IPL Betting: Chennai Super Kings

IPL Betting / Andrew Hughes / 07 March 2010 /

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Hayden was in blistering form in IPL 2009

"Their batting will always win them games, but as last year showed, batting is not enough to win you the tournament and the first IPL showed that you need options with the ball on Indian pitches"

In the second of his team previews ahead of IPL 2010, Andrew Hughes looks at the men in canary yellow and asks whether this can be the year when Chennai finally justify the hype.

Performance Last Year

Runners up in IPL 2008, Chennai were among the favourites for last year's bash and had secured the services of Andrew Flintoff for a record fee. But things didn't work out for Freddie and the team got off to a slow start. But Matthew Hayden kept them afloat and after a reshuffling of their batting order they set off on a run of form that took them to the knock-out stage. By that time, they were big favourites to reach the final, but they surprisingly came unstuck against Bangalore in the semi-final.

Players in/out

There were no big name signings, but they picked up Sri Lankan Thissara Perera and hard-hitting South African Justin Kemp at the player auction. No players have left the Super Kings this time round.

Player Availability

Mike Hussey (after 14/03)
Jacob Oram unavailable due to patella tendon tear until early April

Captain

India's skipper, Mahendra Singh Dhoni

Key Player

Matthew Hayden. Winner of the top batsman award last time by a distance, his belligerence at the top of the order was astonishing to behold. Time and again he set the Super Kings on their way to victory.

Strengths

A strong batting line up, featuring the most destructive opener the tournament has seen, one of the best captains in the world game, a canny coach in Stephen Fleming and plenty of good Indian batsmen, such as Suresh Raina and Subramaniam Badrinath.

Weaknesses

At times last year the bowling looked more than a little threadbare and they haven't moved to strengthen it particularly. Seamers such as Albie Morkel and the fading Makhaya Ntini could find the going hard on the flat decks they are likely to face in India.

Prospects

For the last two seasons, Chennai have started in the top two or three in the tournament winners market, but I think there is good reason to oppose them this time around. Their batting will always win them games, but as last year showed, batting is not enough to win you the tournament and the first IPL showed that you need options with the ball on Indian pitches. At odds of [6.8] they don't rate as particularly good value.

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