When we talk about the top IPL teams, Chennai Super Kings(CSK) is definitely in the discussion. They didn’t have a great season in 2020 but every team goes through a phase where things are not working for them. It was their first year when they couldn’t make the playoffs but before that, they made the playoffs in every season they played. Winning the IPL after making a comeback in 2018 was a huge achievement.
CSK is not only a franchise, but it has become a learning school for many young players, and it has become a home for many veteran players. The players have a special attachment with CSK and hence whenever they stop playing T20 or IPL cricket they try and play their last game with CSK. So, let’s have a look at the five IPL players who ended their careers at CSK.
5. Stephen Fleming
Most people would know Stephen Fleming as the coach of Chennai Super Kings, but very few people might know that he was a player in the first season of the IPL. Before becoming the coach of the franchise, he played a whole season for them in 2008.
Fleming played 10 games and scored 196 runs at an average of 21.78 and a strike-rate of 118.79. He wasn’t enjoying playing and decided to retire and that’s when he was offered the role to coach the CSK team. Fleming ended his IPL playing career with CSK and also started his IPL coaching career with the same franchise.
4. Makhaya Ntini
Makhaya Ntini, the South African pacer was a part of the Chennai Super Kings team in the first season of the IPL. The right-arm fast bowler played nine games in the yellow jersey and picked up 7 wickets at an economy rate of 6.91.
Ntini even managed to pick up a hat-trick in one of the IPL games. Ntini played only one season in the IPL and that too for CSK. He didn’t return for the next season and decided to end his IPL career with the CSK franchise.
3. Subramaniam Badrinath
Subramaniam Badrinath is probably the most underrated batsman in the IPL. He used to do everything for the CSK franchise. He used to open, he used to go into bat when his team was in trouble, he used to go and slog the ball in the last few overs when his team was in a good position.
He was truly the man for all seasons when it came to batting for CSK. Badrinath played 95 matches for CSK and scored 1441 runs at an average of 30.66 and a strike-rate of 118.89. Many times, he was the guy who got his team out of trouble. Badrinath was part of the CSK franchise from 2008 till 2013 and didn’t play for any other franchise.
2. Matthew Hayden
Matthew Hayden was another player who ended up playing only for CSK in his IPL career. The Australian opener played 32 matches and scored 1107 runs at an average of 36.90 and a strike-rate of 137.52. He dominated a couple of seasons with his bat and even won the Orange Cap in 2009.
In the 2010 season, he didn’t do much with the bat, but he took an important catch off Kieron Pollard in the final which ensured that CSK won the Final and the trophy. The intimidating left-hander enjoyed his time at CSK in the IPL.
1. Shane Watson
Shane Watson is the latest entrant to this list as he retired from cricket after the 13th IPL season. CSK got Shane Watson in the 2018 IPL season, and he delivered for them in that season as he scored more than 500 runs and a match-winning century in the Final.
He didn’t have a great 2019 but once again he was playing a match-winning knock in the final before he got run-out in the last over. He didn’t have a great time in IPL 2020 and was in and out of the team. But while retiring he mentioned that he was happy to end his career with his favourite T20 team – Chennai Super Kings. Shane Watson was a match-winner for CSK and all the CSK fans will miss him.
