The Chennai Super Kings became the joint-most successful IPL franchise by winning their 5th IPL title, defeating Gujarat Titans in the final of IPL 2023. MS Dhoni‘s magic continues to propel CSK’s legacy as the most consistent team in the IPL history having reached 12 playoffs and 10 IPL finals.
On that note, here is the best CSK all-time XI:
Openers: Faf du Plessis, Murali Vijay
We were spoiled for choices for the opening pair because of some of the finest ever IPL performers have opened for Chennai Super Kings. We went with the top overseas and Indian highest scoring openers for Chennai Super Kings: Faf du Plessis scored 2932 runs for Chennai Super Kings in 100 matches with 21 fifties while Murali Vijay scored 2205 runs with 2 centuries and 1 fifties.
Middle-order: Suresh Raina, Ambati Rayudu
Hailed as Mr. IPL, Suresh Raina ransacked 5529 runs for Chennai Super Kings – the most for Chennai Super Kimgs – with 2 fifties and 38 half-centuries. Teamman Ambati Rayudu batted at different positions whenever and wherever asked to score 1932 runs in 90 games for Chennai Super Kings.
Wicket-keeper, Captain: MS Dhoni
The Thala. The captain. The leader. MS Dhoni. 5 Trophies. 12 IPL playooffs. 10 Indian Premier League Finals for Chennai Super Kings. There’s so muchh and so little left to say about the 42-year-old who still remains the hearbeat of the IPL.
All-rounders: Ravindra Jadeja, Dwayne Bravo, Albie Morkel
Chennai Super Kings have had a pleothera of all-rounders. Ravindra Jadeja, who hit the winning runs in the Indian Premier League 2023 final, is the second highest wicket-taker for Chennai Super Kings with 134 wickets, only behind Bravo’s tally of 154 wickets. Albie Morkel is at 4th with 91 wickets in the yellow jersey. All three of them have finished games with the bat.
Bowlers: R Ashwin, Deepak Chahar, Doug Bollinger
R Ashwin is Chennai Based Franchise third-highest wicket-taker with 120 wickets, and Chahar, who joined them in 2018, is 5th with 71 scalps, a majority of them coming in the powerplay. Doug Bollinger, who played a crucial role in Chennai Super Kings success in the initial years of the IPL, has snared 55 wickets in 44 IPL games.
Here is CSK’s all-time XI:
Faf du Plessis, Murali Vijay, Suresh Raina, Ambati Rayudu, MS Dhoni (c,wk), Ravindra Jadeja, Dwayne Bravo, Albie Morkel, R Ashwin, Deepak Chahar, Doug Bollinger
