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

The Albie Morkel conundrum:

Either use Albie Morkel or drop him

In the last four years, CSK have made a complete meal of the one player who I consider a huge asset. Morkel has faced 37, 68, 102 and 131 balls in the last four seasons respectively (in reverse chronological order from 2013).

However, he has scored 489 runs from those 338 deliveries in the four seasons combined. To show how bad a mismanagement that is, consider this – Murali Vijay faced 339 balls in a single season (2011 IPL).

The fact that Vijay scored 434 runs, which is 55 less than Morkel despite facing more deliveries, in a season widely considered to be his best, is noteworthy here.

You can also notice a steady decline in the number of deliveries Morkel has faced in the last four years, which is quite obviously due to the arrival of Bravo and Jadeja.

Even though he is the leading wicket-taker for CSK in IPL with 76 wickets, it is not rocket science to understand that wickets do come along when you bowl regularly for five seasons. And to put things into perspective, Piyush Chawla has 84 wickets.

So if that is how you are going to use an overseas player, why have him at all?

Replace him with Du Plessis and slot him in as an opener, a role which he relished in his debut season with the Super Kings (398 in 12 innings at a strike rate of 130.92).

Imagine a top four that has Du Plessis, Hussey, Raina and MSD. For a non-international bowling line up to get through them in batting friendly conditions would be a pretty tough task.

If they do get through them in odd circumstances, they will still have to bowl at the likes of Badrinath, Jadeja, Bravo and Morris, who can easily thwart them from achieving anything of value.

Why should Vijay get the drop, and not Badrinath?

It is true that Subramaniam Badrinath has become non-existent in the CSK playing eleven of late, but you can always afford to have someone who takes to tough playing conditions in IPL the way fish takes to water.

On the other hand, Vijay’s problems are adding up; to even think that he is our first choice opener against South Africa in South Africa, shows the dearth of quality we have among our openers!

And no, his century against an impotent Australian attack is not the answer. All that for another day though.

Personally I have no qualms over Albie Morkel’s selection, but as I have made it clear before, he would do no good to CSK’s way of playing.

The Indian player who could replace Vijay, in the absence of Shadab Jakati who is not in the 15-man squad, is Wriddhiman Saha. It’s not like these are my first choice options, but having not seen Imtiaz Ahmed bowling, these are the most practical options.

If Morkel plays, the playing eleven should be – Hussey, Badrinath, Raina, Dhoni, Saha (as a floater), Morkel, Bravo, Jadeja, Morris, Ashwin, Mohit.

Badrinath would be helped by the fact that the fielders would be in during the Powerplay and his scoring shots, i.e. cuts, drives and pull shots can fetch more runs than just singles outside of the Powerplay. Run rate would not be an issue with big hitters lined up in the order after him.

If Morkel is dropped, the line-up would be - Hussey, Du Plessis, Raina, MSD, Badrinath and Saha (as floaters), Bravo, Jadeja, Morris, Ashwin, Mohit.

Death bowling would still be an issue. But they do not have the options to bolster the attack and if at all anyone can manage this bowling unit, it has to be Dhoni, having captained the Indian team for so long now.

Final verdict:

Irrespective of what they do with Murali Vijay, expect them to go all the way if Dhoni comes in at number four and Morkel is not held back.