IPL 2014: 3 things CSK need to do as they head back to India

With 4 wins out of 5, you would think that CSK have little reason to worry. Not only do they have the best opening pair of the tournament, but theyalso have a bowling attack that has conceded over 150 just once. Having said that, there are still a few key things CSK will need to address as they head back home.

#3 Try an extra batsman

The curious case of Mithun Manhas will surely be eating away all CSK fans’ minds. Having played in all four of CSK’s wins, the all-rounder hasn’t had much to do with the bat, ball or in the field. While CSK might have the best top-order in the tournament, with Bravo sidelined for the rest of the tournament, CSK’s middle order is one that doesn’t inspire too much confidence.

Manhas and Jadeja currently occupy the crucial 6th and 7th spots, and neither have looked in particularly great form with the bat. So it might be time to drop Manhas and give the prodigiously talented and in-form Baba Aparajith a chance. Not only is the youngster a crafty batsman, he can also turn his arm over and will provide CSK’s batting order with some much-needed stability.

#2 Find a place for Badree

Having bought the World’s No.1 ranked T20 bowler for next to nothing, it seems somewhat bizarre that CSK have decided to keep him in the shed. To be fair to the CSK management, the pitches in the UAE have rarely assisted spinners, and, with four wins on the bounce, CSK seem to have stuck up with the winning formula.

But, with the teams returning to India and more spin-friendly conditions on the horizon, it is only fair to assume that Badree would be in the line-up. Whether it is in place of Ben Hilfenhaus or Faf du Plessis remains to be seen. One thing is for sure: if they don’t play Badree, the IPL is set to miss out on the chance to see the world’s premier T20 bowler in action.

#1 Make solid starts count

In Brendon McCullum and Dwayne Smith, CSK have an opening pair with three 50-run partnerships in their first five games together, including a mammoth 123-run stand against Kings XI Punjab in their debut match. For the first time in the history of the IPL, CSK have arguably the most destructive opening pair in the tournament.

While the deadly duo has been doing all the early damage, once one of the two gets out Chennai seem to revert back to a more solid approach, instead of making the advantage count. That has resulted in a couple of nervy finishes, which could have been avoided with a more attacking approach. Although CSK are on a 4-game winning streak, had they finished the matches faster than they did, their net run-rate, which might be crucial in the end, would have been far better.