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The dream merchant
He's been staying at the Chennai hotel from the time the Indian Premier League started but has hardly ever been spotted in the lobby or around the restaurants. Mahendra Singh Dhoni has mastered the art of
almost staying invisible. It's not by choice. His charisma is such that anytime he steps out,
he cannot avoid
being mobbed. To survive in his new avatar, he has mastered all the tricks of living the life of a celebrity. A few hours after adding more magnetism to his persona, Dhoni was on the flight to Mumbai, and had the ‘Do Not Disturb’ sign on, his eyes shut and the cap pulled down over them. No eye contact is the best way to keep admirers at bay.
The fairytale story of MS Dhoni continues. The successful IPL title defence with Chennai Super Kings is the latest feather in his cap. Even by Dhoni's standards, it has been a crazy year. The brilliant fightback to achieve the first-ever drawn Test series in South Africa and the glorious World Cup campaign preceded the great IPL run.
"He makes for an amazing case study..., coming from Jharkhand and the way he has understood the Indian set up,” said Kiran More, who as the chief selector gave him his international break.
“He keenly observed the captains he played under, like Sourav Ganguly, Rahul Dravid and Anil Kumble as well as the legends Sachin Tendulkar and VVS Laxman. He picked up the important points but maintained his style.
Fairytale run
“Dhoni is writing his own script. He’s not just lucky; he knows what he’s doing; it’s the hallmark of his captaincy. He knows which player to pick, whom to back, and how best to use him.
“S Badrinath and Albie Morkel are classic cases, both don’t figure in international cricket. The best example during this IPL was CSK’s qualifier against Royal Challengers Bangalore. It looked like an impossible chase as at one stage they needed 105 to win in 48 balls, but they never panicked.
“Badrinath and Suresh Raina laid the foundation after the early exit of the openers and then Dhoni got his order spot on, timing his and Albie’s entry to perfection. That is the stuff
legends are made of,” said More.
What more?
Having led his team to the No 1 Test rank, won the biggest prize in one-day and twenty20 cricket, what's there for Dhoni to achieve?
“I want him to develop some more cricketers for the Indian team and lead a smooth transition as in the recent future, there’s going to be a big void after Tendulkar, Laxman and Dravid hang their boots. After 2012 we may have a totally different team. He now has to build a team for the 2015 World Cup,” adds More. 8-)
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Chennai Super Kings treading the Man Utd path?
After defending their Indian Premier League crown, Chennai Super Kings is being compared with one of the best teams in modern sport. Bikash Mohapatra analyses the analogy.
Comparisons are fluke. But they are inevitable nonetheless. The case of Chennai Super Kings is no different.
After defending their Indian Premier League crown, beating Royal Challengers Bangalore by 58 runs at Chepauk in the final, they are being compared with one of the best teams in modern sport. There are many who opine that the team from Chennai can be to Indian cricket what Manchester United is to English club football.
R Ashwin, who played an important role in scripting Chennai's success, has ensured an analogy between the two will be made for some time to come. Talking to a news channel, the spinner said Chennai is definitely capable of replicating Man United's success story.
Since we Indians love to compare, almost everything (with or without a valid reason), let's first congratulate ourselves for getting a new topic to do so. I am going to start doing the same in the next few paragraphs.
For die-hard fans of the Red Devils, the above comparison might seem a bit far-fetched, considering the IPL is still a fledgling tournament vis-à-vis the EPL. But before you jump the gun, let me clarify that this comparison charts a predictable path.
For starters, the Indian Premier League is an off-shoot the English Premier League (EPL). The whole concept of a lucrative franchisee-level cricket competition was derived, rather inspired, if am allowed to use a word from any Bollywood filmmakers' book, from the hugely successful English club competition.
If Manchester United is the best club since the inception of the Premier League in 1992-93, winning 12 of the 19 editions held so far, then the Super Kings have also been the best franchisee since the first edition of the IPL in 2008.
MS Dhoni's team has won two of the four editions, been beaten finalist in the inaugural season and a semi-finalist in 2009.
If consistency is taken as the lone parameter, one has to admit that the comparison is at least on the right track. Besides, there are a few other similarities as well.
Man United has, over the years, managed to retain the crux of the team season-after-season. The likes of Ryan Giggs , Paul Scholes and Wes Brown have been important players at Old Trafford for ages now.
