Describing how I feel about this outstanding team, Chennai Super Kings (CSK), is like trying to say how an overwhelming lion’s roar sounds with few words. CSK is not just a team, it is simply more than that. It represents sports tradition, way of living, culture, and something of heritage.
This team made me realize why fans are so loyal. That glorious yellow jersey of the prideful lion, which not only holds value for a cricketing team but is also the symbol of reliance, dedication and passion, gives us an unending enthusiasm and confidence.
CSK is more than a team. It’s a feeling that millions of fans across the globe weave tightly together with their loyalty and love. The thunderous roar of the crowd reverberating in the Sacred Stadium of MA Chidambaram Stadium with the electricity of the air alive and with everyone’s heart beating – these are the days that keep the soul intact and among the millions of fans the fire breaks into a surge of love for the game.
The CSK encompasses expectations of hope, unity, and a relentless pursuit of greatness for me. Moreover, it is a lighthouse of inspiration and a well of happiness for both the victims and even those who have not been involved in the terrible occurrence.
Whether this team wins or loses the game, its spirit can fill a fan’s soul giving a feeling of being proud and belonging which cannot be terminated by the borders or lines drawn on the ground.
Sometimes the thrill could be the one-over finishes and other times it could be the deafening bangs of the sixes that are the toast rising into the sky. But my four months of cheering for CSK were thrilling nonetheless. Through the highs and lows, victories and defeats, one thing remains constant: who will always be there, even when they fall, enabling them to be with us, the fans, no matter what.
Hence we find it very necessary to pay tribute to those wonderful structures and marvellous players that not only made the CSK special but have carved their name in its proud history as well. However, this is never going to be the case as the prop comes to the turn of Chennai Super Kings who are supposed to glory after glory every season.
CSK Squad in IPL 2008
| Cricketer | Role | Country |
|---|---|---|
| Suresh Raina | Batsman | India |
| Abhinav Mukund | Batsman | India |
| Anirudha Srikkanth | Batsman | India |
| Vidyut Sivaramakrishnan | Batsman | India |
| Matthew Hayden | Batsman | Australia |
| Subramaniam Badrinath | Batsman | India |
| Arun Karthik | Batsman | India |
| Stephen Fleming | Batsman | New Zealand |
| Michael Hussey | Batsman | Australia |
| Chamara Kapugedera | Batsman | Sri Lanka |
| Jacob Oram | All-rounder | New Zealand |
| Albie Morkel | All-rounder | South Africa |
| Selvam Suresh Kumar | All-rounder | India |
| Napoleon Einstein | All-rounder | India |
| Mahendra Singh Dhoni | WK-Batsman | India |
| Parthiv Patel | WK-Batsman | India |
| Muttiah Muralitharan | Off-Spinner | Sri Lanka |
| Lakshmipathy Balaji | Medium Pacer | India |
| Joginder Sharma | Medium Pacer | India |
| Ravichandran Ashwin | Off-Spinner | India |
| Makhaya Ntini | Medium Pacer | South Africa |
| Sudeep Tyagi | Medium Pacer | India |
| Palani Amarnath | Medium Pacer | India |
| Shadab Jakati | Left Arm Orthodox | India |
| Manpreet Gony | Medium Pacer | India |
| Viraj Kadbe | Leg Spinner | India |
The first season of IPL in 2008 was remarkable for Chennai Super Kings who were very successful in their promulgation and leadership under the influence of their captain, MS Dhoni.
CSK secured the top position in the IPL 2008 ranked 1st having a star-studded lineup crew with Mahendra Singh Dhoni, Matthew Hayden, Stephen Fleming, Muttiah Muralitharan, and Michael Hussey who had been the best performers during the league stage.
The final challenge became the third in the group stage, however, the team demonstrated their skill and led the championship. There were also key contributions by Hayden (who became one of the main run-getters of the tournament) and the captains of both the teams, Dhoni and Moin Khan.
Despite succumbing to Rajasthan Royals for the title, CSK’s inaugural season in IPL reflects the genesis of their future achievements in the league.
CSK Squad in IPL 2009
| No. | Name | Nationality | Batting Style | Bowling Style |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | Suresh Raina | India | Left-handed | Right-arm off break |
| 8 | Murali Vijay | India | Right-handed | Right-arm off break |
| 10 | George Bailey | Australia | Right-handed | Right-arm medium |
| 12 | Vidyut Sivaramakrishnan | India | Left-handed | Slow left-arm orthodox |
| 28 | Matthew Hayden | Australia | Left-handed | Right-arm medium |
| 33 | Subramaniam Badrinath | India | Right-handed | Right-arm off break |
| 42 | Arun Karthik | India | Right-handed | Right-arm leg break |
| 7 | Mahendra Singh Dhoni | India | Right-handed | Right-arm medium |
| 9 | Parthiv Patel | India | Left-handed | – |
| 8 | Muttiah Muralitharan | Sri Lanka | Right-handed | Right-arm off break |
| 11 | Lakshmipathy Balaji | India | Right-handed | Right-arm fast-medium |
| 13 | Joginder Sharma | India | Right-handed | Right-arm fast-medium |
| 14 | Ravichandran Ashwin | India | Right-handed | Right-arm off break |
| 16 | Makhaya Ntini | South Africa | Right-handed | Right-arm fast-medium |
| 17 | Sudeep Tyagi | India | Right-handed | Right-arm medium-fast |
| 21 | Palani Amarnath | India | Right-handed | Right-arm medium-fast |
| 25 | Shadab Jakati | India | Left-handed | Slow left-arm orthodox |
| 76 | Manpreet Gony | India | Right-handed | Right-arm medium-fast |
| 97 | Thilan Thushara | Sri Lanka | Left-handed | Left-arm fast-medium |
| – | Viraj Kadbe | India | Right-handed | Right-arm leg break |
In the IPL 2009 season, again, the Chennai Super Kings came back with resounding performances, sprinkled with difficult patches just as in the previous season. The team encountered numerous problems in the initial period, mainly the loss of crucial players such as Andrew Flintoff due to injuries. Although they showed that they were not made for the pressure, they have shown the true spirit of fighting and leading by M.S. Dhoni.
