Chennai SuperKings

The Chennai Based team, led by Mahendra Singh Dhoni, currently the captain of the Indian cricket team, and coached by Stephen Fleming stood third in IPL 2008.

Chennai Superkings were one of the most promising team to win IPL's 2008 season. With blazing bats of Hayden, Hussey and expert captaincy of MSD they were supposed to win but as soon as the Australians and the NewZealander left they started to flounder and suddenly MSD's captaincy seemed to have lost its sheen. The team defeated the Kings XI Punjab in the semifinal by 9 wickets. They lost the final to Rajasthan Royals by three wickets off the last ball.

However there were some sparkling performances by some lesser known stars Vidyut, Anirudh, and the come back hero Balaji. All in all Chennai Superkings faired well in the inaugral season with 8 wins and 6 losses.

The IPL 2009 season has brought a new hope to the team in terms of new inclusions: Andrew Flintoff

• Matthew Hayden
• Suresh Raina
• Michael Hussey
• S Anirudha
• S Badrinath
• George Bailey
• Arun Karthik
• S Vidyut
• Abhinav Mukund
• Murali Vijay
  

• Andrew Flintoff
• Jacob Oram
• Albie Morkel
• Parthiv Patel
• Shadab Jakati
• Viraj Kadbe
• Suresh Kumar
• Napolean Einstein
  

Making a debut in the 1999-2000 playing in Bihar Ranji Team, Mahender Singh Dhoni has come a long way on to becoming the Captain of Indian Cricket Team. The swashbuckling Wicketkeeper-Batsman blasted his way into the lime light in 2004 against Pakistan A side. He scored two centuries in that tournament. He was subsequently selected for the national side desprately in need of a Wicketkeeper alrounder and debuted for the Indian ODI Cricket Team against Bangladesh on Dec 23 the same year.

 With his attractive batting display Dhoni soon became a permanent member of the Indian Cricket Squad and also the favourite of Indian Public and cricket lovers all over the world. Dhoni was made the vice-captain of the Indian ODI side in mid-2007 and subsequelty made the Captain after Rahul Dravid Gave up the Captaincy. He was made India’s T-20 captain as well, and proceeded to lead India to two of its most toasted and famous wins ever – the T20 World Cup in South Africa in September 2007 and the CB Tri-series in Australia, where India defeated the mighty Aussie side in straight matches convincingly.

After all these achievements it was but natural that he was made one of the Icon Players. And it was also befitting that he was made the Captain of the Chennai Superkings because Chennai Superkings are one of the best teams in the IPL and without no doubt Mahender Singh Dhoni is also the Best 

For 1.55 million dollars Chennai Superkings have invested heavily to strengthen their team. With the kind of form he is in many would say he is a sound investment Andrew Flintoff. Flintoff has a style of play that would suit the twenty 20 format and plus he provides that extra edge being one of the finest allrounders in business.

In addition to this Freddie has also suggested his availablity for whole of the tournament and said that he is excited to play with the Superkings.

Well what remains now is the tournament to start .. 

In their first match of the 2009 season Chennai Super Kings host the Bangalore Royal Challengers at Chepauk on April 10. If the permances of the last season are any thing to go by Chennai Superkings will demaolish the Challengers, but this is is Cricket.

• Match Timings: 20:00 - 23:00
• Day: Apr 11, 2009 Saturday
• Venue: MA Chidambram Stadium

The Superkings will definitely have the Home advantage and if their Big Guns come firing then there will be lot to cheer for the Chennai public. All in all this match has all the making of a run fest. Don't forget to bring your helmets along. ;)