"Champion of Champions" Chennai Super Kings

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Tharanga how, replacing Bravo ?! nevertheless good choice to partner Vijay

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Andy Bichel is the new bowling coach.

Happy about this part

[Plum]

TharangavA? avaru Dilshan pinnAdi oLinjukittu adikkaRadhai ellAM nambi EmARa vENAm.
Tharanga-Vijay combo - CSK urpptudum. I dont know why they are after fringe Lankan players when it has never worked for them - Kapu, Thissara, Thushara...

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Andy Bichel appointed Chennai's bowling coach

Chennai Super Kings have appointed former Australia seamer Andy Bichel as their bowling coach, replacing Venkatesh Prasad who has moved to the Kochi Tuskers Kerala franchise. Bichel, 40, was Kolkata Knight Riders' bowling coach in the 2009 IPL, when the team finished bottom of the standings.

Chennai recently roped in New Zealand seamer Tim Southee into their squad. They continue to await news on the injured duo of Dwayne Bravo and Doug Bollinger, who both had to leave the World Cup midway.

[ajaybaskar]

Tharanga how, replacing Bravo ?! nevertheless good choice to partner Vijay

He is in for the injured George Bailey.

[ajaybaskar]

Chennai Super Kings ride on Dhoni charisma

New Delhi: When Chennai Super Kings picked their team in the 2008 auctions, it was as if they were plucking flowers from a garden in full bloom. Cut to 2011, and they will have a World Cup Champion, Champions League Champion and IPL Champion leading them into the fourth season of the Indian Premier League.

In 2008, they picked up contemporary stars like Dhoni, Mike Hussey, Matthew Hayden, Suresh Raina, Muttiah Muralitharan, etc. and looked the most balanced unit the league could get. After the first-match massacre of a hapless Kings XI team, with a record total of 240 runs, the team seemed to be on track for bigger honours, but there were mid-season jolts. However, Chennai had their set-belts tied and sailed through to the semi-finals - only to be beaten by a magical Rajasthan Royals team in the final of the inaugural event.



Going into the second season, the expectations were expectedly high. There was obvious hype and collective brilliance of the team ensured they ended second on the league table. But the law of averages got them in the semi-finals and a resurgent Bangalore Royal Challengers were too good for the previous year’s finalists.

By the third season, the chokers’ tag sat amiably on their shoulders. The Chennai Super Kings started their campaign disastrously with early losses but Murali Vijay’s purple patch and Doug Bollinger's near perfect bowling ensured a final berth again.

They knew the match was never going to be easy against a spirited Mumbai Indians' outfit but some bizarre decisions by the opposition and no-nonsense all-round performance by Dhoni's boys put the championship crown on their head. And then they double their silverware collection by winning the Champions League as well.

In the 2011 auctions, CSK took a sensible decision by retaining key performers Dhoni, Albie Morkel, Vijay and Raina while most of the other teams were busy planning a complete make-over. And the new additions to their camp included some proven stars and some intelligent buys; all in all, an intelligent make-up by the champion franchise.

While Dhoni will lead the pack, Vijay, Mike Hussey, Raina and Badrinath will form the core batting line-up.

Albie Morkel, Francois Du Plessis, Dwayne Bravo and Scott Styris are a bunch of all-rounders any team would envy.

Morkel has been an integral part of Chennai’s lower middle order and his lusty hits will be more than handy. Couple it up with his disciplined bowling and ask the South Africans what they missed during this World Cup.

Bravo’s move to CSK is a big boon and his former team Mumbai knows it too well and Du Plessis is talked about in the South African corridors for all good reasons of impeccable talent.

The bowling looks as sharp as the barber’s prized possession. The team of Bill Hilfenhaus, Nuwan Kulasekara, Ravichandran Ashwin and Bollinger/Southee should be good enough to turn the opposition bald.

And with players like Sudeep Tyagi and Shadab Jakati backing up, this will be the team to survive against.

With all the pros of new drafts and old survivors, the con of losing the big Matthew Hayden will be hard to hold down. Haydos is one of the players whose mere presence in the dressing room transpires confidence.

Agree nothing is immortal, but a World Cup-winning captain leading another champion side may just help the Chennai Super Kings conquer yet another peak.