Even though the IPL was not all smooth sailing, CSK still got the silver spot at the league level due to the continued show of great batting ability by Matthew Hayden. The extended roster played simultaneously as evidence of the fact that many other players rose to the occasion of complementing the efforts of the protagonists in the season.
CSK’s IPL 2009 campaign ended prematurely at the hands of Royal Challengers Bangalore in the tournament finale. Nevertheless, their overall performance in IPL 2009 was one of the best in the series which gave them a great prospect of making the most out of the tournament ahead.
CSK Squad in IPL 2010
| No. | Name | Nationality | Batting Style | Bowling Style |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Murali Vijay | India | Right-handed | Right-arm off break |
| 3 | Suresh Raina | India | Left-handed | Right-arm off break |
| 7 | Mahendra Singh Dhoni | India | Right-handed | Right-arm medium |
| 9 | Arun Karthik | India | Right-handed | Right-arm leg break |
| 10 | George Bailey | Australia | Right-handed | Right arm medium |
| 14 | Ravichandran Ashwin | India | Right-handed | Right-arm off break |
| 16 | Makhaya Ntini | South Africa | Right-handed | Right arm fast-medium |
| 17 | Sudeep Tyagi | India | Right-handed | Right-arm medium-fast |
| 23 | Joginder Sharma | India | Right-handed | Right-arm fast-medium |
| 24 | Doug Bollinger | Australia | Left-handed | Left-arm fast-medium |
| 27 | Shadab Jakati | India | Left-handed | Slow left arm orthodox |
| 28 | Matthew Hayden | Australia | Left-handed | Right-arm medium |
| 33 | Subramaniam Badrinath | India | Right-handed | Right-arm off break |
| 42 | Parthiv Patel | India | Left-handed | – |
| 48 | Michael Hussey | Australia | Left-handed | Right-arm medium |
| 55 | Lakshmipathy Balaji | India | Right-handed | Right-arm fast-medium |
| 76 | Manpreet Gony | India | Right-handed | Right-arm medium-fast |
| 77 | Anirudha Srikkanth | India | Right-handed | Right-arm off break |
| 800 | Muttiah Muralitharan | Sri Lanka | Right-handed | Right-arm off break |
| 81 | Albie Morkel | South Africa | Left-handed | Right arm medium-fast |
| 90 | Abhinav Mukund | India | Left-handed | Right-arm leg break |
| 97 | Thilan Thushara | Sri Lanka | Left-handed | Left-arm medium-fast |
Chennai Super Kings through the IPL 2010 season remained an undisputed force and ended up with the maiden title when it took a fantastic finish. The team decisively made key signings bolstering their success with the arrival of exceptional players like Michael Hussey, Ravichandran Ashwin, Doug Bollinger and Sudeep Tyagi, who greatly improved the bowling attack.
Coming from the astute captaincy of MS Dhoni, CSK demonstrated unparalleled unity and determination from start to finish. Suresh Raina and skipper Dhoni too, among others, had key roles to play and played crucial innings that helped India win the two games.
The grand finale for CSK in which they will take on Mumbai Indians will conclude with a victorious title won in the aftermath of milestone achievements which include a string of memorable wins and nail-biting encounters. Overcoming the odds and grabbing the trophy in season 2010 with the CSK team, they proved their status as a dominant force in the IPL.
CSK Squad in IPL 2011
| No. | Name | Nationality | Batting Style | Bowling Style |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | Suresh Raina | India | Left-handed | Right-arm off break |
| 5 | George Bailey | Australia | Right-handed | Right arm medium |
| 6 | Wriddhiman Saha | India | Right-handed | – |
| 7 | Mahendra Singh Dhoni (c) | India | Right-handed | Right-arm medium |
| 8 | Murali Vijay | India | Right-handed | Right-arm off break |
| 9 | Yo Mahesh | India | Right-handed | Right-arm medium-fast |
| 13 | Francois du Plessis | South Africa | Right-handed | Right-arm leg break |
| 17 | Sudeep Tyagi | India | Right-handed | Right-arm medium-fast |
| 23 | Joginder Sharma | India | Right-handed | Right-arm fast-medium |
| 24 | Ganapathi Vignesh | India | Right-handed | Right arm medium-fast |
| 27 | Shadab Jakati | India | Left-handed | Slow left arm orthodox |
| 33 | Subramaniam Badrinath | India | Right-handed | Right-arm off break |
| 35 | K. Vasudevadas | India | Left-handed | Right-arm leg break |
| 38 | Tim Southee | New Zealand | Right-handed | Right arm fast-medium |
| 47 | Dwayne Bravo | Trinidad and Tobago | Right-handed | Right-arm medium-fast |
| 48 | Michael Hussey | Australia | Left-handed | Right-arm medium |
| 56 | Scott Styris | New Zealand | Right-handed | Right-arm medium |
| 77 | Anirudha Srikkanth | India | Right-handed | Right-arm off break |
| 81 | Albie Morkel | South Africa | Left-handed | Right arm medium-fast |
| 88 | Suraj Randiv | Sri Lanka | Right-handed | Right-arm off break |
| 90 | Abhinav Mukund | India | Left-handed | Right-arm leg break |
| 92 | Nuwan Kulasekara | Sri Lanka | Right-handed | Right-arm fast-medium |
| 99 | Ravichandran Ashwin | India | Right-handed | Right-arm off break |
The season of IPL 2011, was dominated by the Super Kings of Chennai with them winning their second consecutive title. A shining example of their success came with the signings of the big hitter Michael Hussey, who laid a steady platform for other batsmen, and the fast bowler Doug Bollinger, who took wickets while bowling with guile and precision.
