IPL 2019: Expected playing XI for Chennai Super Kings in the season opener

Chennai Super Kings will begin their title defense when they take on the Royal Challengers Bangalore side in the very first encounter of the IPL 2019 on 23rd March in the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chepauk, Chennai.

The CSK team will go into the tournament without making any major changes to their team combination, and most likely will be the team which played the finals of the last season where they defeated the SunRisers Hyderabad barring one or two replacements.

CSK's batting line up is undeniably one of the best in the tournament while their pace attack is not one of the best in the business with Mohit Sharma, Shardul Thakur, and Deepak Chahar being the only three Indian seamers.

Chennai Super Kings complete squad: MS Dhoni, Suresh Raina, Deepak Chahar, KM Asif, Karn Sharma, Dhruv Shorey, Faf du Plessis, M Vijay, Ravindra Jadeja, Sam Billings, Mitchell Santner, David Willey, Dwayne Bravo, Shane Watson, Lungi Ngidi, Imran Tahir, Kedar Jadhav, Ambati Rayudu, Harbhajan Singh, N Jagadeesan, Shardul Thakur, Monu Kumar, Chaitanya Bishnoi, Mohit Sharma, Ruturaj Gaikwad.

The expected playing XI for the opener for the Chennai Super Kings:

Openers: Shane Watson and Ambati Rayudu

Watto will look to repeat what he did in 2018

Shane Watson of the reasons why CSK won the last season. His stunning knock in the finals after a run of good form made sure that the team won their 3rd IPL title on return.

Now, the onus will once again be on him to provide CSK with good starts, and a win against RCB in the opener will bode well for the yellow brigade. His recent form in the PSL will augur well for the CSK in their campaign to retain the title.

Ambati Rayudu was an unlikely opener when the IPL 2018 started, but he took his chances with both his hands and was the leading run-getter for the CSK last season. He, along with Watson was a major factor in the team's success after providing them with good starts more often than not.

He needs a good IPL personally to cement his spot in the World Cup squad after a not so good series against Australia.

Middle Order: Suresh Raina, MS Dhoni, and Kedar Jadhav

Suresh Raina is a legend of the IPL and is the leading run-getter across all the seasons of the tournament. He might not be in the scheme of things for the World Cup 2019, but India's fragile middle order may just give him an outside chance at making the squad if he has a dream IPL, which is an absolute possibility, considering his talent in this format.

MS Dhoni will be there to lead the yellow brigade again for the 10th consecutive season since the inception in 2008 and will be looking forward to making it two titles in a row.

His own form in 2019 thus far has been good, but a repeat of his 2018 performances will be the need of the hour for CSK.

The winning shot he played in his only match for CSK

Kedhar Jadhav will be eagerly waiting for this season as he did not feature in any match except for 'that' one match in his maiden season for the CSK. Having sealed his spot for the World Cup, he will look to work on his fitness be injury free in this IPL.

All-rounders: Dwayne Bravo and Ravindra Jadeja

Dwayne Bravo is probably the best match winner in the T20 cricket at the moment. He gives the team relief in all the departments of the game and is a proven game-changer for any side he plays, even more so for the CSK over the years.

He might have retired from international cricket but he still an enigma in the field. CSK will look for him to showcase his brilliance with both the bat and the ball.

Ravindra Jadeja will once be a key player for the Dhoni-led side and he is a sort of player who makes things happen for the captain. Jadeja has been in decent form with the ball and is expected to deliver once again for CSK 23rd March onwards.

Not just his bowling or batting, his fielding alone is valuable enough to make him a find a place in any side in this format.

Bowlers: David Willey and Imran Tahir

David Willey didn't get enough chances to prove his mettle in the last season but he is a proven T20 player when it comes to the franchise tournaments across the world.

His recent form against the Windies in the shortest format of the game will be an advantage for the CSK when they take the field. He could be a surprise package for the team this time around if he gets some game time.

Imran Tahir will be useful in the conditions of Chennai and is expected to play a part as his leg spinners will be a weapon in the Chepauk. This makes him a certain inclusion for the first few games in the slow and turning wickets in some parts of the country.

His running celebration will be a sight to behold if you are a CSK fan.

Bowlers: Mohit Sharma and Deepak Chahar

Mohit Sharma will make a comeback to where it all started

Mohit Sharma will be returning to the Chennai Super Kings after a long gap and is expected to don the role of the death bowler which was a cause of concern for them last season. His experience will be valuable for the team in yellow.

His addition is valuable as he brings out his best playing under MS Dhoni and even won the Purple Cap on one occasion while being playing for CSK.

Deepak Chahar had a decent time in the last season playing as a bowling all-rounder. He is a certain starter in the side and is expected to play a huge part both with the ball and also with his big hitting down the order.

His exploits last season will be a confidence booster for the team and will be a certainty.

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