IPL Teams Come Together

DNA Reports that the franchises of all the nine IPL teams met recently in Mumbai. Though they are not calling it a union, this meeting is to ensure that the franchises are not hood-winked by BCCI. The major agenda seems to be on avoiding multi-crore payment to BCCI for Ravindra Jadeja. 

Interest in Jadeja:

With the disbanding of Kochi Tuskers, all Kochi players would be available in the auction. And since Ravindra Jadeja is the only major coveted player, he is bound to go for secret bidding. 

Demands to BCCI

The representatives have sent their demands to Rajiv Shukla - who has called the governing council meeting on Dec 3rd to discuss the same. 

For more info, please visit @ DNA

CSK makes 138 Crores of Revenues for India Cements

Financial Success Crucial For Any Sports Club

One of the key reasons for the long-term success of large football clubs like Manchester United, Real Madrid, Barcelona, etc. is their financial success. None can disagree today that the long-term success of a sports club on the field is dependent on their profitability & financial success - off the field. That is why it is crucial for Chennai Super Kings to be the most financially successful club in IPL. 

CSK Makes Record Revenues

And the recent reports of Chennai Super Kings shared during the quarterly reports of India Cements has a lot of 'good news' for CSK Fans. With a revenue of Rs. 138 crore in April - Sept 2010 and highest EBITDA (Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Deductions and Amortisation) i.e. Profits are positive news to us. 

Professional Management

These results demonstrate the club is professionally managed - both on and off the field. Only hope that the team will continue to invest its profit in the players & future CSK stars rather than ploughing the money  back to the parent company. 

Simple Redesign of your favorite CSK Blog

Hi all,

First of all. Thanks for following this blog for so long and making CSK Fansite is the largest IPL Team fan blog in India. 

Thanks to new Dynamic Views of Blogger, I have done a simple redesign of your blog. I believe the new look is a lot less cluttered. Let me know your thoughts on how do you like. 

Also your thoughts on how we can improve this blog further in the comments. 

A big thank you.. Looking forward to another great year as a Chennai Super Kings Fan. 

Cheers,

  - Robin

Chennai's Reign Comes to an End

A run like that - 2 IPL Victories + 1 Champions League Victory would end sooner than later. And as CSK fans we did enjoy the run. But the loss yesterday does hurt every CSK Fan. More than the loss, the fact that CSK never played to their potential in the entire tournament - hurts a lot more. 

Thanks CSK for the entertaining 2 years. Hope to see the yellow we all remember in the next IPL. 

An uphill task faces Chennai Super Kings

Chennai Super Kings found themself in this position in quite a few seasons. And always they have managed to climb back to a qualifying position with a little luck and a lot of grit. But I somehow feel that this time, all is not well with Chennai Super Kings. 

If Cape Cobras win the match against T&T, CSK and T&T would become the first teams to lose out on a chance of semi-finals. But if T&T win, CSK needs to play really well and win by a huge margin to qualify. So the scales seems to be tipped against CSK even before the first ball is bowled. (Current Points Table)

Expect Dhoni to pick the same squad for the match. 

A Must Win Game for Chennai Super Kings

Thanks to rain washing out the game between Mumbai Indians and Cobras, today's game against Trinidad & Tobago becomes a must-win game for Chennai Super Kings. T&T would be looking to change the fortunes after losing both the games 

CSK Probable XI:

1. Vijay 2. Hussey 3. Raina 4. Badri 5. Dhoni 6. Morkel 7. Bravo 8. Saha 9. Ashwin 10. Jakati 11. Bollinger

As usual, expect Chennai Super Kings to play the same eleven. After Bravo's performance with the bat and ball in the last match, hope the other all-rounder Albie Morkel will come to party today. 

T&T would be looking happily at the slow Chennai pitch. The match would depend on how CSK handle T&T's spin bowlers. 

Bravo sets up a CSK Victory

What a way to come back from a humilating defeat in the hands of Mumbai Indians specifically Malinga. Bravo played the first of the many match winning knocks for Chennai Super Kings. 

Positives:

1. Bravo: Impressed both with his batting and bowling. A true-match winning performance. Showed the team his class act.

Now the team plays T&T next. It is a must-win game for the team. 

Resilient Chennai Super Kings looks forward to 2nd clash

Many teams in the world would have pressed the 'panic' button after losing from such a dominant performance. But that is not the style of Chennai Super Kings. They are a resilient team and we can count that Fleming & Co. to field the exact eleven that played against Mumbai Indians. And we can also expect looking to come back strongly with a win. 

CSK Probable XI:

1. Vijay 2. Hussey 3. Raina 4. Badri 5. Dhoni 6. Morkel 7. Bravo 8. Saha 9. Ashwin 10. Jakati 11. Bollinger

Critically for Chennai, it is crucial that Vijay & Bollinger find their form - to give a flying start to CSK's batting and bowling respectively.

Cape Cobras Probable XI:

1. Levi 2. Gibbs 3. Owasis Shah 4. Duminy 5. Ontong 6. Kemp 7. Vilas 8. Philander 9. Peterson 10. Steyn 11. Langeveldt

Most Dangerous Players

1. Steyn: Steyn is a dangerous bowler in any pitch in the world. And he could bother Indian batsman on any day and in any pitch. So it would be interesting to see how Raina, Vijay and Badir play Steyn

2. Duminy: Duminy is the best player of spin in Cape Cobras Side. So his early wicket would be crucial for a 

CSK victory.