Top of all, Murali Vijay, with his exquisite strokeplay and solid technique, was the best opener for the Chennai Super Kings in IPL 2011. It was his humble start of the innings and some fast beginning from which batsmen ensured that superseded the whole batting lineup.
Alongside Subramaniam Badrinath who was famous for his tenacity and endurance, those two batted in the middle order together and eventually were the bowlers who finished the match with brilliant performances. His quick timing at the crease and capacity for altering strikes in the direction of the gaps made him a key man on the team’s batting lineup.
In the IPL 2011 Tamil Nadu core, Badrinath, Ashwin & Vijay played their part wonderfully to be key contributors to Chennai’s superb performance to win the championships. Chennai Super Kings reigned victorious in both the IPL 2011 finals and the Qualifier 1 being more dominant with their batting, bowling, and fielding skills, which helped them to rule the mega stage of the game. Collaborative impetus from the key members of IPL’s Chennai Super Kings cores caused them to claim their second IPL title in 2011, making it two consecutive titles
IPL 2012
| No | Name | Nationality | Batting Style | Bowling Style |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | Suresh Raina | India | Left-handed | Right-arm off break |
| 5 | George Bailey | Australia | Right-handed | Right arm medium |
| 8 | Murali Vijay | India | Right-handed | Right-arm off break |
| 13 | Francois du Plessis | South Africa | Right-handed | Right-arm leg break |
| 33 | Subramaniam Badrinath | India | Right-handed | Right-arm off break |
| 35 | K. Vasudevadas | India | Left-handed | Right-arm leg break |
| 48 | Michael Hussey | Australia | Left-handed | Right-arm medium |
| 77 | Anirudha Srikkanth | India | Right-handed | Right-arm off break |
| 90 | Abhinav Mukund | India | Left-handed | Right-arm leg break |
| 12 | Ravindra Jadeja | India | Left-handed | Slow left arm orthodox |
| 47 | Dwayne Bravo | Trinidad and Tobago | Right-handed | Right-arm medium-fast |
| 56 | Scott Styris | New Zealand | Right-handed | Right-arm medium |
| 81 | Albie Morkel | South Africa | Left-handed | Right arm medium-fast |
| – | Ganapathi Vignesh | India | Right-handed | Right arm medium-fast |
| 6 | Wriddhiman Saha | India | Right-handed | – |
| 7 | Mahendra Singh Dhoni | India | Right-handed | Right-arm medium |
| 4 | Doug Bollinger | Australia | Left-handed | Left-arm fast-medium |
| 9 | Yo Mahesh | India | Right-handed | Right-arm medium-fast |
| 17 | Sudeep Tyagi | India | Right-handed | Right-arm medium-fast |
| 23 | Joginder Sharma | India | Right-handed | Right-arm fast-medium |
| 27 | Shadab Jakati | India | Left-handed | Slow left arm orthodox |
| 88 | Suraj Randiv | Sri Lanka | Right-handed | Right-arm off break |
| 92 | Nuwan Kulasekara | Sri Lanka | Right-handed | Right-arm fast-medium |
| 99 | Ravichandran Ashwin | India | Right-handed | Right-arm off break |
The tale of the Chennai Super Kings in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2012 ended on a sweet and sour note as they finished in second place after losing the final match. Sitting against Kolkata Knight Riders and Suresh Raina’s batting knock that steered them to a massive total.
Chennai Super Kings narrowly lost in the final but could not win the trophy. KKR’s batting power was beyond Athenians in the middle, and finally, the result was a victory for them with five wickets to spare. Equally, the bitter taste of the final loss cannot erase the endurance of the Chennai Super Kings squad which made them the crowned head of the IPL’s most beloved teams.
In the 2012 IPL, one of Chennai Super Kings’ top contributors was Suresh Raina, who scored a total of 441 runs at a healthy average of 25.94 and a high strike rate of 135.69. On the high bowling end, Dwayne Bravo demonstrated his mastery by collecting all the 15 wickets aggregate with an average bowling figure of 30.80. Both Raina and Bravo shone brightly in this spotlight as their performances became match-defining in leading CSK to the IPL final, where they came close to winning against Kolkata Knight Riders, despite Raina’s unbeaten 73-run knock.