CSK is following suit in this respect. In the second player auction that preceded the tournament's fourth edition, Chennai retained key players like captain Dhoni, Suresh Raina and Albie Morkel while spending a few dollars to re-acquire the likes of Mike Hussey, Murali Vijay and Doug Bollinger, to name a few.
So, while teams like Bangalore or Kolkata Knight Riders went for a complete overhaul in their pursuit of success, Chennai kept faith in its trusted lieutenants. Need we say the owner's faith was justified?
Same is the case as regards the coach. Man United kept faith in Sir Alex Ferguson -- who took over from Ron Atkinson in 1986 -- even if he won next to nothing in his first six years at the club.
Now, after 25 years in charge at Old Trafford, Fergie is arguably the most successful coach in the history of club football.
Stephen Fleming's first year in charge at Chennai was a disappointment -- a semi-final loss in 2009 was a come down on the final showing of the previous years. However, the owners stuck to him and he has delivered twice in succession.
Let me clarify here that I am not comparing Fleming with Fergie for the simple reason that they can't be compared. My point is regarding persisting with a coach to get the desired results.
The fact that the New Zealander has been given an extension proves the Chennai owners are looking at the right direction.
Next up is the propensity of both the teams to make the home advantage count. At the club level, winning 'home' games are imperative to keep alive the title hopes.
Coming to Man United first, suffice to say they were pedestrian on the road, winning just five times in 19 matches (with four defeats and 10 draws).
However, in their own bastion, the Old Trafford, the Red Devils remained unconquered, winning on 18 occasions (and drawing once). Needless to say their home form helped them considerably towards winning that record title.
The story of the Super Kings is no different. They remained undefeated in seven league games at the MA Chidamabram stadium (Chepauk) and the fact that the final was played on the same venue, tilted the balance considerably in their favour.
Dhoni's men weren't half as impressive on the road, winning just thrice in eight attempts.
Lastly, our two candidates also match-up on the controversy quotient.
How many times have you seen a rival manager accusing referees and match officials of favouring Fergie's team in key Premier League fixtures? There must have been many occasions when you would have felt that Man United are getting an undue advantage -- be it regarding cards, penalties or, for that matter, the added minutes.
This something that can be best described as the Champions' Theory, according to which any team which performs consistently becomes so powerful over a period of time that it receives little favour from the officials, or, for that matter, can influence their decisions to an extent.
The Super Kings have gone a step of Man United in this aspect. If you recollect the happenings of the last two months or so, you might just get a clearer picture.
Many franchisee owners cried fowl when Chennai managed to retain most of its key players. Their appeals palpably fell on deaf ears.
Again, during the Super Kings' vital away match against Rajasthan Royals, Shane Warne, the Rajasthan skipper, wasn't happy about the wicket prepared and felt it nullified their home advantage. He didn't hesitate in being vocal about his opinion.
The result: the Super Kings breached the Rajasthani bastion, Warne faced an enquiry and was subsequently slapped a fine of US $50, 000 for his outburst.
For that matter many also felt that Chennai being the venue for the final was akin to a script that was penned to ensure surefire success.
That probably sums it up.
I would reiterate here comparing the Super Kings with Man United at this stage is perhaps a tad premature.
But, as I said at the outset, we Indians love to compare. I have just finished doing what you readers will do in the next few years!
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Retaining players - all franchises got that option. That Chennai and Mumbai had 4 players to retain is a result of their smart buying in 2008. Why should they let go the option of retaining just because Deccan et al made poor investments in 2008 and therefore didnt have anyone to retain? Wouldnt that amount to rewarding the stupidity of Deccan in 2008?
Pitches - all that was done was to redress the poor pitch in Rajasthan. Warne was getting away with preparing a poor pitch that suited his bowling and kept his legend alive - what a comedown for a great bowler that he ahd to depend on the pitch to keep his good name alive - and he was prevented from doing that.
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CSK's journey: the turning points
The shortest format of cricket - the T20 - is extremely unpredictable. There are neither minnows nor favourites in any T20 game or tournament. A glance at the results of the T20 World Cups serves ample proof. The three World Cups saw three different champions - India in 2007, Pakistan in 2009 and England in 2010. In this context, it is quite remarkable for the Chennai Super Kings to have shown the kind of consistency that they have in this format - Runners up in IPL 2008, semi finalists in 2009, winners in 2010 and 2011 and not to forget the Champions League victory in 2010. The fact that the IPL is contested by 10 (previously 8) sides of more or less equal strength gives makes these achievements even more commendable. So how does Chennai do the impossible: consistency in T20?