Favourites: As Nokai CLT20 has been so far, expect another close match. 

Freaky Malinga Innings helps Mumbai Foreigners to defeat CSK

It was a freaky victory for Mumbai Foreigners. There is no other way to describe this win for Mumbai. It was especially sad to see Chennai losing the game after dominating for 90% of the game. 

Positives:

1. Hussey: He continues the fine form of Sri-lankan tour. Expect to see a few more great performance during the championship league.

2. Ashwin & Raina: Both of them continued to impress with the ball. Expect them to play key roles for the rest of the tournament.

Negatives:

1. Bollinger: Ever Dependable Bollinger had one of his off-days. Hope he gets back his regular mojo for the rest of the league.

Now the team needs to go back to the drawing board and ensure that those silly mistakes are not repeated any more. 

Who do you think is responsible for this freaky victory of Mumbai Foreigners?

Chennai Super Kings Vs Mumbai Indians - Mouthwatering Contest?

Mumbai Indians have lost 2 consecutive IPL Seasons after dominating most of the group stages. If that is not enough, the team has lost eight of its 23 players to injuries and has only 14 players in the squad. Taking this extra-ordinary events into account, Mumbai Indians have been (unfairly) allowed to play 5 overseas players. 

But the men in yellow would be in a happy frame of mind. They have won three consecutive tournaments. And the team as a whole, would be looking forward to put up another strong performance in Champions League. 

CSK Probable XI:

1. Vijay 2. Hussey 3. Raina 4. Badrinath 5. Dhoni (captain) 6. Bravo 7. Morkel 8. Saha 9. Jakati 10. Ashwin 11. Bollinger

Mumbai Probable XI

1. Jacob 2. Blizzard 3.Rayudu 4. Suman 5. Pollard 6. Symonds 7. Satish 8. Harbhajan Singh 9. Yuzvendra Chahal 10. Franklin/Fernando 11. Malinga 

Most Dangerous Players:

1. Rayudu: Without the guidance of Sachin Tendulkar, the team would need a single player to hold the innings together. Considering his performance so far, Mumbai think-tank would be expecting a lot from him in that role. But would Rayudu play with the maturity is a question that would get answered this Champions League. 

2. Pollard: With the loss of so many players, we can expect Pollard to get a considerable time on the pitch - which is dangerous for any opponent. 

3. Malinga: How Vijay & Hussey plays Malinga would determine the margin of victory. 

Favorites: Home support makes CSK the favorites. But one explosive performance by Malinga or Pollard could end that pretty easily. 

Meet CSK's Opponents in the Group Stage

Other Teams in Group A

For this year's Champions League, ten teams are divided into two groups of five each. Chennai Super Kings is placed in Group A along with 

1. Mumbai Indians
2. Cape Cobras
3. Trinidad & Tobago
4. New South Wales 

The top two teams from the group qualifies for the semifinals. Reading the names, I am sure it is quite visible that this is a tougher group than Group B. Even Fleming acknowledges that Chennai Super Kings are placed in a tougher group. 3 of the four finalists so far are present in this group. Except for Mumbai Indians, others have played in atleast 1 semi-finals. 

But the good news for Chennai Super Kings is that we play all the matches in Chennai. 

1. Mumbai Indians:

Mumbai Indians have lost 3 key Indian players to injuries - Sachin Tendulkar, Rohit Sharma & Munaf Patel. Considering the quality of the players who are ruled out, any other team would have found it tough to win even a single match. But considering the strength of Mumbai Indians' foreign players, they do have a good chance of qualifying for the semi-finals. But playing in India but still missing home support would seem cruel to the team. 

Key Player to Watch out for: 

1. Pollard: With the loss of Sachin & Rohit, you can expect Pollard to get a lot more chances this season. For any opponent, He would be Mumbai's most feared player. 

My Prediction: 4th 

2. Cape Cobras:

Winners of South African Pro20 tournament, the team boasts big-names like Steyn, Owasis Shah. Duminy, Gibbs, Kemp & Langveldt. But the team performance's might depend largely on the performances of their unknown stars - Vernon Philander & Richard Levi. 

Key Player to Watch out for

1. Dale Steyn: The success of Cape Cobras would largely revolve around Dale Steyn. They need Steyn to bowl well in all the matches to have any reasonable chance of qualifying for the semifinals

My Prediction: 5th 

3. Trinidad & Tobago

T&T would be coming to the tournament with a huge amount of confidence after defeating its opponents in both its qualifying matches. Though the team has lost its biggest stars - Pollard & Dwayne Bravo to IPL Teams, this team can't still be ruled out from the semi-finals. Expect them to surprise at least 1 or 2 big opponents. 

Key Player to Watch out for

1. Rampaul: Rampaul's current form is a huge plus for the spin-heavy attack. His performance in the powerplay overs would be key to the team's performance

My Prediction: Black Horse in the group.  3rd  

4. New South Wales:

Any team that boasts Watson & Warner as the opening batsmen is to be feared. This is backed up Katich, Hughes, Steve Smith, Stuart Clark & Hauritz. This is one of the most balanced teams in this season. 