IPL 2013
| No. | Name | Nationality | Batting Style | Bowling Style |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | R Karthikeyan | India | Right-handed | Slow left arm orthodox |
| 2 | Chris Morris | South Africa | Right-handed | Right-arm medium |
| 3 | Suresh Raina | India | Left-handed | Right-arm off break |
| 4 | Akila Dananjaya | Sri Lanka | Left-handed | Right-arm off break |
| 5 | Baba Aparajith | India | Right-handed | Right-arm off break |
| 6 | Wriddhiman Saha | India | Right-handed | – |
| 7 | Mahendra Singh Dhoni | India | Right-handed | Right-arm medium |
| 8 | Ben Laughlin | Australia | Right-handed | Right-arm fast-medium |
| 12 | Ravindra Jadeja | India | Left-handed | Slow left arm orthodox |
| 13 | Francois du Plessis | South Africa | Right-handed | Right-arm leg break |
| 18 | Mohit Sharma | India | Right-handed | Right-arm medium-fast |
| 22 | Ronit More | India | Right-handed | Right-arm medium-fast |
| 26 | Vijay Shankar | India | Right-handed | Right-arm off break |
| 27 | Shadab Jakati | India | Left-handed | Slow left arm orthodox |
| 28 | Ben Hilfenhaus | Australia | Right-handed | Right arm fast-medium |
| 29 | Dirk Nannes | Australia | Right-handed | Left-arm fast-medium |
| 33 | Subramaniam Badrinath | India | Right-handed | Right-arm off break |
| 43 | Ankit Rajpoot | India | Right-handed | Right-arm medium-fast |
| 47 | Dwayne Bravo | Trinidad and Tobago | Right-handed | Right-arm medium-fast |
| 48 | Michael Hussey | Australia | Left-handed | Right-arm medium |
| 55 | Imtiyaz Ahmed | India | Right-handed | Right-arm fast-medium |
| 77 | Anirudha Srikkanth | India | Right-handed | Right-arm off break |
| 81 | Albie Morkel | South Africa | Left-handed | Right arm medium-fast |
| 92 | Nuwan Kulasekara | Sri Lanka | Right-handed | Right-arm fast-medium |
| 98 | Jason Holder | Barbados | Right-handed | Right-arm medium-fast |
Nevertheless, the Chennai Super Kings reaffirmed their ability to conquer the tournament in IPL 2013. Steered by a mister cool personality Dhoni made CSK’s campaign a perfect mixture of consistent performances and tactical manoeuvres. The team management went for fortifying their batsmen during the pre-season but it was the batting mainstay Michael Hussey who stole the show. Being the Australian opener, his performances were incredible, amassing a total of 733 runs during the season with the tournament Orange Cap as the tournament’s leading run-scorer.
Besides Hussey, Bravo has also flourished into a potent threat for the bowling unit throughout the contest. As a Trinidadian all-rounder, he excelled in the game, exhibiting his dexterity in both batting and bowling, which earned him a record-breaking 32 wickets in the tournament, which fetched him the Purple Cap award for his superb bowling performance.
Strange but true, even after the remarkable display from the Chennai Super Kings team throughout the season, in the last match the team faced a setback in the IPL 2013 final against Mumbai Indians. Although having a bunch of remarkable batsmen like Michael Hussey in their squad, CSK still gave up the game in an all-important encounter. Mumbai Indians took a commanding position in the match, and even after a briefly competitive batting performance from CSK, they could not manage to win the game.
The Mumbai Indians bowlers displayed impressive spirit which proved to be a success as they limited the CSK’s batting unit, which is a well-known reputation in this format. Despite their most valiant efforts, the Chennai Super Kings proved to be simply no match for the pressure and ultimately lost to the Mumbai Indians in the crucial last moments of the big match. It was a tough lesson to take for CSK and their supporters, but the team’s performance throughout the tournament was noteworthy, reflecting their tolerance and their spirit.
IPL 2014
| No. | Name | Nationality | Batting style | Bowling style |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | Suresh Raina | India | Left-handed | Right-arm off break |
| 5 | Baba Aparajith | India | Right-handed | Right-arm off break |
| 6 | Pawan Negi | India | Left-handed | Slow left-arm orthodox |
| 7 | Mahendra Singh Dhoni | India | Right-handed | Right-arm medium |
| 8 | Ravindra Jadeja | India | Left-handed | Slow left-arm orthodox |
| 11 | John Hastings | Australia | Right-handed | Right-arm fast-medium |
| 12 | Mithun Manhas | India | Right-handed | Right-arm off break |
| 13 | Francois du Plessis | South Africa | Right-handed | Right-arm leg break |
| 15 | Ishwar Pandey | India | Right-handed | Right-arm medium-fast |
| 18 | Mohit Sharma | India | Right-handed | Right-arm medium-fast |
| 20 | Ben Hilfenhaus | Australia | Right-handed | Right-arm fast-medium |
| 21 | Matt Henry | New Zealand | Right-handed | Right-arm fast-medium |
| 22 | Ronit More | India | Right-handed | Right arm medium-fast |
| 29 | David Hussey | Australia | Right-handed | Right-arm off break |
| 41 | Vijay Shankar | India | Right-handed | Right-arm off break |
| 42 | Brendon McCullum | New Zealand | Right-handed | Right-arm medium |
| 47 | Dwayne Bravo | Trinidad and Tobago | Right-handed | Right-arm medium-fast |
| 50 | Dwayne Smith | Barbados | Right-handed | Right-arm medium-fast |
| 64 | Ashish Nehra | India | Right-handed | Left-arm medium-fast |
| 77 | Samuel Badree | Trinidad and Tobago | Right-handed | Right-arm leg break |
| 99 | Ravichandran Ashwin | India | Right-handed | Right-arm off break |
In the 2014 IPL season, the Chennai Super Kings carried on their tradition of being the strongest and became the favourite squad yet again to make the dream of another trophy come true. Star names of that campaign were markedly recognizable, with Dwayne Smith having a demonstrative and explosive batting as he took away a very impressive 566 runs tall. Mohit Sharma complimented him by exhibiting the brilliance of an all-rounder, bagging 28 wickets during the tournament thus leaving no one in doubt against his position as the best bowler in the tournament.
