Chennai Super Kings will be doing the ‘whistle-podu’ in the IPL for the first time since 2015. The India Cements owned team was banned for two years during the spot fixing saga.

Chennai Super Kings retained their core three players of MS Dhoni, Suresh Raina and Ravindra Jadeja. However, they couldn’t buy back R Ashwin, as KXIP outbid them for the off spinner. However, they went to secure the services of leg-spinners Karn Sharma and Imran Tahir.

CSK also brought Harbhajan Singh, who had previously played for MI since the inception of IPL in 2008. Kiwi Mitchell Santner was also bought by CSK later in the auction. After the first day of auction, CSK was criticized for buying players over the age of 30 like Faf du Plessis, Shane Watson, Kedar Jadhav and Imran Tahir.

But on the second day, CSK went for local boy M Vijay, and bought 8 uncapped players. They tried to buy back Mohit Sharma, but KXIP again broke their dreams, by using RTM card. They then bought players like Shardul Thakur and Deepak Chahar, and also bought foreign out and out fast bowlers in Mark Wood of England and South African Lungi Ngidi.

However, for CSK to be successful like before, MS Dhoni will need to have a mix of players with experience and complete newbie. But with the kind of experience CSK possesses, it shouldn’t be hard enough to guide the rookies.

Chennai Super Kings have to deal with foreign fast bowlers who don’t have experience of bowling in Indian conditions and aged veterans who are finding their second wind after 10 years of IPL.

Possible Playing XI:
Shane Watson, M Vijay,  Suresh Raina, Kedar Jadhav,  MS Dhoni (C-WK),  Ravindra Jadeja,  Dwayne Bravo, Harbhajan Singh, Shardul Thakur,  Imran Tahir, Lungi Ngidi