The on field success of the Super Kings can be dated back to a few important points in its journey over the 4 years:
The auctions: The first and most important one is undoubtedly the auctions before the inaugural season. Unlike any other franchise in the IPL, the owners of CSK - India Cements - had the experience of running more than a dozen teams that play in various divisions of Chennai's league. Many Indian cricketers, including legends like Rahul Dravid and Tamil Nadu cricketers like Badrinath, Balaji and R Ashwin have been part of the India Cements league teams in Chennai. This experience certainly helped the owners in the inaugural auctions, where they knew exactly what they wanted. While some teams didn't know what to expect and went for stars and glitz, Chennai had their focus firm on the thing that matters - cricket. The owners put together a team that had all bases covered - Hayden, Hussey, Raina and Dhoni formed the backbone of the batting, while Morkel and Oram proved useful all rounders. Chennai had Muralitharan in the spin attack but lacked a good pacer for most part of the first 3 seasons. It was this foundation laid in 2008 that went from strength to strength over the next three seasons.
Chennai v Rajasthan, 2010: The first half of the third season saw Chennai struggling like never before. They had lost 5 out of the first 8 games and were staring down the barrel. With every match being a must win, the Super Kings took on the Royals in Chennai. It turned out to be a high scoring game, with Chennai making a record 246 runs and Rajasthan fighting back with 223. The match had much more significance than just the result - it marked the end of Chennai's opening woes and the arrival of Doug Bollinger. Murali Vijay sealed his spot at the top with a blistering century while Bollinger returned figures of 4-0-15-2 in a match where 469 runs were scored. Both were vital for the team as CSK badly needed a good pacer and a stable opener.
Chennai v Punjab, 2010: It was a night which no CSK fan can ever forget. The match against Rajasthan gave Chennai some much needed momentum but it was the clash against Punjab in Dharamsala that marked the beginning of Chennai's dominance. The Super Kings needed a win in their last league game to go through to the semis and the chances looked bleak at one stage, with CSK struggling in a mammoth run chase. But skipper Dhoni, who had a relatively poor tournament until then, decided to come to the party. He slammed 54 in just 29 balls, including 16 in the final over to storm CSK into the finals. The Super Kings didn't look back ever since and went on to win their first IPL title. They carried the momentum to South Africa, where they emerged winners in the Champions League without dropping a game (other than the Tie against Victoria in the league stages).
Auctions, 2011: Chennai had enjoyed tremendous success in the first three seasons but the real challenge came in the fourth, for the teams had to be changed once again to accomodate two new franchises. Mumbai Indians and the Chennai Super Kings turned out to be the only sides which retained all the four players possible. The auctions in January turned out to be a toughly contested one, as the remaining teams came up with different strategies with a single goal in mind: win the IPL. Most teams had realised the mistakes committed in the first three years and it was time for cricket to take centre stage in the auctions. Some stars were dropped, some ignored and the teams were completely changed. But Chennai had already established a firm base in the inaugural auctions and didn't have much to do apart from buying back its former players. They managed to buy back most of the players including Bollinger, Hussey, Badrinath and Ashwin, but also lost out on key players like Muralitharan. The fact that they went behind all their former players including the likes of Tyagi and Joginder Sharma spoke a lot about the unity in the camp.
Unlike in 2010 and despite being the most competitive IPL, the campaign in 2011 turned out to be relatively easier - a smooth ride through the league stages meant a relatively easy qualification into the last four, unlike the frenetic one last year. Chennai's toughest challenge was probably the game against Bangalore in the qualifiers, where Raina and Morkel together did to RCB what Dhoni did to Punjab in 2010. The finals too turned out to be an one sided game, with Chennai emerging run away winners.
The last four years has seen Chennai Super Kings and its players go from strength to strength. Suresh Raina has emerged as a big match player for both the country and the club. R Ashwin's heroics with Chennai in the last 2 years should consolidate his position in the national squad. Subramaniam Badrinath, who has been a literal run machine for his state in domestic cricket, has found national recognition thanks to CSK and the IPL. Amidst all this stands a man who is fast emerging as the face of Indian cricket: MS Dhoni. Barely 6 days after he lifted the most coveted trophy in Mumbai, he donned the yellow jersey and has once again emerged a champion. Some people had the tendency to dismiss his success as 'luck', but with every trophy, that notion is being put to rest.