Key signings supported the squad’s strength, especially with the arrival of Brendon McCullum, who reinforced the middle order’s aggressive movements, and Ben Hilfenhaus who mastered the swing of the ball, which added up to the bowling lineup.
Nevertheless, despite their merit in the Super Kings, IPL 2014 unexpectedly, they faced a collapse in the Qualifier 2. Although CSK made a good fight against the Kings XI Punjab the final result was mixed as CSK could not secure the victory thus ending CSK’s journey to the ultimate victory just a few feet short. The tumble brought immense disillusion for the team and their fans, but their spirit prevailed and then their competitive nature put them on course for future wins.
IPL 2015
| No | Name | Nationality | Batting Style | Bowling Style |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | Suresh Raina | India | Left-handed | Right-arm off break |
| 12 | Mithun Manhas | India | Right-handed | Right-arm off break |
| 13 | Faf du Plessis | South Africa | Right-handed | Right-arm leg break |
| 42 | Brendon McCullum | New Zealand | Right-handed | Right-arm medium |
| 48 | Michael Hussey | Australia | Left-handed | Right-arm medium |
| 5 | Baba Aparajith | India | Right-handed | Right-arm off break |
| 8 | Ravindra Jadeja | India | Left-handed | Slow left-arm orthodox |
| 47 | Dwayne Bravo | Trinidad and Tobago | Right-handed | Right-arm medium-fast |
| 50 | Dwayne Smith | Barbados | Right-handed | Right-arm medium-fast |
| 56 | Irfan Pathan | India | Left-handed | Left-arm medium-fast |
| 68 | Andrew Tye | Australia | Right-handed | Right-arm medium-fast |
| 1 | Eklavya Dwivedi | India | Right-handed | |
| 7 | Mahendra Singh Dhoni | India | Right-handed | Right-arm medium |
| 9 | Ankush Bains | India | Right-handed | |
| 6 | Pawan Negi | India | Left-handed | Slow left-arm orthodox |
| 15 | Ishwar Pandey | India | Right-handed | Right-arm medium-fast |
| 18 | Mohit Sharma | India | Right-handed | Right-arm medium-fast |
In the IPL 2015 season, the Chennai Super Kings set out on a mission to recapture the title they held to with a mix of good and unpleasant moments. The sit-tight skipper Dhoni lead this squad to great achievements with an excellent display of match-winning performances and nail-biting contests.
Star Performers: Brendon McCullum, from New Zealand, became a landmark player in the achievement of CSK during the IPL 2015. Opening the batting for New Zealand, the destructive batsman overwhelmed the spinners with his breathtaking stroke play and ended up with a gargantuan 436 runs, combining a breakneck strike rate and match-winning starts.
A Neon man Dwayne Bravo who littered the season with all-round talent was also a standout performer. The Western Indian demonstrated his skillfulness with both bat and ball, finishing the game with many skilful shots and very essential staged wickets. He devised the shell orange colour cap which he was wearing.
Despite having no smooth sailing in IPL, sitting overhead strong competitors, Chennai Super Kings have still represented a mark of courage and determination as they finished the league stage among the top teams to secure a playoff spot. But, their progress went ahead by them seeking a pivotal loss in the final game against Mumbai Indians, which was the IPL 2015. The smart determined CSK warriors showed great spirit on the pitch but eventually fell short losing to their nemeses. It was an incredibly unpalatable reality for CSK, as well as their fans but their performance over the entire season underscores the never-say-die spirit and their unflagging commitment to the top performance.
IPL 2018
| No | Name | Nationality | Batting Style | Bowling Style |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | Suresh Raina | India | Left-handed | Right-arm off break |
| 5 | Kshitiz Sharma | India | Right-handed | Right-arm medium |
| 7 | MS Dhoni | India | Right-handed | Right-arm medium |
| 8 | Ravindra Jadeja | India | Left-handed | Slow left-arm orthodox |
| 9 | Ambati Rayudu | India | Right-handed | Right-arm off break |
| 10 | Chaitanya Bishnoi | India | Left-handed | Slow left-arm orthodox |
| 11 | Mark Wood | England | Right-handed | Right-arm fast |
| 13 | Faf du Plessis | South Africa | Right-handed | Right-arm leg break |
| 18 | Narayan Jagadeesan | India | Right-handed | |
| 22 | Lungi Ngidi | South Africa | Right-handed | Right-arm fast |
| 23 | Monu Kumar | India | Right-handed | Right-arm medium |
| 24 | KM Asif | India | Right-handed | Right-arm fast medium |
| 27 | Harbhajan Singh | India | Right-handed | Right-arm off break |
| 33 | Shane Watson | Australia | Right-handed | Right-arm fast medium |
| 34 | Kanishk Seth | India | Right-handed | Left-arm medium |
| 36 | Karn Sharma | India | Left-handed | Right-arm leg break |
| 47 | Dwayne Bravo | Trinidad and Tobago | Right-handed | Right-arm medium fast |
| 66 | Dhruv Shorey | India | Right-handed | Right-arm off break |
| 72 | David Willey | England | Left-handed | Left-arm fast |
| 74 | Mitchell Santner | New Zealand | Left-handed | Slow left-arm orthodox |
The grand comeback of CSK filled the screen with the emotions of determination and hope as they again took the position in the IPL 2018. They breached into suspension and came out with self-confidence onto the auction floors, attaining a squad built to scale the success peaks. Splashing Shane Watson onto the narrative was a fantastic masterstroke which further added to their saga.
