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Matthew Hayden, Stephen Fleming, Michael Hussey, Mahendra Singh Dhoni… one is not quite going through a World XI squad, but only the top order of Chennai Super Kings — who are likely to be the bookmakers’ favourites for the title.
When India Cements, a no-nonsense cricket-loving company from the southern Indian city, bid successfully for the franchise, not many had a clue that it would resemble a Who’s Who of world cricket.
There could, of course, be many a slip between the cup and the lip — what with the Australians due to return to national duty after only the first four of their 14 matches — but the team still look capable of holding their own with such a
star-studded field.
The biggest challenge for skipper Dhoni, the most expensive pick at the auctions with a staggering $1.5 million (Dhs 5.5m) per year, will, however, be to maintain the tempo among a set of gifted but ageing individuals.
With the bowling spearheads such as Makhaya Ntini, Jacob Oram and the magician Muttiah Muralitharan all in their 30s and often down with fitness issues, it would make sense for Chennai’s much-vaunted batting line-up to try and bat the opposition out of the match.
Cricket is now a batsman’s game like never before — more so in this variety of the sport — and hence don’t be surprised if any upstart batsman starts giving Murali the treatment during his quota of four overs.
The team management has, meanwhile, done well to beef up the seam bowling by roping in Lakshmipathy Balaji, a regular in the Indian team not so long ago before injury struck. There is also Joginder Sharma, India’s last-over hero in the World Twenty20 championships, while South Africa’s Albie Morkel will lend some more international flavour to their attack.
Sport Extra prediction: A certainty for the semi-finals.
Chennai Super Kings
Owner: India Cements
Bought for: $91 million (Dhs 334m)
Designated player: None
Most expensive player: M.S. Dhoni (Ind) $1.5m (Dhs 5.5m)
Coach: Kepler Wessels
Squad: M.S. Dhoni (captain), Matthew Hayden, Michael Hussey, Stephen Fleming, Muttiah Muralitharan, Makhaya Ntini, Albie Morkel, Srikant Anirudha, Subramanium Badrinath, Joginder Sharma, Viraj Vilas Kadbe, Palani Amarnath, L. Balaji, Arun Karthik, Abhinav Mukund, Sudeep Tyagi, R. Ashwin, Napoleon Einstein, Shadab Jakati, Jacob Oram, Parthiv Patel, Suresh Raina, Suresh Kumar, Vidyut Shivaramakrishan.
Player to watch: M.S. Dhoni
No prizes for guessing what made him the most expensive acquisition at the auctions. In the absence of any designated player for Chennai, his soaring stocks after leading India to the World Twenty20 title triumph — not to speak of his destructive batting — must have determined his price. He has showed the maturity to adjust his game to the needs of the situation and can keep his cool behind the stumps as well.
Fixture List
April 19 Kings XI Punjab Mohali
April 23 Mumbai Indians Chennai
April 26 Kolkata Knight Riders Chennai
April 28 Bangalore Royal Challengers Bangalore
May 2 Delhi Daredevils Chennai
May 4 Rajasthan Royals Jaipur
May 6 Deccan Chargers Chennai
May 8 Delhi Daredevils Delhi
May 10 Kings XI Punjab Chennai
May 14 Mumbai Indians Mumbai
May 18 Kolkata Knight Riders Kolkata
May 21 Bangalore Royal Challengers Chennai
May 24 Rajasthan Royals Chennai
May 27 Deccan Chargers Hyderabad
May 30 First Semi-Final Mumbai
May 31 Second Semi-Final Mumbai
June 1 Final Mumbai
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