Can Chennai Super Kings' old guard go one better after 2019's final disappointment?

IPL TEAM PREVIEW: MS Dhoni, Shane Watson, Dwayne Bravo and Imran Tahir make up an experienced core and they will have been hurt by last year's one-run final defeat. Can they go one better in this unusual edition of the competition?

Coach: Stephen Fleming

Captain: MS Dhoni

Last season: Runners-up

Fixtures: September 19 – Mumbai Indians; September 22 – Rajasthan Royals; September 25 – Delhi Capitals; October 2 – Sunrisers Hyderabad; October 4 – Kings XI Punjab; October 7 – Kolkata Knight Riders; October 10 – Royal Challengers Bangalore; October 13 – Sunrisers Hyderabad; October 17 – Delhi Capitals; October 19 – Rajasthan Royals; October 23 – Mumbai Indians; October 25 – Royal Challengers Bangalore; October 29 – Kolkata Knight Riders; November 1 – Kings XI Punjab

How did they do last year?

Led by MS Dhoni, they came within inches of a fourth Indian Premier League title, only to miss out by a single run in a pulsating final against Mumbai Indians.

Shane Watson made 80 but was afforded precious little support. Over the course of the tournament, Dhoni averaged 83.20, with Watson, Suresh Raina and Faf du Plessis also passing 380 runs.

Who are their key players?

MS Dhoni: The former India captain is a master of his art and remains highly respected throughout the game, even at 39 years of age.

Whether he still possesses the same match-winning ability now as he did in times gone by is yet to be seen. His last competitive game came in India’s World Cup semi-final defeat against New Zealand last year.

Imran Tahir: Like so many in this Chennai side, an old-stager full of experience. The South Africa leg-spinner comes into this tournament on the back of a fine Caribbean Premier League stint.

While his Guyana Amazon Warriors teammates struggled, Tahir – at 41 years of age – continued to toil away, taking 15 wickets at 15.93 apiece. He took 26 wickets in last year’s IPL.

Shane Watson: Thirteenth on the all-time list of Indian Premier League run-scorers, the Australian remains a key member of this Chennai Super Kings side, especially with Suresh Raine absent this year.

It was Watson who almost dragged CSK single-handedly to glory in last year’s final. Although he retired from international cricket four years ago and from the Big Bash in 2019, he has continued to perform in T20 cricket, enjoying a decent campaign with Quetta Gladiators in the Pakistan Super League.

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What are their strengths?

Experience. In spades. Even without Raina, a core of Dhoni, Tahir, Watson, Dwayne Bravo and Ravi Jadeja is dripping in knowhow and T20 nous. Quite simply, a franchise that understands what it takes to win.

Given the surfaces on which this year’s tournament will take place, a bowling attack including Tahir, Bravo, Jadeja and Piyush Chawla look looks mightily handy, even without Harbhajan Singh.

Where might they have a weakness?

For many in the Chennai ranks, it has been some time since they last played competitive cricket. And given the advancing years of much of the squad, it will be interesting to see how they cope with the return to high-level action.

The absences, too, of both Harbhajan and Raina – stalwarts of the competition and of Chennai’s past success – will mean plugging two substantial holes. Replacing the runs of Raina will be essential.

Chances of reaching knockout stages?

You’d be a brave onlooker to write off any side captained by Dhoni and full of so many T20 greats.

Strongest XI: Shane Watson, Murali Vijay, Ambati Rayudu, Kedar Jadhav, MS Dhoni, Ravindra Jadeja, Dwayne Bravo, Deepak Chahar, Piyush Chawla, Imran Tahir, Josh Hazlewood

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