BENGALURU: After the IPL auction in the end of January, Chennai Super Kings became the most talked about franchise, for a specific reason. It was the presence of senior pros, who were past their prime in international cricket.
The list included Dwayne Bravo, Harbhajan Singh, Imran Tahir, Shane Watson among others. The team did not seem too bothered about the talk. Their strategy was simple — retain core players and use their experience.
Having seasoned players on board has proven to be a masterstroke, especially in crunch situations. With this season having witnessed a number of matches going down to the wire, lack of experience at the middle might have cost some teams.
It was not the case for Dhoni’s men. They pulled off some improbable wins with veterans coming to the fore.
This was visible from opening game in Mumbai, where Bravo scripted a miraculous escape when 47 was needed off 18 balls.
That win announced their return after a two-year hiatus. The same was witnessed in Qualifier 1 when Faf du Plessis took Chennai over the line.
They needed 41 from 17 and victory was achieved with five balls to spare. There have also been instances when Sam Billings and MS Dhoni rose to the occasion. It shows that they found someone or the other who absorbed pressure when things got tight.
“CSK have a lot of experience and it helps a great deal. Experienced players don’t get carried away. They are cool in tight situations. Everyone has been assigned a role and they are playing that perfectly. Each and every player is contributing, which is key to success,” former India all-rounder Karsan Ghavri said.
If one looks at the core squad of the Chennai this season, most of the players have known one another for some time.
They know what others in the team are capable of. Ever since the first edition, Dhoni has captained the side and in seven of nine attempts, they have reached the final.
Consistency is the feature of this team and they have never had a poor season, qualifying for the play-offs in all editions they played. Having been successful, there is a no-fear attitude, which has made winning a habit.
“Over the years, they have developed a winning habit. This is a team of senior guys who have gone through so many hurdles, done it at the international level too. That is the reason they are cool and calm when the chips are down. The special thing about these CSK players is that they don’t take pressure at all, and are not overawed by the situation,” former India player and new Zimbabwe coach Lalchand Rajput told Express.
In the IPL final come Sunday, it is this experience, which could be Chennai’s trump card.
ashim@newindianexpress.com