Squad:

Mahendra Singh Dhoni (c), Suresh Raina, Murali Vijay, Wriddhiman Saha, Ravichandran Ashwin, Subramanium Badrinath, Joginder Sharma, Sudeep Tyagi, Abhinav Mukund, Aniruddha Shrikant, Ganapathi Vignesh, K Vasudevdas, Shadb Jakati, Vijaykumar Yomahesh, (Foreign) Albie Morkel, Michael Hussey, Dwayne Bravo, Doug Bollinger, Scott Styris, Ben Hilfenhaus, Nuwan Kulasekera, Suraj Randiv, George Bailey, Faf du Plessis

[ajaybaskar]

Chennai Super Kings stint helped Dhoni tackle Murali: Chandrasekhar

Mumbai: It was a critical decision by skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni to promote himself ahead of in-form Yuvraj Singh in the batting order during Saturday's World Cup final against Sri Lanka at the Wankhede Stadium.

He later revealed that it was because of his familiarity with Muttiah Muralitharan that he'd promoted himself above man-of-the-tournament Yuvraj. The Indian skipper, who has captained Muralitharan for three years in the Indian Premier League (IPL) team Chennai Super Kings, put his connection to good use in the summit clash denying the Lankan legend any wicket in his last international game.

Former India cricketer VB Chandrasekhar, who is CSK's director of operations, lauded Dhoni's tactical move. "It was a strategic and well-thought decision from Dhoni.

"He knew exactly what he was doing. He wouldn't have batted up the order if a left-arm spinner was bowling. "Dhoni thought he would be the best man to tackle Muralitharan as he has worked closely with him," Chandrasekhar told MiD DAY yesterday.

The gamble payed off as Dhoni thundered his way to a Man of the Match-winning knock of 91 to steer team to a historic victory.

"I have played a lot with Murali and I know his doosra well. He knows it too. I put pressure on him," said Dhoni in his post-match conference.

Chandrasekhar said Dhoni always backs his decision.

"He has taken many such decisions in the past and he has many times been successful. He is an impact player and always backs his decision," said Chandrasekhar.

[ajaybaskar]

Tilaknagar Industries Sponsors Chennai Super Kings

Mansion House Brand Official Cheerleader Sponsors for Team CSK for 3 years

Mumbai-based Tilaknagar Industries Ltd. (TI) – leading manufacturers of Indian Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL) is now the official cheerleader sponsor of the IPL team Chennai Super Kings. This will entitle TI to leverage its brand – Mansion House to sponsor the cheerleader costumes and also get to brand the podium at all the stadiums where these cheerleaders will get stationed during the IPL matches. The IPL season begins from April 8, 2011.

In addition, the sponsorship will now entitle TI to leverage all of CSK’s brand communications into its marketing initiatives during this period of association as part of the engagement.

“It gives us immense pleasure to be associated with probably the best team in the IPL circuit. We see this engagement as the beginning of a new chapter in our corporate identity and are excited to leverage the association of a 75 year heritage of TI with the reigning superstars of the IPL circuit. I am confident that the engagement will add immense value to our businesses,” said Amit Dahanukar, Chairman & Managing Director.

About Tilaknagar Industries Ltd: Tilaknagar Industries Ltd. (TI) is an India-based company operating in the alcoholic beverage industry. The Company's products include whisky, brandy, gin, rum and vodka. It currently has more than 40 brands across a diverse range of price and product segments and an ever growing, loyal customer base. TI markets its products across a large number of southern states in India and is gradually assuming a pan-national presence. It also exports its products to Western Africa, the Middle East, the Far East and Caribbean countries. Recently, it has bagged the ‘Best Business Partner of CSD-Liquor Category' Award and ‘World Star Award’.About Chennai Super Kings: Chennai Super Kings is a franchise cricket team based in Chennai that plays in the Indian Premier League. The team is captained by Mahendra Singh Dhoni and coached by Stephen Fleming. They are the current holders of the IPL trophy, having won the 2010 Indian Premier League. They were the runners-up of the inaugural season and semi-finalists of the second edition and are the only side to make it to the semi-finals in all the three editions of the tournament. The Super Kings have qualified for two Champions League tournaments, firstly the 2008 edition, although the tournament was subsequently cancelled, and the 2010 tournament of which they became Champions.

http://www.business-standard.com/ind...-kings/431013/

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nadakkuradhellaam paattha... namakkum csk'kum edho pona jenmatthu bandham irundhirukkum pola...

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