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IPL 2019: Can MS Dhoni inspire ageing CSK to record title? - SWOT Analysis
IPL 2019: What worked for CSK last season was that they had a team which knew what had to be done and when. Players like MS Dhoni, Faf du Plessis, Suresh Raina, Ravindra Jadeja, Dwayne Bravo and Shane Watson have very well defined roles in the set-up and they will be expected to perform the same this time as well.
In India the buzzword has always been local, more than national. Given the diversity the country has to offer, having a strong local connect gives a major boost to any brand. This mantra has been followed by the Indian Premier League franchisees as well and the team which has managed to create a distinct character for itself are the Chennai Super Kings.
From rechristening MS Dhoni as Thala to giving the fans their favourite ‘Whistle Podu’ chant, CSK has been at the forefront of creating a niche identity for IPL teams, which has resulted in cult following of the franchise. Not just people from Tamil Nadu, CSK has fans all over India. Another big reason for the team’s popularity is their performances on the field and the core members of the team, whom the management has kept together over the years.
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CSK returned to the IPL fold last season after facing a two-year ban. The team wore a familiar look as several old warhorses returned. The average age of the team was quite high and CSK were quickly labelled as the old boys club. But these seasoned campaigners had enough gas in the engine to pull off another coup. Dhoni led from the front again while newcomers to the set-up like Ambati Rayudu, Deepak Chahar and Lungi Ngidi played a key role in helping CSK win their third IPL title. The squad remains the same this season too and here is a SWOT analysis of the ‘yellow brigade’.
Strengths
1) Great Home Record: CSK at the Chepauk are an indomitable force. They use the crowd support to their advantage and make great use of the conditions in Chennai. MS Dhoni is a master of rallying his troops and knows every corner of the field. They will bank on their great home record again this season.
2) Experience galore: What worked for CSK last season was that they had a team which knew what had to be done and when. Players like Dhoni, Faf du Plessis, Suresh Raina, Ravindra Jadeja, Dwayne Bravo and Shane Watson have very well defined roles in the set-up and they will be expected to perform the same this time as well.
3) Indian batsmen: In Raina CSK have a talisman at number 3 but the southpaw isn’t the same player and has not played international cricket for a while. The likes of Ambati Rayudu and Kedar Jadhav are in form and could help CSK dominate the field.
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Weaknesses
1) Lack of international exposure for key players: CSK depend heavily on their core and some of the key members of that core have not had any international exposure due to retirement or being dropped from the national side. Raina, Bravo and Watson have not played international cricket in the run-up and their fitness could also be a worry. Both Bravo and Watson play in international T20 leagues but that is sporadic. Even Ravindra Jadeja has been in and out of the Indian squad.
2) Fast bowling cupboard barren: This was a concern last season too but Lungi Ngidi and Deepak Chahar showed they are capable of handling the workload. But now that Ngidi has been ruled out, CSK need to find an apt replacement as soon as possible as the back up options are just not good enough on this stage.
3) Aging spin department:Spinners play a key role in the IPL and CSK have always had a strong spin line-up. In Harbhajan Singh and Imran Tahir, the team has two experienced customers but both are nearing the end of their career and their impact might not be the same as before. Kiwi Mitchell Santner is a wily customer but is coming into the tournament after a long injury lay off. That leaves only Jadeja, who too has not been the same force with the ball. Karn Sharma is a decent back-up but not a game changer by any means.
Opportunity
CSK can become the first team to win the coveted title four times and that should be motivation enough for the old guard and the youngsters to come together and defend their title.
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Threats
IPL is a long tournament and injury can happen to anyone at any point in the season. There is also the issue of workload management in a World Cup year. This is a team with absolutely no back up for key players and that should be a major worry for the management.
Prediction
Repeating the heroics of 2018 will be difficult but CSK are a team which has made it to the play-offs of all the tournaments they have played. We predict a fourth place finish in the points table for the yellow army.