Key Player to Watch out for

1. Shane Watson: He is the key player for the team. His batting and bowling skills make him the most crucial player for the team. And I don't think is going to miss another opportunity to re-iterate his value to the team. . 

My Prediction: 2nd in the group stage

My Prediction for CSK: If the venue has been any other place, I would have predicted CSK to end second in the group behind NSW. But considering the home support and the pitch, the possibility of CSK coming second in the league seems remote. 

But if the relaid pitch assists seamers more than spinners, New South Wales might still beat CSK to the top of the league. 

Mumbai gets an unfair advantage!

I was shocked/pissed off to hear that Mumbai team are allowed to play five foreign players instead of four foreign players like other team. They were allowed this because of the injury to eight Indian players including Sachin Tendulkar. 

Whatever the reason it might have been, I am sure this is a very poor choice by the administrators. Especially considering that there are other options like the the team being allowed to get a new, unsigned Indian player. If Mumbai Indians have been allowed to play 5 players, then even the other IPL teams should have been allowed to do so. 

This is just a bad precedent and would be surely exploited by the future IPL Teams. 

P.S: Considering that the team is being captained by Harbhajan Singh, even this rule might not make a huge difference to the team's fortunes. :)

Chennai has their first training session

Slowly but steadily, Men in Yellow are building a strong defence to their world championship title. Had their first training session. Yesterday's Rain washed out any chance of a training session yesterday.

Who do you think would be the man of the tournament for CSK this season?

My Prediction - Suresh Raina

And Probable CSK XI
1. Vijay
2. Hussey
3. Raina
4. Dhoni
5. Albie Morkel
6. Bravo
7. Anirudh Srikkanth  Badrinath
8. Saha
9. Ashwin
10. Jakati
11. Bollinger

Gunning for another title???

Chennai Super Kings have had a great 1.5 years with 3 wins in 3 tournaments. So it would be interesting to watch how the team approaches 2nd Champions League. But Fleming promises us there won't be any complacency. 

Considering that Chennai Super Kings would play all their matches in their den, anything less than a championship would be rated as a poor performance. 

How do you rate Chennai Super Kings' chances? Are they the key favourites for the tournament?

Tim Southee becomes the first casualty in Nokia Champions League

Chennai Super Kings suffered their first casualty when Tim Southee was ruled out of the tournament with a knee injury. The team has confirmed that no decision has been taken as yet on the replacement player.

But it is bound to be an interesting decision since Tim Southee was just a back-up for Bollinger in the team. Now let us pray that Bollinger does not get injured during the tournament. 

What are your choices regarding the replacement? You can check out the current CSK 15 member squad. My prediction it is probably going to be Faf du Plessis. 

Only 11 More Days!!!

Another 12 more days, we will get to see our men in yellow back on the field... On their journey to a consecutive CLT20 championship. While the qualifiers start on September 19th, the main tournament starts only on Septermber 23. And CSK play their first match on September 24. 

Check out CSK Schedule and block them in your calendar.

Also check out the 15-member squad for the championship. The good news is that all our top 15 players  are available for this year's Champions League. 

And now the countdown begins for another great Champions League. And I do hope that CSK will be the one holding the trophy on October 9 @ Chepauk.  

Clinical Display from CSK.. We are Champions Again

Chennai Super Kings successfully defended their title with another clinical display. Great Opening Partnership by Hussey-Vijay set up the most dominating win of the season. 

WHOA!! We are IPL CHAMPIONS AGAIN!! The team did well to raise up their game for the crucial match. This is why Dhoni's captaincy and Fleming's coaching is crucial for Chennai Super Kings.

Positives:

1. Vijay & Hussey: What a way to come back to the form. They showed determination and intent by running very hard in the initial overs.  They scored 56 runs in the first six overs without even a single boundary. Commendable performance from the openers. 

2. Ashwin: Again another great bowling performance. His early wicket of Gayle snubbed out the slightest hope that RCB had. 

3. Jakati: Another great bowling performance from him. 

Fan's Man of the Match: Vijay. His explosive innings and his determined running between the wickets was commendable. Hope to see more such clinical partnerships from Hussey & Vijay in the next season. 

The Classic.. CSK-RCB Rivalry Continues...

This is the fourth time that RCB will play against CSK this IPL. And this is the fourth time, RCB will play against CSK in a play-off. RCB defeated CSK in the first semi-final(Season 2) and CSK has defeated RCB in the other two (Season 4 & CL Season 2). 

But the good thing is that the two best teams of the season have reached the finals. Hope CSK raise up their game for the crucial match. 

CSK Probable XI:

1. Hussey 2. Vijay 3. Raina 4. Badri 5. Dhoni 6. Albie Morkel 7. Saha 8. Bravo 9. Ashwin 10. Jakati 11. Bollinger

RCB Probable XI:

1. Luke Pomersbach 2. Gayle 3. Kohli 4. De Villiers 5. Saurav Tiwary 6. Mohamed Kaif 7. Mayank Agarwal  8. Vettori 9. Syed Mohammad 10. Zaheer 11. Arvind 

Most Dangerous Players

1. Vettori: In the slow Chennai pitch, he would be RCB's deadliest bowler. How CSK middle order handle him would be interesting to watch. 

2. Zaheer: In addition to his quota of 4 overs, he pseudo-bowls through Aravind & Mithun(if he plays).  So it is important that Vijay & Hussey don't lose their wicket to Zaheer. 

