The 2022 edition of the Indian Premier League will get underway on March 26 with a clash between last year’s finalists Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. IPL 2022 will conclude with the final on May 29, although the schedule for the playoffs is yet to be announced. With the addition of Gujarat Titans (GT) and Lucknow Super Giants (LSG), a total of 10 teams will be taking part in IPL 2022. The teams have been divided into two virtual groups of five each. Chennai, who are the second-most successful franchise in the IPL with four wins, will be one of the favorites to lift the trophy this time as well. In this feature, we look at five records held by Chennai Super Kings in the IPL.
1. Most consecutive playoffs qualification: Chennai Super Kings may have won one less title than Mumbai Indians. However, they hold one record that will be difficult even for Mumbai to break. CSK qualified for the playoffs in every season they featured in from 2008 to 2019 – 10 years in a row. They were suspended for 2016 and 2017 but in all other seasons, they were in the playoffs. CSK finished runners-up in 2008 and semi-finalists in 2009. They won back-to-back titles in 2010 and 2011 and finished runners-up in the next two years. They returned from suspension to win the IPL in 2018. It was in 2020 that they failed to make the playoffs for the first time, breaking their freak streak.
2. Most appearances in the final: This is a believe it or not stat. There have been 14 editions of the IPL held to date, and CSK have been in the final in nine of them. It is another matter that they have won only four of them. Chennai lost the inaugural final in 2008 to Rajasthan Royals in a tense finish. However, they were brilliant in 2010 and 2011, defeating Mumbai Indians (MI) by 22 runs and Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) by 58 runs. In the 2012 final, they went down to KKR by 5 wickets, and in the 2013 final, they were defeated by MI by 23 runs. In 2015, they again went down to Mumbai by 41 runs. They lifted the titles in 2018 and 2021 defeated SRH and KKR, respectively. In between, they suffered heartbreak in 2019, losing to MI by 1 run.
3. Lowest total defended in the IPL: CSK hold the record for the lowest score defended in the IPL. Chennai defended 116 for 9 in a match against Kings XI Punjab in Durban during the 2009 edition. Batting first, CSK struggled in their 20 overs, with Parthiv Patel’s 32 being the top score. Suresh Raina’s 20 was the next best. CSK, however, came up with a brilliant bowling performance to clinch the contest by 24 runs. Muttiah Muralitharan, Thilan Thushara, Ravichandran Ashwin, and Suresh Raina all claimed two wickets each as Punjab were held to 92 for 8.
4. Most wickets in a season by an overseas bowler: CSK’s Dwayne Bravo holds the record for having claimed the most wickets by an overseas bowler in an IPL season. The West Indian all-rounder achieved the feat during the 2013 season. He played 18 matches and picked up 32 scalps at an average of 15.53 and a strike rate of 11.71. No other overseas bowler has claimed as many in a season. Last year, Harshal Patel picked up 32 wickets for RCB.
5. Most matches as captain: CSK captain MS Dhoni holds the record for having led in the most matches as captain. He has led Chennai in 190 IPL matches, of which the team has won 116 and lost 73. He also captained Rising Pune Supergiant when Chennai was suspended. Overall, Dhoni has captained in 204 matches in the IPL, of which he has won 121 and lost 82.