The Dying Light of CSK
I've supported the Chennai Super Kings since the very first IPL auction. Dhoni was a bigger pull for me than my city or any other cricketer, and CSK built a good team around him. They were also successful, and were the first team to retain a core of players to maintain continuity across auction cycles. They've had their grey areas off the field, but on it, there's hardly been much to complain about.
This CSK dynasty has been a pioneering and successful IPL team built around Dhoni. Having reached the playoffs every single year they've played, having won 3 IPL finals and two Champions Trophy editions, CSK have earned the “most consistent IPL side" tag. In 2020, we are seeing the sun set on this Dhoni era.
It's simply unfortunate that their entire squad has run its course. They picked aged players in 2018, but they won because everyone played well, regardless of labels. Watto, Dhoni, Ngidi, Rayudu, Raina, Chahar.
Their squad is mostly retirees or players who don't play for their national teams, which means they've been mostly out of practice at the highest level even before the pandemic. In 2019, signs of decline were apparent, and Dhoni even remarked on that. In 2020, they're just facing the perfect storm: everyone is past it, together.
It is lucrative to attribute their success to Dhoni, but cricket is simpler than that. Dhoni backs reliable players, while understanding the vagaries of the format. CSK win because someone has always fired for them. This time, all players are rusty enough to be ineffective.
CSK displayed a rigid abstinence in the auctions, with adamant trust in their core, a belief that no one is worth too much, a reduced purse from big name retentions. They looked at the post ban 3 year cycle as a one time thing. The shelf life has turned out shorter than expected.
As a result, they have nowhere to go, no consistent or proven players on the bench if their first choice XI has holes. Still, it's baffling that Tahir hasn't played, and Ngidi was discarded so soon.
Their batting is fit for 2015, with Dhoni, Jadhav and Jadeja, all unable to keep pace with the modern T20 game, or the plans bowlers have in place for them.
All in all, CSK are witnessing a glorious epoch dying with a pathetic whimper, sad to watch. One hopes that there's a full reset post Dhoni.
Will that be the same CSK?