A captain and coach who are known to be among the best analyzers of the game, an ownership group which has the experience of running cricket, and a flexible squad - the Chennai Super Kings seems to have the best formula to succeed. Speaking after the title victory in Chennai, Ashwin told on national television that CSK wanted to be the Manchester United of IPL. It was quite a bold statement considering the nature of the format. Will CSK continue to conquer T20? Or will the format show why its called unpredictable? Only time will tell. For now, the answer to the first question seems to be a yes.
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Chennai Super Kings – Where Champions Are Made
There’s a well known saying that goes, ‘Champions are made, not born’. Chennai Super Kings are a prime example of that adage. Here is a team that comprises of an eclectic mix of players from different cultures, languages and experiences, who when playing under the same banner, manage to win trophies regularly. So, what makes them different from the other 9 teams who can boast of similar compositions?
CSK’s march to their 2nd consecutive title began well before the first ball of IPL-4 was bowled. When it was announced that two teams were going to be added to the tournament and that there were going to be fresh auctions, CSK and Mumbai Indians might have been the only two teams who would have felt a touch of frustration with the whole thing. It took them three seasons to find a winning balance to their side, and now it looked like they had to start all over again. It was then they made a decision, which not only ensured that three seasons of hard work wouldn’t go to waste, but it also made sure that they would retain a loyal fan base.
It was a simple but effective plan. Retain a maximum of four players, which was allowed according to the rules. Then, in the auctions, fight hard to retain as many CSK players, as possible. Sure enough, after retaining MS Dhoni, Murali Vijay, Suresh Raina and Albie Morkel, the management fought hard to get the band back together. There were some notable losses in the likes of Murali and Balaji, but they managed to get some good additions to the squad like Dwayne Bravo, Faf du Plessis, Suraj Randiv and Scott Styris. The message to the other teams at the end of the auctions was clear – We know what players we want, and we have got them.
That’s why this victory will be special to the team. Each player brought something to the table, and made CSK a winning unit. It is one thing to have all the big names of the sport in a team, but it is completely another matter to forge these talents into one single champion side. At the heart of CSK’s 2nd IPL triumph, was a core of players who complemented each other’s skills and brought an ‘X’ factor to the side. Here’s a look at the men who brought the title home:
Michael Hussey is all old school. He can identify more with someone like Rahul Dravid than a Chris Gayle. In a tournament featuring some of the world’s finest T20 openers, he stood out for a bloody minded focus on getting the runs through well placed singles and twos, with the occasional big shots. On the field, he can put some of the younger players to shame with his commitment; but his value to the side goes beyond his performance on the ground. In a short time, he has proved to be a major inspiration for the likes of Vijay and Badrinath, who have benefitted from his experience and insight. That’s what sets him apart in the side – a selfless player who when not winning matches of his blade, inspires others to do the same.
Murali Vijay can be one of those infuriating bunch of players, who will perform well in the IPL, but when it comes to the international scene, fail to find that same consistency; but when he does perform, he does so in style. He was a major part of CSK’s revival in the last season and played a winning hand in the Champions League victory as well. This season, he had a stop-start kind of tournament with some fine knocks interspersed throughout the last 8 weeks; but when it came to the big day, he raised his game again. While everyone was waiting for fireworks from Dhoni or Gayle, Vijay stole the show with his trademark big hits and intelligent running with Hussey. With that tournament winning innings, he repaid the management for their faith in retaining him before the auctions, and also served notice to others, that he is still one of the finer openers in the country.
Suresh Raina is not nicknamed ‘the Talent’ for nothing. One of the finest young batsmen in the world, he is the only batsmen to rack up more than 400 runs in each of the IPLs so far. He can bat, bowl, field and if needed, step in as captain too. After a slow start in the early part of the tournament, he managed to strike a semblance of consistency towards the end, culminating in a blistering knock against the Royal Challengers Bangalore in the first play-off which sealed CSK’s place in the final. In addition to all these, he brings much more to the side. If Dhoni is the head, Raina is the heart of the team. Players love to talk about ‘enjoying each others’ success’; Raina embodies it. When an opposition wicket falls, watch out for Raina. Within seconds, he will be all over the bowler or fielder, hugging them or ruffling their hair, and just lifting the spirit of the squad in a general sense. Now that he is the stand in captain for the ODI team in the tour to West Indies, be prepared for more of it.