3. Gayle: After his induction into the team, his contribution with both bat and ball has been immense. CSK should be busy working out - not only his batting but also his bowling. Bollinger and Ashwin's spell against Gayle would be the decider in the match. 

Favorites: It is a tight game to predict. I expect Hussey-Vijay partnership would be crucial for Chennai Super Kings. 

Collective Team Effort Defeats Royal Challengers!!!

What a way to storm into the finals. CSK and Royal Challengers Bangalore produced a great game of cricket today. With the way RCB played today, it would be tough for MI/KKR to defeat RCB in the 2nd semifinal. So don't rule another RCB match this season.

But the great news is that we get to play the final in our home.. So it is time we packed the stadium to the brim for the finals.. 

Positives:

1. Ashwin: His early wicket of Gayle was crucial. This kept CSK on the game. If Gayle has played until 10 overs, RCB would have won the game handsomely.

2. Bollinger: He raises his game for the crucial matches. I believe his form to the most crucial thing for CSK in the finals.

3. Raina: Another player for the big matches. What a way to come back to form. We can expect another cracker of innings from him on the finals.

4. Albie: What a way to pay back the confidence shown by the team in retaining him. Hope it is time that South African selectors take note of his batting (esp. while chasing. )

5. Dhoni & Badri: As usual, they played a key role in the the team's victory.

Negatives:

1. Vijay: It is time Vijay made a substantial contribution to the team. He is the only player (out of the four retained players) not to make a significant impact to this season.  Hope he strikes form in the final and provides a match winning partnership with Hussey.

Fan's Man of the Match: Raina. His wonderfully paced knock provided the opportunity for Dhoni & Morkel to excel.


Whom(out of RCB, MI & KKR) do you prefer to play in the finals?

Can CSK stop RCB juggernaut?

Buoyed by the induction of Gayle, Royal Challengers Bangalore are in one hell of a form - winning eight matches of the last nine. And experts predict them to be the clear favorites for tomorrow's game. But CSK can't be written off in the final stages of these games.

CSK Probable XI:

1. Hussey 2. Vijay 3. Raina 4. Badri 5. Dhoni 6. Albie Morkel 7. Saha 8. Bravo 9. Ashwin 10. Jakati 11. Bollinger

RCB Probable XU:

1. Luke Pomersbach 2. Gayle 3. Kohli 4. De Villiers 5. Saurav Tiwary 6. Mohamed Kaif 7. Mayank Agarwal  8. Vettori 9. Zaheer 10. Arvind 11. Mithun

Most Dangerous Players

1. Vettori: More than inept batting by CSK team, the win yesterday could be attributed to the intelligent captaincy and the field placements by Vettori. Also he bowls the important middle overs - not letting the other teams to escape from the iron grip.

2. Zaheer: In addition to his quota of 4 overs, he pseudo-bowls another 8 overs through Mithun & Aravind.  So it is important that Vijay take Zaheer's bowling apart in the initial overs.

3. Gayle: After his induction into the team, his contribution is immense in all the eight wins. Hope the law of averages catches up with him tomorrow.

Favorites: Unlike Bangalore pitch, Vettori would not find Mumbai pitch to his liking. Expect Ashwin to produce a match-winning performance tomorrow. And the toss would be crucial in tomorrow's game.

P.S: Went yesterday to my bangalore for the match. So missed out on my regular updates about the match. 

Chennai's Unbeaten Home Run Continues

Perfect Seven... Chennai Super Kings became the first team in IPL to win all their home matches. And the team was the deserved winners in all the games. With 7 home wins and 2 away wins so far, CSK has become the second team to qualify for the play-offs mathematically. 

Positives:

1. Hussey: He is CSK's oldest player on the field. But the commitment shown by him on the field was exemplary. Hope the young guns like Vijay learn from him. 

2. Saha: Everybody (including me) questioned his inclusion in the team. And as any true match winner, he answered his critics on the field. This innings should give him and the team a lot of confidence. 

3. Ashwin, Jakati & Raina: The spinner trio set up another beautiful win. Ashwin is now the key player in the play-offs for CSK. 

Negatives:

1. Vijay: His casual approach in the field was stupid - to say the least. Hope he get his act together soon. 

Fan's Man of the Match: Ashwin for the wonderful bowling performance & Hussey for the inspirational fielding display. 

Now the match against RCB would decide whether CSK is among the top two slots in this season. 

Final Push for the Crucial Top Two Slot

Until now, Chennai Super Kings have done everything right for the crucial top two slots. Now it is time for the team to push for the crucial final top two slot. Also tomorrow's match would provide a few opportunities to the players who have waited patiently on the sidelines.

CSK My XI:

1. Vijay 2. Mukund 3. Raina 4. Dhoni 5. Bravo 6. Faf 7. Albie 8. Ashwin 9. Jakati 10. Dougie 11. Tyagi

KTK Probable XI

1. McNullum 2. Parthiv Patel 3. Brad Hodge 4. Owasis Shah 5. Ravi Jadeja 6. Gomez 7. Kedhar Jadhav 8.RP Singh 9. Sreesanth 10.Murali 11. Parameshwaran

Most Dangerous Players

1. RP Singh: His early wickets are crucial for Kochi Tuskers.

Favorites: Chennai Super Kings have to try really hard to lose this match.