Alongside this came the arrival of the much-loved Ambati Rayudu who added the necessary charisma. Deepak Chahar, voicing his destiny, was the future star, fully armed and ready to play. On the other hand, the elder Harbhajan Singh’s seasoned wisdom kept them pulled together. They managed to do that by including moves which made the games dramatic and tense, hence keeping the audience entertained the whole time. Finally, their triumph brought them the title of Champions in the hearts of Cricket lovers and it made them, the greatest, ever!
A superb comeback was seen from the Chennai Super Kings in the title game of IPL 2018 that was reminiscent of an epic Bollywood blockbuster, and they were victorious. Facing the struggle of their suspended position despite all the odds they overcome hurdles against their comeback story ending in noble nature. The traits of steel nerves with hearts racing, courage and determination, they displayed their strength and finally grabbed the IPL cup. In the victory spectacle that was filled with bosom and chants of “CSK we are here,” the finale of this season of IPL ended with names written in history as the champions of the 2018 season’s IPL series.
IPL 2019
| No. | Name | Nationality | Batting style | Bowling style |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Murali Vijay | India | Right-handed | Right-arm off break |
| 3 | Suresh Raina | India | Left-handed | Right-arm off break |
| 9 | Ambati Rayudu | India | Right-handed | Right-arm off break |
| 13 | Faf du Plessis | South Africa | Right-handed | Right-arm leg break |
| 66 | Dhruv Shorey | India | Right-handed | Right-arm off break |
| 81 | Kedar Jadhav | India | Right-handed | Right-arm off break |
| — | Ruturaj Gaikwad | India | Right-handed | |
| 8 | Ravindra Jadeja | India | Left-handed | Slow left-arm orthodox |
| 10 | Chaitanya Bishnoi | India | Left-handed | Slow left-arm orthodox |
| 33 | Shane Watson | Australia | Right-handed | Right-arm fast-medium |
| 36 | Karn Sharma | India | Left-handed | Right-arm leg break |
| 47 | Dwayne Bravo | Trinidad and Tobago | Right-handed | Right-arm medium-fast |
| 72 | David Willey | England | Left-handed | Left-arm fast |
| 74 | Mitchell Santner | New Zealand | Left-handed | Slow left-arm orthodox |
| 7 | MS Dhoni | India | Right-handed | Right-arm medium |
| 77 | Sam Billings | England | Right-handed | |
| — | Narayan Jagadeesan | India | Right-handed | |
| 18 | Mohit Sharma | India | Right-handed | Right-arm fast-medium |
| 22 | Lungi Ngidi | South Africa | Right-handed | Right-arm fast |
During IPL 2019, the Chennai Super Kings became demonstrative of their perseverance. They proceeded to the finals again. Signing geniuses such as Mohit Sharma, Ruturaj Gaikwad, and Sanjay Yadav put them in the top contending teams table. Some stars of the tournament, Dhoni being on top of them, finished with a batting contribution of 416 runs right from the front. Imran Tahir stunned all with his sleight, seizing the Purple Cap, most wicket-fetched as the tournament’s leader. Aside from Deepak Chohar’s devastating pace was problematic for rather the opposition batsmen. But, the emotional price was high in the finals as CSK got beaten by Mumbai Indians by one run in a nerve-wracking match. Although their efforts ended in defeat, the match left them with a mark that could not be easily erased.
IPL 2020
| No. | Name | Nationality | Batting style | Bowling style |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | Suresh Raina | India | Left-handed | Right-arm off break |
| 9 | Ambati Rayudu | India | Right-handed | Right-arm off break |
| 1 | Murali Vijay | India | Right-handed | Right-arm off break |
| 13 | Faf du Plessis | South Africa | Right-handed | Right-arm leg break |
| 31 | Ruturaj Gaikwad | India | Right-handed | Right-arm off break |
| 8 | Ravindra Jadeja | India | Left-handed | Slow left-arm orthodox |
| 58 | Sam Curran | England | Left-handed | Left-arm medium-fast |
| 7 | MS Dhoni | India | Right-handed | Right-arm medium |
| 18 | Narayan Jagadeesan | India | Right-handed | |
| 36 | Karn Sharma | India | Left-handed | Right-arm leg break |
| 27 | Harbhajan Singh | India | Right-handed | Right-arm off break |
| 99 | Imran Tahir | South Africa | Right-handed | Right-arm leg break |
| 74 | Mitchell Santner | New Zealand | Left-handed | Slow left-arm orthodox |
| 21 | Piyush Chawla | India | Left-handed | Right-arm leg break |
| 96 | R Sai Kishore | India | Left-handed | Slow left-arm orthodox |
| 47 | Dwayne Bravo | Trinidad and Tobago | Right-handed | Right-arm medium-fast |
| 54 | Shardul Thakur | India | Right-handed | Right-arm medium-fast |
| 90 | Deepak Chahar | India | Right-handed | Right-arm medium-fast |
| 22 | Lungi Ngidi | South Africa | Right-handed | Right-arm fast |
| 24 | KM Asif | India | Right-handed | Right-arm fast-medium |
| 2 | Monu Kumar | India | Right-handed | Right-arm medium |
| 38 | Josh Hazlewood | Australia | Left-handed | Right-arm fast-medium |
In the IPL 2020, the Chennai Super Kings faced bizarre situations, for the first time there in history they failed to qualify for the playoffs. Yet, with the discovery of promising rookies such as Ruturaj Gaikwad as a possible wood for the future, the team’s prospects did not seem to be as bleak.
