The upcoming edition of the Indian Premier League season is to be played from 26th March. With the tournament is around the corner, the franchises would have already started their preparations to find out their best combination.
Chennai Super Kings has been one of the most consistent franchises in the history of IPL. They have retained Ruturaj Gayakwad, Moeen Ali, MS Dhoni and Ravindra Jadeja ahead of IPL 2022.
The franchise has also picked some interesting players in the mega auction and they would be looking to defend their IPL title. In our article, we take a look at Chennai Super Kings’ strongest playing XI for the upcoming IPL season.
Openers – Ruturaj Gaikwad and Devon Conway
The right-handed opener, Ruturaj Gaikwad was given an opportunity to open the innings for his franchise. Though he had failures in his first couple of games, he grabbed the chance by scoring fifties for fun. Gaikwad was in tremendous form throughout the IPL 2021 season as he went on to win the orange cap.
With Chennai won’t have the services of Faf du Plessis this year, they bought New Zealand’s Devon Conway at a cheaper price. Conway is one of the few players who have been in good touch in the shortest format of the game.
Middle-order – Moeen Ali, Ambati Rayudu, Robin Uthappa and MS Dhoni
Moeen Ali was one of the main reasons behind CSK winning the trophy for the 4th time. He was in destructive mode last season and also provided a good platform for the finishers.
Both Ambati Rayudu and Robin Uthappa were excellent whenever they gets a chance to help the team last season. Having experience on their side, they both can play any kind of innings according to the situation.
MS Dhoni’s primary role will be leading his team to win the trophy. He is one of the best skippers in the world. However, he still has the ability to score some quick runs that will be highly beneficial for his team.
All-rounders – Shivam Dube, Ravindra Jadeja and Dwayne Bravo:
It could be a master-stroke decision from the skipper if Shivan Dube starts. He is one of the dangerous hitters in domestic cricket, however, he could not replicate the same in the IPL. He can also provide a couple of overs if the skipper requires.
The left-hander Ravindra Jadeja has been the best all-rounder across formats in recent times. His firepower with the bat and his wicket-taking skills with the bat will be key for his franchise.
Though the age is not on his side, Dwayne Bravo still has a lot to offer in the T20 format. He could play some quick cameos in the death overs and can grab the wickets with his brilliance.
Bowlers – Adam Milne and KM Asif:
The defending champions have managed to pick the New Zealand pacer, Adam Milne, as they needed a replacement for Josh Hazlewood. One can expect him to play from the very first game as he has the ability to trouble the batsmen with his raw pace.
KM Asif has been with the franchise since the last mega auction. Since their main pacer Deepak Chahar will not be there for the majority of the season, Asif will be having a very important role in the upcoming season.