The Chennai-based crew has consistently performed well under duress. The performance of CSK in crucial games and under duress is largely attributed to their skipper MS Dhoni. The former India captain has successfully guided the IPL team over the years with his composed demeanor on and off the pitch. Several of the all-time greats in the sport have represented CSK. Let us look at the best moments of the Chennai Super Kings in IPL over the years.
1. First Indian Captain To Win An IPL Title, 2010
After losing a close game in the 2008 championship match and being eliminated in the semifinals in the South Africa edition of 2009, Dhoni and his teammates weren't going to take it lying down as they put on a flashy performance in the knockout rounds. CSK initially struggled to go to the semifinals, but once there, Dhoni's leadership ensured that they won since he became the first Indian captain to win the IPL's ultimate prize.
2. First Team To Win Consecutive IPL Titles
While retaining the title is more difficult than winning it, MS Dhoni made it feasible in 2011. After their victory in the ODI World Cup, CSK and their deadly squad made sure they won the 2011 World Cup by defeating Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in the final. Only Rohit Sharma in 2020 has since matched Dhoni's accomplishment, making him the sole skipper to retain the trophy.
3. Re-capturing Glory After 2 Year Ban
CSK needed to get off to a strong start as they returned to the IPL after a two-year absence. Unfortunately, not everything for CSK was going as planned in the first game against Mumbai Indians. That is, up until Dwayne Bravo decided to play one of his best IPL innings. Bravo single-handedly kept his team in the game as CSK stumbled to 75/5 in 12 overs while chasing 166 when he entered the crease. Bravo destroyed players like Jasprit Bumrah with a brash 68 from 30 balls.
4. 2021 IPL Victory
After defeating Kolkata Knight Riders in the 2021 season's championship game under the leadership of MS Dhoni, Chennai Super Kings won their fourth Indian Premier League championship on Friday. The CSK defeated Eoin Morgan's team by a margin of 27 runs, dominating the Knight Riders in every facet of the game to win the championship. After CSK's terrible season last year, when they finished sixth in the same nation, the victory tasted much sweeter.
5. MS Dhoni Powering Knock Against DC In Qualifier, 2021
After striking a split-fire 6-ball 18 to lead the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) to a record-tying eighth IPL final, Mahendra Dhoni set the clock back years in Qualifier 1. Fans of CSK and Indian cricket, especially Virat Kohli, who "jumped out of his seat," enjoyed seeing the thrashing of Tom Curran in the final over.
6. Suresh Raina – 87(25) Against PBKS, 2014
Suresh Raina, a standout for the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and India, described his 25-ball 87 against Kings XI Punjab (KXIP) in 2014 as "a very remarkable knock." In a virtual semifinal of the Indian Premier League (Qualifier 2), CSK was attempting to reach a run total of 227. (IPL). When they had only one point, they lost Faf du Plessis (0). Raina stepped into the dirt at that point, and the rest is history. The Southpaw helped CSK score 100 runs in only six overs by hammering the KXIP bowlers with 12 fours and six half-dozens. He needed just 16 more balls to get his half-century.
7. Sir Jadeja – 37 Runs In One Over Against RCB, 2021
With Chennai Super Kings, Ravindra Jadeja scored 37 runs in a seven-ball over, tying the previous record set in the Indian Premier League. In Mumbai's Wankhede Stadium, the Indian all-rounder, who had previously been dropped for zero, smacked five sixes off Royal Challengers Bangalore speed bowler Harshal Patel as Chennai scored 191-4 in their 20 overs. Jadeja's innings-ending run-combination for Chennai was six, six, six (off a no-ball), six (free hit), two, six, four, while Bangalore could only muster 122-9.
8. Shane Watson – Century In Finals
As his masterpiece stunned Sunrisers Hyderabad in the final on Sunday, Shane Watson hammered his second century of the 2018 Indian Premier League. In the top match at the Wankhede Stadium, the 179-run target set by SRH was followed down by Chennai Super Kings with the help of opener Watson, who scored on the 11th delivery he faced. With 11 fours and 8 sixes in his blitzkrieg, Watson quickly turned the attack back on the bowlers after first appearing apprehensive.
9. CSK – Return To Chepauk After 4 Years
On April 3, 2023, after Lucknow Super Giants captain KL Rahul won the toss and chose to bowl against Chennai Super Kings at CSK's home Chepauk, Chennai's prodigal son MS Dhoni returned to CSK's den M. A. Chidambaram Stadium after four years (1426 days, to be exact) amid raucous welcome cheers from the Chennai fans. The Yellow Brigade gave a thunderous greeting to the CSK, which is led by MS Dhoni, on Monday. The game was won by CSK.
10. Mike Hussey, 2013 IPL
Outstanding results in the IPL, a highly profitable competition, should not be disregarded. In the 2013 IPL, Hussey scored 733 runs, which ranks sixth among all players in a single IPL season. He has a batting average of 52.35 while playing for the Chennai Super Kings, with six half-centuries. Despite hitting in the middle of the order, he opened the batting that season and had a strong ability to keep the scoreboard ticking over with a strike rate of 129.
