IPL 2023: CSK SWOT Analysis

Four-time champions Chennai Super Kings will be starting their IPL 2023 campaign on the very first day as they are set to face defending champions Gujarat Titans in the tournament’s curtain raiser at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on March 31. After a miserable outing in the previous edition, the Men in Yellow will try to get back to winning ways and come out on top. With the home and away format back into the picture and the new rule of impact player introduced, skipper MS Dhoni will be aiming to make the most of the opportunities.

Strength

CSK’s biggest strength in this edition of the IPL will be their bank of match-winners. With a plethora of experienced batters on the side, CSK will be relying on the seniors to do well. While the side had MS Dhoni and Ravindra Jadeja for the role, the team now has the services of England star Ben Stokes, who is a proven match-winner, having helped his national side win the ODI World Cup.

Weakness

Before even the start of the tournament, CSK were handed a major blow as Kyle Jamieson was ruled out of the cash-rich event. They replaced him by adding South Africa’s Sisanda Magala to the squad but have found themselves in trouble again as reports suggest that Mukesh Chowdhary’s participation is unlikely. Since Dwayne Bravo has announced his retirement, CSK will be looking for ways to strengthen their pace attack.

Opportunities

Deepak Chahar will be making his comeback into the side, having missed the IPL 2022 due to an injury. While he will be aiming to make a big impact, the stage will also provide a big opportunity for Ruturaj Gaikwad to prove himself again to find his spot in the international team. Ravindra Jadeja has been in good touch of late and will be the one to watch out for. CSK roped in India’s U19 stars during the auction, and hence the two months will prove to be very beneficial for them.

Threats

Chennai Super Kings managed to form a winning squad, but the franchise also has a long history of player injuries. The side will have a few new faces this time and will also see players coming off injury breaks. Hence, that might lead to CSK taking time to form the correct and balanced combination before striking the right momentum. Also, the side has plenty of all-rounders in Jadeja, Stokes, Moeen Ali, and Mitchel Santner being the mainstays, and thus they will have to manage them properly to get the best results.