Former Team India batter Aakash Chopra, who sheds lights on the different aspects of the game further did SWOT analysis of CKS. Chopra believes Chennai Super Kings (CSK) has a balanced team while adding that team revolves around their hero MS Dhoni.
The cricketer-turned-commentator Chopra maintained that Dhoni will excel as a skipper and batsman who’s also the mighty force of the Chennai-based franchise given — to his multiple roles which subsequently had a significant impact on the team since past one decade.
With three-time champions CSK team relying on Dhoni, Chopra credits Dhoni for playing a quintessential role — to get best out of his teammates. He added that Dhoni is the ‘life and soul’ of CSK camp which speaks volumes about his dedication towards the game he has loved the most.
“MS Dhoni is the biggest strength of the team. The entire franchise is dependent on him. He is the soul of Chennai Super Kings. As long as he is there, CSK’s heart keeps beating and they move forward. MS Dhoni, the player and the captain, has a great impact. This team, as I said before… Dhoni is the life and soul of this team. He is the one who is going to get the best out of everyone,” Aakash Chopra revealed on his YouTube channel.
The veteran had represented CSK since 2008. He had amassed 4432 runs in 190 IPL matches at an average of 42.2. Besides, he might not have a hundred to his name, but he had a tally of 23 fifties under his belt in 170 innings.
MS Dhoni is going to rule the roost: Aakash Chopra
Chopra had thrown support behind Dhoni, who had remained out of the game since the 2019 World Cup semi-final clash against New Zealand.
The 39-year-old Dhoni has recently joined his CSK team in Dubai, to work hard ahead of their IPL campaign. Chopra subsequently believes Dhoni will deliver goods as the tourney progresses.
“MS Dhoni, the batsman, is important because when spin takes precedence, his influence will grow. He may not hit the ground running, but as the tournament progresses, I am pretty sure MS Dhoni is going to rule the roost,” Chopra added.
Chopra further gave a thought to how Dhoni had been out of the game for over a year. However, he believes Dhoni will yield desired results given to his wealth of experience he has.
“MS Dhoni, the batsman, we haven’t seen him in a long while. There are questions as to whether he will be able to hit the ground running or bat the way he used to in the past. Keep in mind, he is very experienced, and you don’t get experience in the supermarket,” Chopra stated.
Besides, Chopra believes CSK has a strong team despite not having services of Suresh Raina and Harbhajan Singh. The duo recently cited personal reasons to pull out of IPL 2020.
CSK’s strength is their spin-bowling department: Aakash Chopra
While praising CSK for having Indian firepower settled, he further admitted the fact that CKS’s strength is also their spin bowling, in the absence of Harbhajan, Chopra cited five spinners including Imran Tahir and Ravindra Jadeja know what should be done to outsmart the opposition. He further feels the absence of Harbhajan might delay things for CSK, but overall it is complacent side as a spin-bowling attack.
Interestingly, with conditions perfect for the spinner in the UAE, Chopra feels three spinners are enough to rule the roost.
“Their second strength is the spin department. Harbhajan Singh is not there, it’s a bit of a setback,”
But they have others like Mitchell Santner, Imran Tahir, Karn Sharma, Ravindra Jadeja and Piyush Chawla. When you have 5 spinners of this calibre, you can play 2-3 together whenever you want. And in the UAE, when spinners become more important, that’s when they will come to the fore,” Aakash Chopra concluded.
Overall, Chopra had hailed CSK for their all-round bowling department. He had placed CSK as No. 1 team of the IPL that’s eventually known for bowling capabilities.
Here’s what Aakash Chopra says about MS Dhoni, who has been at the forefront for CSK since the inaugural edition of IPL:
