IPL 2021: Openers' smashing form, Moeen Ali's inclusion, Shardul Thakur's purple patch - CSK's road to playoffs

When a team is down and out, it needs one person to lift them up, but in CSK's case, in coach Stephen Fleming's words, it was the attitude apart from the obvious change in personnel. Last year, CSK became the first team to be out from the playoffs race when they had lost 8 out of their 11 games and one of the main reasons for their dismal performance was the lack of acceleration in the middle overs. The philosophy of keeping wickets and going big at the end worked against them as when the time for the launch came, there wasn't much gas left in the tank.

Firing on all cylinders

However, this year the CSK side not just filled the tank with extra gas but every component of the tank was firing on all cylinders. Mr IPL Suresh Raina came back, they recruited Moeen Ali and if they play Dwayne Bravo, CSK were batting till No 10 and the depth in the line-up gave the freedom to the top-order and they became the beasts of the middle-overs.

The teams usually restrict the run-flow during the 7-15 overs but the men in yellow with the bat as swords were here for the kill in these overs, From struggling to chase scores of 160-170 last year, they were putting totals of 190-220 consistently and chasing scores of 170 in 17 overs, almost making a mockery of the targets.

Even though they lost their first game against the table-topper Delhi Capitals, who chased down 190 runs, the men in yellow came back and won five games in a row beating the likes of Rajasthan Royals, Sunrisers Hyderabad, Punjab Kings, Royal Challengers Bangalore and Kolkata Knight Riders.

Terrific opening pair

After a few games, their opening combination started to fire and both Ruturaj Gaikwad and Faf du Plessis were breaking the back of the chases in the second innings and putting the opponents on backfoot while batting first, especially in the second half.

Gaikwad with an 88*, a maiden IPL century and a couple of 40s, helped CSK win three games on his own, with some support from du Plessis as both batters are in the top 5 of most runs list. Following them, Moeen Ali gave them the impetus they needed in the middle overs, with Ravindra Jadeja taking over the finishing job.

Well-oiled bowling unit

Josh Hazlewood and Deepak Chahar have handled the powerplay duties with the ball while the ever-dependable Dwayne Bravo doing the job at the death, made CSK well-oiled machinery. And then you have the golden arm of Shardul Thakur, who just can not do wrong. He will take two wickets in an over, he will stop the run flow and just will be there for the team, when they need someone to put his hand up.

Even though they are coming off three back-to-back losses into the playoffs, CSK have been there and done that and that's where the experience counts as they take on the Delhi Capitals in the first Qualifier.