Five reasons why Chennai can defend their title in Indian T20 League 2022

 Chennai is one of the most successful teams in the Indian T20 League, having won four titles so far. MS Dhoni, Chennai's skipper, has done a remarkable job for the franchise. Chennai won the title last season and look good to defend their crown in the coming season. Here are some reasons why Chennai can win their fifth title.

MS Dhoni's tactical thinking

There have been a lot of speculations about MS Dhoni's retirement from cricket. To everyone's joy, MS Dhoni was retained by Chennai ahead of the 2022 season. His batting may have seen a little downfall but his captaincy skills are still at the top

Dhoni continues to be the team's brain, which is extremely useful for the team. They have always relied on him to get them through in any situation. This season too, he will play the same role in the team. 

Core retention

Chennai always had a strong foundation, which got them the best results in the tournament. This time because of the mega auction, they had to let go of many players. However, they were able to buy back some of their main players in the auction room, which helped them maintain the core for the upcoming season. Apart from the retained players, they re-bought Dwayne Bravo, Ambati Rauydu, Deepak Chahar, Robin Uthappa, and Mitchell Santner in the auction.

A balanced squad

Chennai has almost all its bases covered in its squad for the 2022 season. The four-time champions have a perfect blend of youth and experience. They have a variety of players who can stabilize the innings and maintain scoring. They also have some good quality finishers who can win them matches. Chennai also have some good bowling options. The only thing they lack is choices in Indian fast bowlers.

Overseas stars

Chennai was able to buy some great overseas players in the mega auction. Devon Conway, Adam Milne, Dwayne Pretorious, and Chris Jordan were some of the interesting buys for the team. Each player brings in a different skill set, which gives them a variety of options to chose from. They also have a great replacement for Faf du Plessis in Devon Conway, who has been very consistent since his debut.

Steven Fleming's guidance

Hailing from New Zealand, Steven Fleming brings in great knowledge and team culture as the team's head coach. He was once a player for the team and then turned coach in the early years of the tournament. He is a great analyser and strategist and played a big role in Chennai's juggernaut over the years. The Dhoni-Fleming combo will make a great partnership that can help Chennai outclass their rivals.