Chennai bats it way through to the play-offs

With another home victory, Chennai bats its way through to the play-offs. Now the team can start focusing on reaching the top two slots of the league table. 

Positives:

1. Team Management: Finally, the team has started thinking and playing the match fearlessly. Extra batsmen in Bravo does make the team a lot more aggressive with its batting.

2. Dhoni: It was great to see Dhoni - the free flowing batsman, who attracted attention initially. 

3. Badri: As usual, Badri played the sheet anchor role to the hilt

4. Bravo: He is slowly getting his 'mojo' back. In another 2 or 3 matches, he should be playing to his full potential. 

5. Ashwin & Raina: Both bowled beautifully. It was great to see Raina filling up the third spinner's role beautifully. Raina & Ashwin's bowling would be crucial in the matches played in Chennai

Negatives

1. Vijay:  We have not still seen Vijay of IPL 2010 form. His form would be crucial in the matches against top four teams. 

Fan's Man of the Match - Dhoni - for out-batting the opposition out of the match. 

Now the team gets a much needed rest.. 

Another Important Game for CSK!

With the end of the league stages approaching, this game between Chennai Super Kings and Delhi Daredevils has a lot of context for both the teams. Delhi Daredevils have lost their only match-winner and would be itching to prove that they can win without Sehwag. Chennai Super Kings would be on a high after their second away victory and would be looking to continue their domination at Chennai. . 

With the win against Rajasthan Royals, Chennai Super Kings need a win with a good run-rate to qualify for the play-offs. But wins in the next two matches would surely go a long-way in helping the team to qualify for the top two positions. If the teams qualify in the top two, the other teams have to defeat CSK at Chennai (an uphill task) to win the cup. 

CSK Probable XI:

1. Vijay 2. Hussey 3. Raina 4. Badri 5. Dhoni 6. Morkel 7.Bravo 8. Abhinav Mukund/Saha 9. Ashwin 10. Jakati 11.Bollinger

I still can't understand CSK management picking Saha ahead of Mukund and Srikkanth. But i expect Srikkanth or Mukund to return to the side in this game. 

DD Probable XI:

1. Colin Ingram 2. Warner 3. Ojha 4. Venugopal Rao 5. Hopes 6. Irfan Pathan 7. Sridhar Sriman 8. Y Nagar 9. Ajit Agarkar 10. Morne Morkel 11. Nadeem

Most Dangerous Players

1. Morne Morkel: He would be looking for a good performance after the thrashing by Mumbai Indians. Also a win tomorrow would give a lot of bragging rights at home (against Albie)

2. Warner: Like Sehwag, he can single-handedly win the match for Delhi Daredevils. But Chennai's pitch might not be to his liking. 

Favorites: CSK are the favorites but writing-off Delhi Daredevils would be a huge mistake. 

Chennai Super Kings outclass Rajasthan Royals

After being outclassed by Kolkata Knight Riders in the last match, CSK came back with a thumping win today. Pitch Controversy withstanding, it was great to see CSK thrash Rajasthan Royals. And the best part was that the team had a lot of positives to take forward. With the massive win, Chennai Super Kings have climbed to No:2 spot. 

Positives:

1. Bravo: It was great to see Bravo in the yellow colors. Though his performance was ordinary today, it can be easily attributed to jet lag and 2 continuous days of travel. I am sure he would be back to his usual form in a match or two. 

2. Dhoni & Vijay: It was great to see the out-of-form batsmen getting runs under their belt. I believe that CSK are slowly starting to peak before the crucial stages of the tournament.

3. Hussey: He continues to impress - match after match. In another match or two, we are bound to see him wearing the orange cap. 

Fan's Man of the Match - Hussey. Though Dhoni played very well, it was Hussey's innings that set up the win. 

A Must-Win Match Against Rajasthan Royals!!!

Chennai play the penultimate away game against Rajasthan Royals. The team needs to win tomorrow - not only to prove that they are not just home ground bullies but also to have any realistic chance of ending up in the top two..

CSK My Squad:

1. Vijay 2. Hussey 3. Raina 4. Badri 5. Dhoni 6. Morkel 7.Faf 8. Ashwin 9. Jakati 10. Yo Mahesh 11.Bollinger

But knowing Dhoni & Fleming & considering the history of Jaipur pitches, I don't expect any changes from the squad that played last against Rajasthan Royals.

Rajasthan Royals Probable Squad:

1. Watson 2. Dravid 3. Botha 4. Menaria 5. Ross Taylor 6. Rahane 7. Binny 8. Yagnik 9. Shane Warnee 10. Doshi 11. Trivedi

Personally I expect Shane Warne to prepare a pitch that aids spinners.

Most Dangerous Players

1. Dravid: In Jaipur pitches, Dravid is the most crucial wicket for any team. Hope CSK fast bowlers take his wicket early.

2. Shane Warne: The old magician still has 'magic' left in him. In Jaipur pitch, he is RR's most dangerous bowler.

Prediction: CSK are the favorities and would be disappointed if they did not win this match.

Kolkata Knight Riders outclass Chennai Super Kings

Though the rain stopped the play, Kolkata Knight Riders were the deserving winners today. They bowled and batted better than Chennai Super Kings. And the match clearly exposed the weakness in Chennai Super Kings arsenal.

