Five key factors behind CSK’s IPL 2023 triumph
The Chennai Super Kings (CSK) made history on Monday as they joined Mumbai Indians (MI) as the most successful team in the Indian Premier League (IPL), defeating defending champions Gujarat Titans (GT ) defeated.
They won their fifth IPL title, played in their tenth finals and equaled MI’s record for most IPL titles. It is fitting that CSK and MI, two teams with the greatest rivalry in the league, are the most successful sides and share ten IPL trophies.
TSN takes a look at the key factors that helped CSK win another IPL trophy.
MORE: Relive the IPL 2023 finale
The Ruturaj-Conway combination
One of the most important factors in CSK’s successful season was the opening duo of Ruturaj Gaikwad and Devon Conway.
The duo got the side off to a good start in most games, even at a high pace, and helped CSK score big totals or pursue goals with relative ease.
The duo collectively completed 849 runs with an average of 56.60, the second most runs of any pair in this year’s IPL after Virat Kohli and Faf du Plessis, who averaged 939 runs. Ruturaj and Conway also shared seven partnerships of over fifty, the most common being shared with Kohli and du Plessis.
The way these two guys fought throughout the campaign was truly pivotal in the fate of CSK. Although CSK had a reliable middle class, the starts Ruturaj and Conway gave their team secured them the lead.
Ruturaj hit 590 runs in 16 games with an average of 42.14 and a batting average of 147.50, earning four half-centuries. Meanwhile, Conway hit 672 runs with an average of 51.69 and a batting average of just one touch under 140, which equates to six fifties.
Also in the final, the duo put up a streak of 74 runs in just 6.3 overs, laying the groundwork for the run pursuit against GT, while chasing the revised target of 171 in just 15 overs.
Flexible medium order
CSK had the most flexible batting roster of any team. They were truly blessed to have a middle class consisting of Ambati Rayudu, Ajinkya Rahane, Shivam Dube, Moeen Ali, Ravindra Jadeja and MS Dhoni who performed successfully no matter where they performed.
This helped CSK to be successful in different situations, as there was always a different type of player available to play in a different situation. Rahane and Dube particularly impressed in the middle overs and added another dimension to the team.
The injury to Ben Stokes
Stokes, the most expensive player in CSK history, should make this team a force to be reckoned with. However, Stokes’ injury proved a boon for the men in yellow.
Stokes’ absence from the lineup allowed CSK to discover a rejuvenated Rahane who reinvented himself and became a speedy hitting giant in the middle overs, hitting 326 runs for a 172.49 batting average. He reinvented his game and was given a clear role by captain MS Dhoni. His batting odds over the past three seasons have been 103.91 (2022), 100.00 (2021) and 105.60 (2020).
Not only Rahane but also Dube was impressive. which was given a more prominent impact role in the middle class. The southpaw had 418 runs with a strike of 158.33, including three fifties. He never scored more points or hit runs faster. The fact that he hit 35 sixes in the 2023 IPL says it all. He also played a crucial role in the final, taking Rashid Khan offside with his powerful punches.
It’s safe to say Stokes’ injury allowed the likes of Dube and Rahane to flourish and made up for the Englishman’s absence by showing recklessness with the racquet.
death bowling
The introduction of the Impact Player rule this year has helped many teams, and certainly the Super Kings as well.
Matheesha Pathirana, nicknamed “Baby Malinga” for his identical bowling action to Lasith Malinga, was Dhoni’s trump card in the death overs.
The Sri Lankan took all of his 18 wickets in the death overs with an average of 9.94 and a save rate of 8.01. His influence was gargantuan and helped keep CSK’s bowling division looking strong in the face of death. No other bowler chose more wickets on death, while Tushar Deshpande, who became CSK’s top wicket-taker, chose nine wickets despite his saving rate of 12.42.
MS Dhoni’s unprecedented nous
Although MSD only played 62 balls all season, his captaincy and influence as a wicket-keeper were crucial to CSK’s impact, to say the least.
He assigned specific roles to the batsmen and was able to bat with an 8 in most games.
The way he captained the batsman with his field placements put the years behind us and made us realize once again that he’s still one of the best in the game when it comes to in-game IQ. He was just as proactive as a captain as he was a decade ago.