Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Mumbai Indians (MI) are both very successful teams in the Indian Premier League (IPL). CSK’s captain, MS Dhoni, has led them to five championship wins. In the next season, CSK aims to win again and beat MI’s record for the most titles.
CSK has been known for its strong batting since the IPL started in 2008. Players like Matthew Hayden, Michael Hussey, Suresh Raina, and Faf du Plessis have played crucial roles in their victories. With the 2024 IPL approaching, let’s remember some of the best batting performances by the current champions.
Here are the top 5 times when CSK’s batters played really well in the IPL:
5. Michael Hussey’s 116 against Punjab Kings, 2008
Michael Hussey played for CSK for seven years, from 2008 to 2015. He played really well during this time and became one of the best batters in the league. In 2008, during CSK’s first game in the IPL against Punjab Kings, Hussey played amazingly. He scored 116 runs in 54 balls, helping CSK win by 33 runs. Because of his great performance, CSK scored 240 runs and won the match. Hussey was given the Player of the Match award for his outstanding performance.
4. Murali Vijay’s 127 against Rajasthan Royals, 2010
In 2010, CSK won their first trophy with MS Dhoni leading the team. Fans still remember their amazing performance. In one game, they scored their highest ever total of 246 runs against Rajasthan Royals. Murali Vijay played exceptionally well, scoring 127 runs in just 56 balls. CSK won the match comfortably by 23 runs.
CSK batted first after winning the toss. Dhoni chose to bat and Vijay, along with his opening partner Matthew Hayden, attacked the bowlers. Hayden got out after scoring 34 runs, but Vijay continued to dominate, helping CSK reach a huge score.
Rajasthan Royals tried hard to chase the big target. Naman Ojha scored 94 runs quickly, and Shane Watson made 60 runs in just 25 balls. However, they fell short by 23 runs because of CSK’s strong bowling. Vijay was awarded the Player of the Match for his outstanding batting performance.
3. Suresh Raina’s 73 against Royal Challengers Bangalore, 2011
CSK and MI are the only teams to win the IPL title more than once. In 2011, CSK won the trophy by defeating RCB in the final match. Before the final, they also played against each other in the first playoff.
In the playoff match, CSK won against RCB by six wickets. Raina played a big part in the win. Even though CSK lost their first two batters early, Raina stayed calm and played aggressively against RCB’s bowlers. He scored 73 runs not out and helped CSK win the match.
2. Murali Vijay’s 113 against Delhi Capitals, 2012
In 2012, Chennai Super Kings (CSK) didn’t win the trophy for three years in a row. But in one competition, they played really aggressively and ended up as the second-best team. In a match against Delhi Capitals (DC), Murali Vijay played exceptionally well with his bat and helped Chennai win by a big margin of 86 runs.
DC’s captain Virender Sehwag chose to let Chennai bat first after winning the coin toss. Vijay took full advantage of the good batting conditions and hit the ball hard, making DC’s captain regret his decision. He scored an amazing 113 runs off just 58 balls, helping Chennai reach a total of 222 runs. This was the second time he scored a century in the Indian Premier League (IPL).
Trying to chase down this big score, DC’s team couldn’t handle the pressure and collapsed, getting all out for just 136 runs in 16.5 overs. Vijay’s outstanding innings earned him the Player of the Match award.
1. Shane Watson’s 117* against Sunrisers Hyderabad, 2018
Shane Watson played his first game for CSK in 2018 and did really well with his batting. He helped the team win its third title. He scored 555 runs in 15 matches and was the fifth-highest scorer in the league. In the final match, he played his best ever in IPL and won the Player of the Match award.
Before the game started, CSK’s captain MS Dhoni won the toss and chose for Hyderabad to bat first. Hyderabad scored 178 runs with Yusuf Pathan scoring 45 not out and captain Kane Williamson scoring 47.
CSK had to chase 179 runs. They lost one of their key players, Faf du Plessis, early in the game. But Watson played incredibly, scoring an unbeaten 117 runs off just 57 balls. Because of him, CSK won the match in just 18.3 overs.
READ MORE: Top 5 batting performances for RCB