Negatives

1. Randiv: Randiv is effective only in the pitches that has a lot of uneven bounce. In a pitch which assisted slow bowlers, his bowling was disappointing. With Bravo coming in for the next match, this might be the last of Randiv - we see this season.  Now the team has to think hard before deciding on Bravo or Faf for the next match.

2. Go Slow Strategy: Chennai Super Kings have always preferred the "Slow & Steady Start" strategy in the tournament. But this works best when the pitch is not a bowling paradise like today. In pitches like this, the runs scored in the initial six overs would win or lose the matches.

3. Vijay: He is currently in the middle of a poor batch. If he did not bat well in the next 2 matches, it is time for the team to drop him and bring in Mukund/Vignesh.

Positives:

1. Badri: He showed today that he is a class act.

2. Ashwin: His bowling was exceptional today. If he had bowled his entire quota of overs today, Chennai Super Kings might have sneaked with a win today.

Now it is crucial that the team bounces back from the defeat immediately.

Fight for No:2 Spot??

Currently, both Kolkata Knight Riders and Chennai Super Kings would be eyeing that all-important No:2 spot. That is why today's match becomes crucial. Because it lets Chennai Super Kings not only add 2 more points but prevents the competition from doing so. So it would be a double whammy if CSK wins today.

Also KKR would not have forgotten their opening match defeat. They would be cursing themself for losing from a winning position. So we may not expect any such favors from KKR this time.

CSK Probable XI:
1. Vijay 2.Hussey 3. Raina 4. Badri 5. Dhoni  6. Albie 7. Anirudh Srikkanth 8. Ashwin 9. Jakati 10. Tim Southee 11. Bollinger
Considering that this is a new pitch with that extra bounce, the team might go ahead with Tim Southee in the place of Randiv


KKR Probable XI:
1. Kallis 2. Morgan 3. Gambhir 4. Tiwary 5. Yusuf Pathan 6. Mark Boucher 7. Rajat Bhati 8. Iqbal Abdullah 9. Bret Lee 10. Balaji 11. Jaidev Unakat. 


Most Dangerous Players:
1. Gambhir: New Pitch should aid Gambhir's natural strokeplay. I have a feeling that Gambhir might open the innings today. 
2. Yusuf Pathan: He is the danger-man for CSK. Chennai has to keep him quiet to win this match. 


Prediction: Odds are heavily in the favor of KKR. But if Dhoni/Vijay find their form, CSK will win the match easily - Otherwise it would be a tight game. 

Another home victory for Chennai Super Kings

All round performance from Chennai Super Kings set up another home victory. 11th over in both the innings swung the game towards Chennai. While the 11th over in Rajasthan Royals innings started the turn-around, 11th over in Chennai Super Kings innings won the match for CSK.

Positives:

1. Jakati: After a poor start to the season, Jakati is slowly picking up his form. Today he was the best spinner on the field.

2. Hussey: Slowly and Steadily, Hussey is climbing the run charts. His form is crucial considering that Vijay has been patchy this season

3. Bollinger & Morkel:  Bollinger-Morkel team is getting the job done in the initial four and last three overs. Hope their partnership continues to deliver results for CSK.

Negatives:

1. Vijay: Vijay has the lowest average among the top five CSK batsmen in the batting order. It is time he got more quick-fire fifties under his belt.

2. Randiv: Consistency has been an issue for Randiv. With Bravo coming on May 7, I believe the next match would be the last he would be playing for CSK this season. With increasing maturity, we surely could expect a better Randiv - next season

Fan's Man of the Match - Jakati for that wonderful catch that turned the match for CSK.

Crucial Games for CSK coming up..

After 8 games, CSK have firmly established themself as one of the top four teams so far. But IPL is not yet over. And the team has to play 6 more games. To qualify for the knockout stages, CSK needs to win atleast four of the remaining six games.

Easier way would be to win both the games against Rajasthan Royals and win the other 2 home games. Lose both the games against Rajasthan Royals, CSK's campaign for the top four finish would be all but over. That is why the game tomorrow against Rajasthan Royals is crucial for CSK.

Also considering the weather prediction tomorrow(hot & humid), the toss would play a huge role in the match.

CSK Probable XI
1. Vijay 2.Hussey 3. Raina 4. Badri 5. Dhoni  6. Albie 7. Anirudh Srikkanth 8. Ashwin 9. Jakati 10. Randiv 11. Bollinger


I have an inkling that the team management might play either Faf or Styris in the place of Randiv tomorrow. 


RR Probable XI:
1. Watson 2. Dravid 3. Botha 4. Menaria 5. Ross Taylor 6. Rahane 7. Binny 8. Yagnik 9. Shane Warne 10. Amit Singh 11. Trivedi


Most Dangerous Players
1. Watson: Sometimes CSK have a tendency to let the openers to score freely. But if you let Watson score easily, he will finish the game for Rajasthan Royals.
2. Ross Taylor: Ross Taylor's would prefer CSK's spin friendly attack. He might be one of the reasons that CSK might pick Southee or Stryis to give themself that extra-pace bowler. 


Favorites: CSK are the stronger team on paper. But with Warne at helm, the win would not come easily. 

