Once upon a time, Chennai Super Kings (CSK) earned the humorous nickname of ‘The Dad’s Army,’ particularly when they made their comeback in 2018 after a two-year suspension. With most of their core team members above 30 years old and a few approaching their 40s—such as Dwayne Bravo, Shane Watson, Imran Tahir, Suresh Raina, Faf du Plessis, and the legendary captain Dhoni—the age of the squad was a topic of jest. However, the subsequent events are widely known and well-documented. CSK defied the odds and reclaimed the championship trophy, firmly establishing their dominance in the hearts of CSK fans.
In IPL 2023, the CSK lineup underwent changes as all the previously mentioned players, except Dhoni, were no longer part of the team. However, this did not diminish the team’s ability to win matches and capture the affection of fans. The Chennai dressing room has transformed into a Gurukul of sorts, with Dhoni assuming the role of ‘Dronacharya’ for aspiring cricketers. Rising stars like Ravindra Jadeja and Ajinkya Rahane are also being groomed to carry on the legacy of the legendary captain, possibly even sooner than anticipated.
The process of nurturing the next generation began with investing in Tushar Deshpande, making him the first-ever impact player in IPL history. But it unfolded roughly. Leaking too many runs, no control on wides and no-balls, not being able to control his line and length – these were the major setbacks CSK suffered as the return in the early phase of the tournament. But Dhoni is a storehouse of patience. He might issue a warning for stepping away as the leader but he is a staunch believer in giving a player time.
Once CSK returned to winning ways, it also witnessed a meteoric rise of Tushar Deshpande. From being the most expensive bowler in the season opener for CSK to grabbing the Purple Cap in the season – the Mumbai bowler has blossomed in yellow.
Suresh Raina, a former CSK star, believes that Deshpande’s growth is commendable and the way he has mastered his Yorkers, the credit goes to Bravo who has been associated with the franchise as a bowling coach.
In a select media interaction, JioCinema’s IPL expert Raina replied to a News18 Cricketnext query on Tushar, saying, “[He has a] Great action, he bowls from close to the stumps, he has worked on Yorkers and I think, all plans have been executed well. And the credit goes to Dwayne Bravo, the bowling coach. And I’ve not seen such good Yorkers during my stint with CSK."
Raina, fondly called Mr IPL, recalled how important were Yorkers in Bravo’s bowling arsenal. It seems like the same has been passed on to Tushar and the results are astonishing.
“Bravo had a belief that if not Yorker then I’ll bluff the batter. I think, the same goes for Tushar. He has the pace, variety, swing, bounce and his biggest strength is of bowling yorkers while executing them under pressure. One has to give kudos to his belief, self-confidence, mindset.
“And I think Mahi [MS Dhoni] is using him well. The way he dismissed Green in the last game or the way he removed Rohit Sharma earlier in Wankhede, those were proper cricketing lengths. He has impressed a lot," Raina added.
CSK – A force to be reckoned with
The last few seasons have witnessed a pattern in CSK’s overall performance. If they have had a horrible season, the comeback next has to be a blockbuster. They were the first ones to get eliminated in 2020 and 2022. But in 2021, they lifted the trophy for the fourth time and this year, they are en route to equalling Mumbai Indians’ record of 5 titles.
Speaking about the logic behind the phenomenal comebacks, Raina said it’s because the team houses the best domestic players, and after every failure, they work hard on bettering the weaknesses.
“They have the best domestic players and that’s the plus point. Earlier the likes of Murali Vijay, Badrinath, Ashwin, me, Jadeja, and Dhoni himself were there. The team now has Ruturaj, Dube, Deshpande, and others. So when there are good domestic players, they chip in together and get positive results," Raina told Cricketnext.
“This also makes the job easier for a franchise after a rough season to identify the weak areas. And they work hard on that and make stronger comebacks. MI, the most successful team, follows the same formula. So, backing good domestic players is the key and practice does the rest," he concluded.
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