The player monitoring was made through strategic signings with the registration of Sam Curran and Josh Hazlewood which improved the team’s batting line. Although their team was inconsistent and suffered many losses during the season, the reason for their early exit from the tournament was the fact that they performed poorly.
As CSK was summing up their season, it was clear to all that rebuilding and regrouping was the strategic main line for them to bounce back given the circumstances.
IPL 2021
| No. | Name | Nationality | Batting Style | Bowling Style |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 13 | Faf du Plessis | South Africa | Right-handed | Right-arm leg break |
| 9 | Ambati Rayudu | India | Right-handed | Right-arm off break |
| 3 | Suresh Raina | India | Left-handed | Right-arm off break |
| 25 | Cheteshwar Pujara | India | Right-handed | Right-arm leg break |
| 31 | Ruturaj Gaikwad | India | Right-handed | Right-arm off break |
| 16 | Chezhian Harinishanth | India | Left-handed | Right-arm off break |
| 47 | Dwayne Bravo | West Indies | Right-handed | Right-arm fast-medium |
| 10 | Moeen Ali | England | Left-handed | Right-arm off break |
| 79 | Krishnappa Gowtham | India | Right-handed | Right-arm off break |
| 8 | Ravindra Jadeja | India | Left-handed | Slow left-arm orthodox |
| 74 | Mitchell Santner | New Zealand | Left-handed | Slow left-arm orthodox |
| 58 | Sam Curran | England | Left-handed | Left-arm fast-medium |
| 27 | Bhagath Varma | India | Right-handed | Right-arm off break |
| 7 | MS Dhoni (C) | India | Right-handed | Right-arm medium-fast |
| 77 | Robin Uthappa | India | Right-handed | Right-arm off break |
| 18 | Narayan Jagadeesan | India | Right-handed | |
| 99 | Imran Tahir | South Africa | Right-handed | Right-arm leg break |
| 36 | Karn Sharma | India | Left-handed | Right-arm leg break |
| 96 | R Sai Kishore | India | Left-handed | Slow left-arm orthodox |
| 5 | Jason Behrendorff | Australia | Right-handed | Left-arm fast-medium |
| 38 | Josh Hazlewood | Australia | Left-handed | Right-arm fast-medium |
| 54 | Shardul Thakur | India | Right-handed | Right-arm fast-medium |
| 90 | Deepak Chahar | India | Right-handed | Right-arm fast-medium |
| 24 | KM Asif | India | Right-handed | Right-arm fast-medium |
| 22 | Lungi Ngidi | South Africa | Right-handed | Right-arm fast |
In an incredible turnaround, the Chennai Super Kings defended their title in the IPL 2021, demonstrating that a victorious comeback was possible. The new acquisitions of Robin Uthappa and Moeen Ali, who replaced the experienced players, immediately injected the team with an abundance of vitality.
Nevertheless, Ruturaj Gaikwad, who not only unlocked his stardom in the tournament but achieved the magnificent cap, Orange Cap of the most runs scored in the tournament, stole the show with the out-of-this-world performances. Deepak Chahar played some very good bowling matches in which he made a breakthrough for the team consistently.
As befits the team’s “Sir”, Ravindra Jadeja became the cult hero by displaying a combination of brilliant bowling and an incomparable batting performance. The undeterred efforts of the CSK heroes, under the reconciled leadership of Dhoni will flip the script, once more putting the teams’ name among the greatest in the history of the IPL.
IPL 2022
| No. | Name | Nationality | Batting style | Bowling style |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 31 | Ruturaj Gaikwad | India | Right-handed | Right-arm off break |
| 9 | Ambati Rayudu | India | Right-handed | Right-arm off break |
| 88 | Devon Conway | New Zealand | Left-handed | Right-arm medium |
| 30 | Subhranshu Senapati | India | Right-handed | Right-arm medium |
| 16 | Chezhian Harinishanth | India | Left-handed | Right-arm off break |
| 8 | Ravindra Jadeja | India | Left-handed | Left-arm slow orthodox |
| 10 | Moeen Ali | England | Left-handed | Right-arm off break |
| 47 | Dwayne Bravo | Trinidad and Tobago | Right-handed | Right-arm medium-fast |
| 25 | Shivam Dube | India | Left-handed | Right-arm medium fast |
| 77 | Mitchell Santner | New Zealand | Left-handed | Slow left-arm orthodox |
| 7 | MS Dhoni | India | Right-handed | Right-arm medium |
| 77 | Robin Uthappa | India | Right-handed | Right-arm off break |
| 6 | Narayan Jagadeesan | India | Right-handed | |
| 61 | Maheesh Theekshana | Sri Lanka | Right-handed | Right-arm off break |
| 46 | Prashant Solanki | India | Right-handed | Right-arm leg break |
| 27 | Bhagath Varma | India | Right-handed | Right-arm Off-break |
| 90 | Deepak Chahar | India | Right-handed | Right-arm fast-medium |
| 24 | KM Asif | India | Right-handed | Right-arm fast-medium |
| 42 | Tushar Deshpande | India | Right-handed | Right-arm fast-medium |
| 98 | Simarjeet Singh | India | Right-handed | Right-arm medium-fast |
| 99 | Matheesha Pathirana | Sri Lanka | Right-handed | Right-arm fast |
| 20 | Adam Milne | New Zealand | Right-handed | Right-arm fast |
| 33 | Mukesh Choudhary | India | Left-handed | Left-arm medium |
Persistent winners Chennai Super Kings could not accomplish the playoff spot due to their weak start to the IPL 2022 tournament. This was the season that was marked by a series of broken dreams for the team, but in turn helped us to identify some fresh talents, namely Mukesh Choudary, who was a timely response to dashing away the hopelessness of our football team.
