of five to six months. Moin Ali, a newcomer to the team, was the second highest run scorer after Rudraj and Dupleix. A positive momentum should be available at the opening. Dhoni wants to keep it that way till the end.
Moin Ali had done a good job of handing over the role of Ambati Rayudu and Jadeja to Audi without slipping down the momentum that Audi Dhoni had expected in the action at No. 3/4. Also, having only exactly 5 bowling options led to CSK’s slip in the 2020 season. In 2021 Moin Ali got rid of that problem too. He was the sixth bowling option off the spinner to take 6 wickets. Economy is just 6.35. Moin Ali had multiplied CSK’s strength as an all-rounder. The problem is even if he doesn’t play in a match. The answer to Moin Ali is that there is no player in CSK who fits in that slot. Mitchell Sandner is an all-rounder. He also plays well batting. But, since Jadeja is already a left-arm spinner, it would not be right for another to be a left-arm spinner. Sivam is likely to make Dubey dance at that number 3/4. But, there will be some problems in the team combination. It would be interesting to see what decision Dhoni is going to make in the absence of Moin Ali.
Ambati Rayudu, Dhoni, Jadeja, Deepak Sahar will all be 100 per cent playing eleven. Shardul Tagore was in the team last time with Deepak Sahar. This time he went to Delhi Capitals. So it must be that the Indian fast bowler has been selected to replace Shardul Tagore. KM Asif, who has played for CSKA in previous seasons, U19 cricketer Rajyavardhan Hungercocker and Tushar Deshponde are in the race for the spot.
Deepak Sahar is the best thrower in the powerplay. The fast bowler who joins the alliance with him should be a good bowler in the middle & death. But players who are an option for CSK are inexperienced. Thus Bravo is also more likely to be in the playing eleven.
If Moin Ali does not go for it, who is the spinner who will throw along with Jadeja? And the question of who is the foreign cracker bowler. When it comes to spinners, the first thing that comes to mind is the young Sri Lankan Mahis Deeksana. He is the one who can throw the current trend Mystery Spin. Both sides will turn the ball. He made his international debut last year. He has excelled for the Sri Lankan team in the T20 World Cup. Terribly frugal thrower. That would be a wonderful choice.
Foreign crackers are also important to the team. Hazelwood has been instrumental in CSK’s throwing success last season. This time Adam Milne, Jordan and Pretorius are in the race for that foreign cracker spot. Milne or Jordan Dick are more likely to be hit.
Proposed team: (In the absence of Moin Ali)
Rudathuraj Kejriwal, Devon Conway, Uthappa, Ambati Rayudu, Dhoni, Jadeja, Bravo, Deepak Sahar, Mahis Deekshana, Adam Milne / Jordan, KM Asif / Tushar Deshpande / Rajyavardhan Hungerker.
The absence of Moin Ali will only be a matter of concern for CSK in the Playing Eleven exam. If Sivam Dube is brought in to bowl in return for him, the bowling is likely to falter a bit. Another full-time Indian fast bowler will not be able to play with Deepak Sahar. It would be like losing a hand in the batting if Mahees Deeksana was brought in on account of Moin Ali bowling in alliance with Jadeja. In the absence of Moin Ali, CSK will face this problem in the first couple of matches. Let’s see depending on what Dhoni is going to do.
Come soon Alibaba !!
– உ. Shriram