This article is part of our IPL Preview series.
Chennai Super Kings (CSK) are the defending champions going in to this year's Indian Premier League (IPL), which will begin on March 23. Chennai is by far the most consistent and successful franchise in the IPL history with three wins, joint-most alongside Mumbai Indians but having played two seasons less. The team's consistency can be understood by the fact that from the beginning, there is not a single season when CSK didn't qualify for the playoffs, whereas the team finished runners up thrice as well. In the 2018 edition, CSK came back after a gap of two years and won the title by beating Sunrisers Hyderabad in the final by eight wickets.
The team is led by former Indian captain MS Dhoni, who will have the coaching assistance of former New Zealand captain Stephen Fleming. In the batting department, the team will be relying on the local talent like Muraly Vijay, Suresh Raina, Ambati Rayudu and Dhoni alongside foreign players like Australia's Shane Watson, South Africa's Faf du Plessis and England's Sam Billings.
By the look of the team's composition, there will be a lot of reliance on the spin attack consist of veteran off-spinner Harbhajan Singh, South Africa's Imran Tahir, leg-spinner Karn Sharma alongside spin-bowling all-rounders Ravindra Jadeja, Kedhar Jadav and New Zealand's Mitchell Santner. The pace bowling unit will have the services of veteran pacer Mohit Sharma, young Shardul Thakur, England's David Willey, South Africa's Lungi Ngidi and former West Indian all-rounder Dwayne Bravo.
Key Facts:
CSK's highest score of 246-5 came in the match against Rajasthan Royals in 2010, whereas highest score of 231-4 against Chennai was registered by Kings XI Punjab in the 2014 season. CSK's lowest score of 79 came in the match against Mumbai Indians in 2013, whereas lowest score of 83 against Chennai was registered by Delhi Daredevils in the 2013 season as well. CSK's largest win in terms of runs came in the match against Kings XI in 2015 season where they emerged victorious by 97 runs, whereas Chennai's biggest defeat in terms of runs came in the match against Mumbai Indians, where they were thrashed by 60 runs.
Highest individual score of 127 for CSK was registered by veteran opener Vijay in the match against Royals in 2010, whereas highest individual score of 122 against Chennai was registered by Kings XI's Virender Sehwag in the 2014 edition. Former Australian middle-order batsman Mike Hussey holds the record for most runs (733) in a single season for the franchise, which he achieved in the 2013 season, whereas veteran left-hander Raina holds the record for most runs (4,985) for CSK in the IPL history.
Left-arm spinner Ravindra Jadeja holds the best bowling figures record for CSK when he claimed five wickets for just 16 runs in the match against Deccan Chargers, whereas best bowling figures of 6-14 against Chennai was registered by Pakistan's Sohail Tanvir while representing Rajasthan in the inaugural edition. Former West Indies all-rounder Bravo holds the record for most wickets (32) for the franchise in a single season which he achieved in the 2013 edition, whereas veteran off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin holds the record for most wickets (120) for CSK in the IPL history.