Subramaniam Badrinath is the Michael Hussey of Indian cricket. He has spent a decade scoring mountains of runs in the domestic circuit, hoping for a prolonged run in the national side. While his chances have been limited due to the wealth of talent, he remains as one of the integral members of the Super Kings. While the team got off to a mixed start in the early part of the tournament, Badri remained as the one consistent run getters in the side with as many as five half centuries, which is the most in this season. His value comes to the fore, when CSK is in a bit of bother; he strides in, strokes the ball around elegantly and props up the score. On the field, he is fully committed, diving around, plucking catches and effecting run-outs. For all his efforts in this tournament and the domestic circuit in the past year, he has been rewarded with a trip to the West Indies. He has proved that if you try just hard enough, and refuse to quit, you will get your just rewards.
It will be an understatement to say that MS Dhoni is having a good year. He entered this year’s IPL fresh off winning the World Cup of his own blade, and proceeded to prove that he has still got the Midas touch. In the very first game against the Kolkata Knight Riders, he won the game with some sharp captaincy; and throughout the rest of the tournament, he chipped in with some typically bruising knocks and remained safe behind the stumps; but it is his leadership which makes him a vital part of CSK. His ability to stay calm and think logically under pressure ensures that CSK is always one step ahead of the opposition, and his team mates are secure in the knowledge that no matter how dire the situation may be for them, they got one of the world’s finest skippers who’s got their back. If CSK are to become the Manchester United of cricket, according to R Ashwin’s hopes, MS Dhoni remains the best bet of making that happen.
Albie Morkel might not be in the radar of the South African selectors, but when it comes to CSK, he is the resident all-rounder of the side. With the ball, he is a steady new ball operator who can get crucial wickets or keep the run rate down. With the bat, he provides firepower along with Dhoni, which is a major reason why the openers don’t have to always go slam-bang at the start of the innings. Of all the foreign players in the squad, he is the one constant from season one who has proved his value to the side time and again. For CSK to remain a potent force in the coming years, he will be expected to be a vital cog in the team’s fortunes.
Ravichandran Ashwin might be the only bowler in the world, who could make a cut-throat gesture to Gayle and get away with it. He can also lay claim to being the only bowler who managed to keep the big Jamaican quiet and get his wicket as an added bonus; but his importance to the side goes beyond just one scalp. In the span of two years, he has shot to prominence as one of India’s finest spinners in the shorter formats, if not the finest; and he’s got the IPL to thank for it. While he was known around the domestic circuit as a canny off spinner, the IPL gave him the chance to showcase his skills in front of a wider audience and he grabbed the opportunity with both hands. He played major roles in CSK’s resurgence in the last season and the Champions League triumph. To prove that he is not a one-season wonder, he maintained the same degree of control and skill throughout this tournament which culminated in a match winning performance in the final; and this was after a potentially life threatening blow to his head in the play-off game. In this manner, he has proved that even without Murali, CSK has a classy off spinner to spearhead their attack.
Doug Bollinger was not really a household name in India, when he made his debut for CSK midway through last season. Since then, he has come a long way, establishing himself as a fan favorite among the legions of CSK fans, and led the bowling attack with venom, which has been vital to all three triumphs of the Super Kings over the last year. Till he came on to the scene for CSK, it was well known that the team was light in the bowling department; now along with Ashwin, Morkel, Bravo and Jakati, he is part of a well rounded attack which ensures CSK’s dominance in all forms of their game. Whether it is at the start of the innings or at the death, Doug the Rug is hard to get away, and that’s why he is CSK’s most valuable pace bowler.
So, there you have it. These players along with the likes of Saha, Srikkanth, Bravo, Jakati and the others are the reasons why CSK are such a good side. Apart from their own skills as players, they have learnt quickly, how to complement each other and play together as a winning team. While the IPL’s brief history has seen turmoil and upheavals when it comes to other teams, it is nice to see that one team atleast in on its way to establishing itself as one of the finest cricket teams in the world.
Bring on the Champions League!
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Congratulations CSK supporters :clap: if Chennai wins next year Harsha will quit commentary I guess, at least in IPL.
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AdhellAm uda mAttAn. Vazhakkam pOla "uLLa azhuguREn veLiya sirikkuREn nalla vEsham dhAn veLuththu vAngurEn"-nuttu biriyani sAptuttu petrol allowance vAngittu pOikittE iruppAn andha arsa thalaiyan
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