CLT20: Chennai Super Kings - Tactical Analysis: MS Dhoni has the key to the treasure

Drop Murali Vijay:

Faf du Plessis can reduce the burden on Hussey and Raina

Statistically speaking, Vijay’s record of 312 runs in 15 innings at an average of 22.28 and strike-rate of 109.09 in IPL 6 doesn’t give him an automatic qualification.

Not to forget he was dropped by CSK the season before for a series of woeful performances, and returned late into the tourney to score his only 50+ score in IPL 5 against Delhi Daredevils.

Some muddled thinking from the Delhi think-tank led to Morne Morkel being dropped for Andre Russell and in turn, forcing the Daredevils to include Sunny Gupta, who looked overqualified for being a nets bowler, leave alone a part of the Delhi Daredevils team. The off-spinner ended up conceding 47 runs off his three overs and Vijay made complete use of the hapless bowling attack to score a 58-ball 113.

Going beyond the mere statistics, from my observation in the last couple of years, I believe his problems start when he is trying to accelerate, an issue that has crept into his playing style of late.

He looks stylish, compact and comfortable when he is not trying to force the pace. He applies himself strictly when the bowling is harmless, which is pretty much the case in IPL, but the moment he is required to step up the gear, his shortcomings show up.

That is why I believe he should be replaced with Faf du Plessis. But since du Plessis cannot be substituted like-for-like with Vijay, an overseas player has to be sacrificed.

Faf du Plessis comes at a cost:

Including Du Plessis raises the next question: whom should he replace?

Dwayne Bravo, considering CSK’s glaring weakness in death bowling, and Michael Hussey, no questions whatsoever, deserve a spot.

Chris Morris, the latest addition to what is becoming the hub of talented all-rounders, gets a place as a result of the extra pace that could be handy on the kind of surfaces that CLT20 is about to be played at. He also showed glimpses of his death bowling skills in the IPL 6 that could be vital to CSK’s diminished options at death.

After his performances in the last IPL, I am not even entering into a discussion as to why Jason Holder doesn’t deserve to be in the playing eleven as of now.

Albie Morkel is the only one left. I would love to have him any day in my limited overs team, but is he of any use to CSK’s way of playing?