Deccan Chargers crumble under pressure from CSK Bowling

Chennai Super Kings 165 for 5 (Raina 59, Hussey 46, Morkel 19, Ojha 3-26) beat Deccan Chargers 146 for 8 (Sohal 56, Morkel 3-38, Jakati 2-23) by 19 runs

Another match won by CSK spinners & Bollinger. Both Morkel & Jakati answered their critics through a great performance on the field. This win would give them a huge amount of confidence. 

Positives:

1. Raina: Good to see - Raina scoring runs at a quick rate. 

2. Morkel: His consecutive sixes would be remembered by Ishant Sharma for a long time. 

3. Jakati & Ashwin: It was a great performance by the spinners to bring the team level after Sohail's blitzkrieg. In my opinion, Ashwin 3-run 15th over was the real turning point of the match. 

Negatives:

1. Dhoni: His batting form has been ordinary this season. Hoping his form would pick up in the crucial stages of the tournament. 

Fan's Man of the Match - Jakati. His four overs brought the team back on a level playing field after Sohail's blitzkrieg

Battle between CSK Batting & DC Bowling

Deccan Chargers would be one of the two IPL teams (other team in Rajasthan Royals) that might actually look forward to Chennai's pitch. The team has quality spinners(Ojha & Mishra) who can exploit slow turning pitches and batting unit is always dependent on Sangakkara on any pitch. So they would find Chennai pitch to be more in their favor. 
For Chennai, a win tomorrow would take them back among the top four teams in IPL. So it is a big match for both the teams. 


CSK Probable XI:
1. Vijay 2.Hussey 3. Raina 4. Badri 5. Dhoni  6. Albie 7. Anirudh Srikkanth 8. Ashwin 9. Jakati 10. Randiv 11. Bollinger

If Albie is not fit tomorrow, the team might play Stryis & Southee ahead of Albie & Randiv. 

DC Probale XI:

1. Sohal 2. Dhawan 3. Chipli 4. Sangakkara 5. White 6. Christian 7. Teja 8. Ojha 9. Amit Mishra 10. Ishant Sharma 11. Steyn

Most Dangerous Players:

1. Ojha: Deccan Chargers' most successful spinner in earlier IPL seasons has been cast aside for Amit Mishra. I am sure he will be looking for a point to prove in tomorrow's match

2. Steyn: Steyn is a threat on any pitch he bowls. How Hussey & Vijay negotiate him would decide tomorrow's match

3. Sangakkara: His batting is the rock in which Deccan Chargers' wins are based. CSK needs to get him out early. 

Favorites:  Though Deccan Chargers would fancy their chances, the crowd support tomorrow tilts the scales towards Chennai. 

Another Clinical Display earns the first away win!!

Scorecard: Chennai Super Kings 145 for 2 (Badrinath 63*) beat Pune Warriors 141 for 6 (Yuvraj 62*, Bollinger 3-21) by eight wickets 

All-round clinical performance from the team!!! Dougie & Badri were the stand-out players and set up a beautiful win for CSK. Now Chennai Super Kings can relax until Sunday - thansk to back-to-back wins and knowing that they have established them self as a contender for the top four slot. Also it is time that CSK started aiming for No:2 spot - to give them self that extra match to get into the finals.

Positives:

1. Dougie: Another great performance. Superstar of CSK Bowling Unit.

2. Badri: Without making noise, Badri is staking claim for the highest run-scorer in this IPL. Produced a beautiful innings today and rewarded the team management for sending him at No:3. Hope he produces more such innings for CSK.

3. Raina: Nice to see him spend some time in the innings. He is bound to back to his IPL form soon. 

Negatives

1. Selection of Kulasekara: I was flummoxed by the selection of Kulasekara as an all-rounder in the team. If Albie is injured, the team requires to pick either Faf or Styris (who can bowl 2-3 overs. Raina can contribute the rest). I would have preferred Yo Mahesh/Tyagi, Faf, Tim Southee to come in the place of Jakati, Albie and Randiv in this match. Thanks to Badri's innings, CSK did not have to deal with the weak lower order. Hope the team does not repeat this mistake if Albie is still injured for the next match.

Fan's Man of the Match: Dougie - For the great bowling, that helped CSK to dominate the match.

After seeing Ishant's performance today, how do you rate CSK's chances against Deccan Chargers?

Searching for Elusive Away Win!!!

Chennai has played six matches this IPL season (3 home + 3 away) and are yet to win their first away victory. Alsotoday's game  is very crucial for Chennai Super Kings to firmly establish themself as a contender for a place in the top four. That is why, Chennai Super Kings need to have a back-to-back victory against Pune Warriors.

CSK Probable XI:

1. Vijay 2.Hussey 3. Raina 4. Badri 5. Dhoni  6. Albie 7. Abhinav Mukund 8. Ashwin 9. Jakati 10. Tim Southee 11. Bollinger

Considering Navi Mumbai pitch so far, I expect the team to pick Southee ahead of Randiv. Seeing the commitment shown by Mukund on the fielding, it might not be long before he gets picked in the team. 

Pune Probable XI:

1. Ryder 2. Manish Pandey 3. Mishra 4. Uthappa 5. Yuvraj 6. Manhas 7. Mishra 8. J Sharma 9. Wagh 10. Jermoe Taylor 11. Thomas

Most Dangerous Players

1. Thomas: Navi Mumbai pitch favors fast bowlers in the early overs. So expect him to be a threat in the initial overs. 

2. Yuvraj Singh: He would be looking to make amends to his poor batting for the match in Chennai. It is necessary that Chennai Super Kings bowlers gets his wicket early. 

