After a delay of almost six months and in a completely different country, the IPL will be played in front of empty stands for the first time since its inception in 2008 and there could be no better way to start the tournament than last year. Finalists and the two most successful teams from the richest cricket league, Chennai Super Kings and Mumbai Indians face off.
There has been a lot of talk about who will replace Suresh Raina at No. 3 in CSK’s batting lineup since the southpaw decided to withdraw from the 2020 IPL. All of that will be put to an end when CSK take on the defending champions. Mumbai Indians on Saturday in Abu Dhabi.
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Here is CSK’s planned XI for the 2020 IPL opener against the Mumbai Indians.
Shane Watson: The Australian big hitter is nearing the end of a decorated career and would like to retire in style. Watson’s virtuous blow inspired CSK to the title in 2018, but failed to replicate the same year. Watson managed to resurrect his international career with the IPL and would like to lower the curtain on his glorious playing days with another stellar season.
Ambati Rayudu: He did a commendable job for CSK in opening batting at the 2018 IPL. His exploits at the top of the order earned him a retirement on the Indian side. With Raina not being there, Rayudu is set to regain his opening spot for at least the beginning of this season.
Faf du Plessis: There is no one better on the CSK squad than former South Africa captain Faf du Plessis to replace Suresh Raina’s experience and class. Du Plessis has hit atop before for CSK and will be a mainstay in their batting lineup at this year’s IPL.
Kedar Jadhav: The little man from Maharashtra has a great impact on the middle order. He’s had his fair share of injuries, but every time he goes out to bat, he makes sure the opposition has a battle on their hands. Raina’s absence also means that Jadhav could land a permanent No. 4 spot in CSK’s batting unit this season. Your round arm twist will also come in handy.
MS Dhoni: Do we need to say something? It won’t be an exaggeration if we say that all eyes will be on Dhoni when he comes out to play his first competitive cricket match after a 14-month gap on Saturday. Dhoni had an excellent season in 2019, showing that his power hitting skills are still intact. But a prolonged absence from the international scene means the seasoned activist must do his best this year.
Ravindra Jadeja: The Indian off-roader is one of the main cogs in the CSK wheel. His excellent batting form in recent years means that he will in all likelihood reach the top six for CSK this season. Of course, we can’t even dare to forget what he brings to the table as a left-arm spinner and as a fielder.
Dwayne Bravo: The Antillean spent most of last season on the bench due to injury and would be eager to play this year. Back in the Windies’ fold, Bravo’s change of pace with the ball has been a great weapon. It remains one of the biggest match winners in the shorter format.
Piyush Chawla: An IPL veteran and one of the closest friends of CSK captain Dhoni, Piyush Chawla has reached the twilight of his career. But CSK surprised everyone by choosing him at auctions last year. Now that Harbhajan Singh is not there, it will be Chawla who will lead CSK’s spinning attack.
Deepak Chahar: There were doubts about his availability in the first tournament when Chahar tested positive for Covid-19 last month. But to CSK’s great relief, the right arm closer tested negative last week and joined practice with the rest of the team. She will lead CSK’s new ball attack.
Shardul Thakur: The Mumbai seamer has been part of the CSK team for some time. With all the slower knuckle balls, leg cutters, and gorillas, she’s sure to be a key weapon for CSK in the middle.
Imran Tahir: The South African leg spinner collected 26 wickets last season, which is the most for a spinner in a single IPL season. The leggie will once again be a major threat on the slow, slow surface of Chennai. His association with Harbhajan Singh will be something to consider once again.
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