In all this, these young, defiant, and fresh players created a sensation for their composure. Certainly, new faces like Devon Conway appeared an unknown quantity of the opposition to some whereas they were unwrapping the varied skills of the new selection. He played an amazing role for the batting team in consolidating their position in the top position.
Despite the overall outcome of the club being far from what was expected, the indications of skills by the rookies in place for new signings send a message of hope for the club and soon they look forward to bouncing back as they have crippled the slow third and looking to build on the strength of next years.
IPL 2023
| No. | Name | Nationality | Batting style | Bowling style |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 | MS Dhoni | India | Right-handed | Right-arm medium |
| 9 | Ambati Rayudu | India | Right-handed | Right-arm off break |
| 21 | Ajinkya Rahane | India | Right-handed | Right-arm off spin |
| 88 | Devon Conway | New Zealand | Left-handed | Right-arm medium |
| 30 | Subhranshu Senapati | India | Right-handed | Right-arm medium |
| 31 | Ruturaj Gaikwad | India | Right-handed | Right-arm off break |
| 66 | Shaik Rasheed | India | Right-handed | Right-arm Leg spin |
| 18 | Moeen Ali | England | Left-handed | Right-arm off break |
| 8 | Ravindra Jadeja | India | Left-handed | Left-arm slow orthodox |
| 29 | Dwaine Pretorius | South Africa | Right-handed | Right-arm medium |
| 55 | Ben Stokes | England | Left-handed | Right-arm fast-medium |
| 74 | Mitchell Santner | New Zealand | Left-handed | Left-arm slow orthodox |
| 25 | Shivam Dube | India | Left-handed | Right-arm medium |
| 19 | Ajay Mandal | India | Left-handed | Left-arm slow orthodox |
| 28 | Bhagath Varma | India | Right-handed | Right-arm Off-break |
| 10 | Rajvardhan Hangargekar | India | Right-handed | Right-arm fast-medium |
| 27 | Nishant Sindhu | India | Left-handed | Left-arm slow orthodox |
| 46 | Prashant Solanki | India | Right-handed | Right-arm leg spin |
| 61 | Maheesh Theekshana | Sri Lanka | Right-handed | Right-arm off break |
| 58 | Sisanda Magala | South Africa | Right-handed | Right-arm fast |
| 90 | Deepak Chahar | India | Right-handed | Right-arm medium-fast |
| 12 | Kyle Jamieson | New Zealand | Right-handed | Right-arm Fast |
| 24 | Tushar Deshpande | India | Left-handed | Right-arm medium |
| 33 | Mukesh Choudhary | India | Left-handed | Left-arm medium-fast |
| 26 | Akash Singh | India | Right-handed | Left-arm medium-fast |
At the thick of the IPL 2023 season, the search for Chennai Super Kings and the result is the name in history equalling the glory of Mumbai Indians to reach the top of the list. This season marked the arrival of high-calibre performance at CSK with players like Shivam Dube from the last season and the newcomer Ajinkya Rahane (reflecting themselves and the amazing skills of Pathirana), all have come through to show how wide and deep of a talent pool they have.
It was their innate batting prowess that was unquestionable with CSK batters being the common denominator in every awards list. Tushar Deshpande, the team’s best bowler, was part of the tide that swept threw another batting lineup. This emotional turning point was reached with CSK taking the winning point against GT with 10 runs to show up by the spectacular R Jadeja’s innings on the last ball of the game. The whole season comprised some good moments and also some worst moments that finally ended with a win, which was amazing and eventually made CSK’s place in one of the IPL’s greatest teams.
While the adrenaline levels for IPL 2024 contestants are picking up momentum, Chennai Super Kings loyal fans find themselves at the edge of the cliff ready to embark on yet another adventure. The time has come for the unveiling of great new signings, which include Rachin Ravindra, Daryl Mitchell, and the return of the inspiring Sameer Rizvi. Beneath this imposing stage, every time the Spirit Of India rises, the fans will feel their inner defiance, determination and undying zeal.
But amidst the excitement of new beginnings, one constant remains: the unsurpassable vigour of MS Dhoni. His undefeatable spirit, unearthly leading characteristics, and willingness to go far beyond human capabilities are the perfect scenarios that describe why Chennai Super Kings are produced. The inspiring part of being a fan is that we don’t just thirst for championships, but we keep looking for the day when our captain will take a tight corner, snatch victory from the jaws of defeat with precise shots, and lead all the other heroes to the rest of the battlefield.
Match after match, every inning and every delivery make that rope between the team and its fans richer and thicker. It is the longest journey filled with the times when your emotions are at sky-height and there are times when it feels as if the whole world has come together to cheer for our Chennai Super Kings.
How fast time drifts by awaiting the dawn of the new season, let’s always remember the past, unleash our expectations for the present, and now and hope for the promising future. As such, along with the masterful skipper MS Dhoni at the grip and the spark of the Yellow brigade on fire, there is no denying that, we can accomplish all that which we set out for. Cheers to IPL 2024 – May it be a season where joy, happiness and glorious moments will be embedded dark into our hearts and live in it forever. Go CSK!