Favorites: Though CSK are the favorites on paper, I expect an evenly contested & close game.

Collective Team Performance ensures another home win!!

Collective team performance - especially clinical displays from CSK Bowling & Fielding Unit ensured another home win. Time now for CSK to repeat an encore performance on Wednesday in Mumbai. And prove all CSK naysayers wrong. 


Positives:
1. Albie: After warming up to the Indian pitches, Albie Morkel has been sensational in his first two overs. Hope his bowling form continues. And I am sure he is bound to make a key contribution with his bat soon. 
2. Bollinger & Ashwin: Chennai's strike bowlers are backkkkkk! 
3. Fielding: Wonderful fielding performance from the team. This year's squad has been exceptional in the field. 


Negatives:
1. Raina: Still waiting for him to strike his IPL form.


Fan's Man of the Match: Ashwin
He took the crucial wickets of Jesse Ryder & Uthappa. It was his maiden wicket that turned the game towards CSK. 


What do you think CSK's chances of winning the next match?

Chennai need to win.. Desperately...

After assembling the strongest IPL squad in auction,CSK management would have never expected the team to be in the bottom half of the table. But that is where CSK is. And the team now desperately need not only a single win but a string of wins under its belt. That is why the team should focus - not only on winning tomorrow's match but also on winning both the matches against Pune Warriors.

Until now, the team has been good at home. Hope the trends continues for tomorrow's match also. 

CSK My XI:

1. Vijay 2.Vignesh 3. Raina 4. Hussey 5. Badri 6. Dhoni  7. Albie 8. Ashwin 9. Jakati 10. Randiv 11. Bollinger

I believe it is time CSK tried out a different opening combination. Bringing Vignesh into the eleven might be a gamble. But it is surely a gamble - that might bring in high dividends. 

Pune Warriors Probable XI:

1. Ryder 2. Paine 3. Manhas 4. Uthappa 5. Yuvraj 6. Mishra 7. Parnell 8. Murali Karthik 9. Sharma 10. Wagh 11. Thomas

Most Dangerous Players

1. Ryder: He is their most in-form batsmen. His early wicket would expose their power-hitting middle order early into the innings

2. Uthappa: Has not had a great season so far. But he is surely their most dangerous batsman in the spin-friendly Chepauk wicket. 

Favorities: CSK are the stronger team on paper. But Pune Warriors have a few batsmen who can win the game on their own. So it should be an interesting game tomorrow. 

Mistakes cost CSK the match

Multiple mistakes cost CSK the match..After a commendable performance from the bowlers (except for Joginder Sharma), Chennai Super Kings batsmen let the team down.

But what irritates me more is the silly mistakes that team made
1. Picking Joginder ahead of Tyagi & Jakati - Please explain who in the right mind picks Joginder Sharma in any team.
2. Sending Anirudha ahead of Albie: Albie is a better batsman than Anirudha in these situations. By the time, Albie walked on, tide has already turned towards Mumbai. And Albie was forced to go after the bowlers - without getting a look into the pitch
3. Lower Order Batsman: Until today, one of the positives about the team is that players until no:10 can bat. But sadly, none of them can think. Why the hell you have to go over the bowlers when there is an established batsman like Badri at the other end.

But still there were positives from today's match.
1. Bollinger: Bollinger "we know" is back.
2. Albie: Albie finally proved his worth with his bowling

Disappointed. Now the team has an uphill task of winning 7 out of the next 9 matches to have any chance in the tournament.

Are you as disappointed about the team like me?

A Match between Titans

After meekly losing against Kochi, the match against Mumbai Indians provides Chennai Super Kings to show their real mettle to the fans. And I am sure the team is itching to get back to their winning ways. While the media would like to bill this game as a battle of "Dhoni Vs Tendulkar" it will be the match which will be decided by the performance of Anirudhas & Jakatis.. 


CSK Probable XI:
1. Hussey 2. Vijay 3. Raina 4. Badrinath 5. Dhoni 6. Albie 7. Anirudha 8. Ashwin 9. Jakati 10. Randiv 11. Tim Southee


Though this same eleven lost the last match, I believe Fleming & Dhoni would continue with the same team. Considering Mumbai Indians are the only team who would prefer to bat first against CSK, it is better to go with 7 batsmen. 


MI Probable XI
1. Davy Jacobs 2. Sachin Tendulkar 3. Rayudu 4. Rohit Sharma 5. Symonds 6. Pollard 7. Sathish 8. Murtaza 9. Harbhajan 10. Munaf Patel 11. Malinga


Most Dangerous Players:
1. Malinga:
Only player who can reduce this match to an one-sided contest for Mumbai. But I am sure CSK would have a plan to handle him. 
2. Pollard:
I am sure today, he will face the first ball of this IPL. Hope the team gets him early. 
3. Munaf Patel:
While Malinga has stolen the headlines, Munaf Patel has quietly given stellar performance on the background. (Economy of less than 5 runs per over this IPL). 


Favorites:
At home, Mumbai Indians are the clear favorities. But I have a sneaky feeling that it is CSK's turn to spring a surprise today.