CSK's IPL 2021 Redemption
"Definitely Not!"
"Definitely Not!" This is how MS Dhoni responded at the end of his 2020 IPL campaign after he was asked whether this would be his last IPL. These two words meant a lot for the Dhoni and CSK fans. These were not words but emotions.
Forgettable IPL 2020
The question though is why was he asked about his last IPL match in the first place. Was it because he was ageing? Was it because he was out of form for some time or did it reflect the continuation of his decision of retirement from international cricket. Well, the reasons listed may have some connection but the more worrisome situation for the fans was that CSK failed to qualify for the play-offs for the first time since the inception of the IPL in 2008.
How did this happen? No one saw it coming. Well, there were several factors to it. Unavailability of Suresh Raina and Harbhajan Singh, Dhoni's lack of form, the lack of bowling attack necessary for UAE wickets(Yes, the matches were held in UAE due to Covid concerns in India), the form of several batters in the line-up. Basically the team was not the CSK we knew. They couldn't put up a decent score even on flat tracks. Somehow, as many experts observed, their style of play (steady at the start and slog at the end) was not working anymore especially with Dhoni struggling for form. Although they started their campaign well with a fine win over MI, they couldn't get their momentum going and lost the plot in the middle. The other teams were making the most of this. RCB,MI,DC had a wonderful season. SRH eventually made it through to the playoffs. MI beat DC in the final to win the IPL for the 5th time. CSK were standing at 3 titles. This made the MI fans go over the moon with all the celebrations. Calls for making Rohit Sharma the white ball captain had already started among his fans.T20 and ODI are the two white ball formats.
2021 Redemption
CSK won half the battle during the auctions held in Chennai. This was a mini auction where less players are available. They made the right purchases with Moeen Ali(spinning all rounder) and Krishnappa Gowtham(spinning all rounder) being among the costliest for them. They also made a surprise purchase with Cheteshwar Pujara(a specialist test match player) which was mentioned as a mark of respect for his heroics in Australia Test series, which India won. Their nature of play involved optimum utilization of all rounders. They were all set for redemption, with Dhoni's words of "Definitely Not" becoming a motto for them. However, there was a first twist in the tale. The schedule was unlike normal due to Covid concerns and no team got to play on their home grounds. Each team was made to travel only three times. CSK were to play 5 of their matches in Mumbai's Wankhede stadium. So the big question...how will they utilize the spinners/spinning all-rounders in that fast bowler friendly wicket? Veteran commentator Harsha Bhogle even went on to suggest in humour that CSK management should give the spinners few X-boxes since they would be sitting idle. One thing he forgot at that moment was that it was Dhoni's team he was talking about. Dhoni , apart from his finishing skills, is also known for bringing out the best from his bowlers in any condition. The 2021 campaign started with Covid cases surging in April and yet not peaked. However, the authorities claimed that all protocols were being followed. CSK started their campaign with a loss against DC which made their fans wonder if the situation will be the same this time too. But, CSK came back really well in the game against PK which was followed by a series of victories for the Super Kings.
What followed half way through the season was a second twist in tale. The matches were to be shifted to UAE again due to rising Covid cases in India. Yes, UAE, the same place where a terrible campaign for CSK had ended just a season before. The matches resumed in September. Perhaps it was fate that the first match in UAE was on the same date as the previous season i.e.,19th. This time again the CSK team restarted their campaign with a win over arch-rivals MI. However, there was something special about this win. This win came after the team recovered from a batting collapse in the first innings and Ruturaj Gaikwad had a huge role to play in the recovery. Gaikwad who scored three 50s in three matches towards the end of the 2020 campaign, all in winning causes(thus providing some relief to the fans), continued from where he left that season. His innings was an indicator of something special to come and he got the orange cap for scoring the most runs. But Faf DuPlessis, who missed the cap by a whisker, also had a huge role to play.
CSK won the their 4th title which was due to a combination of several factors, some of which were great captaincy, as usual, by Dhoni, excellent performance by the all-rounders, fast bowlers utilizing the UAE wickets well and a tremendous opening partnership by Gaikwad and DuPlessis in almost all games.
It was a wonderful occasion for the CSK fans, especially after the dismal performance in the 2020 season and the heartbreak in 2019 IPL final where CSK lost by 1 run against MI. This campaign of CSK shows that no matter what others say or however difficult the situation is, one must have self-belief and confidence in one's abilities.