IPL: How Men in Yellow may lineup in the tournament opener

#9 Karn Sharma

The leg-spinner had a great time playing for the Mumbai Indians and is anticipated to get a nod ahead of the veteran off-spinner Harbhajan Singh. His forte is his immaculate line and length as he doesn't turn the ball much and relies on his googly a lot more than his leg spin. He should be an ideal partner for Ravindra Jadeja as he is not the easiest to get away with, and can choke the runs from one end.

#10 Mark Wood

The seamer from England will be making his first appearance in the IPL. Till now, he has secured quite a bit of reputation in world cricket, and CSK will bank on him to give them some early breakthroughs. It won't be a duck soup for him in the IPL as Chennai is not the easiest of places for fast bowlers. The temperature can be around the 40-degree mark and tracks are expected to be belters.

#11 Shardul Thakur

The right-arm pacer had a glorious time on the tour of South Africa and Sri Lanka and CSK will be hoping that he continues his sublime form in the IPL as well. He is incredible towards the death as he possesses an excellent knuckleball, and his variations will also come in handy towards the death.