Chennai Super Kings' First-Ever XI & Where are They Now?
MS Dhoni in IPL 2008 (Source: Twitter)
The sixteenth edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) gets underway tomorrow when Gujarat Titans (GT) take on Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in Ahmedabad in the tournament opener. CSK has a rich history having won the competition four times and has been an integral part of the IPL since its inception back in 2008, under the watchful eye of skipper and statesman MS Dhoni.
Let's have a look into the first-ever CSK XI that stepped onto the field, and laid the groundwork for the franchise's long-lasting legacy.
CSK's first-ever XI
Parthiv Patel
Pocket - Rocket Parthiv Patel, fresh from tasting international success, joined CSK as a second-wicketkeeper. Patel went on to play 26 matches for the club, having scored 10 in his first-ever outing against Punjab.
Gujarat-born played for Royal Challengers Bangalore, Kochi Tuskers Kerala, Deccan Chargers, and Mumbai Indians before leaving the game. Patel is currently working with MI as a talent scout.
Matthew Hayden
Matthew Hayden scored first four and six for CSK in IPL [Source: Twitter]
The Australian opener joined CSK during the twilight of his career. The explosive batter managed just 25 runs, opening the innings. Hayden scored a total of 1,107 runs in 32 IPL matches for CSK only.
After retiring from cricket, Hayden turned towards commentary and recently worked as a mentor with the Pakistan national side at the ICC T20 World Cup 2022.
Michael Hussey
Michael Hussey scored first-ever ton for CSK [Source: Twitter]
Michael Hussey created history by scoring the first-ever hundred for CSK in their maiden match. CSK's batting revolved around the Australian legend during his first stint with the club between 2008 and 2013.
Hussey shifted base to Mumbai Indians for one season in 2014, before ending his career with CSK back again in 2015.
Post-retirement, the 47-year-old turned towards commentating and coaching, further reigniting his association with CSK as a batting coach in 2018.
Subramaniam Badrinath
Local star Badrinath was part of CSK's batting core in their definitive years. The opener slammed an unbeaten 31 in their first-ever match, played 95 matches for the franchise, amassing 1,441 runs, and clinching as many as two IPL titles.
Post his retirement, Badrinath became a full-time commentator and will be seen on air during the IPL as an expert on Tamil feed.
Jacob Oram
Jacob Oram in action for CSK [Source: Twitter]
New Zealand's hard-hitting all-rounder joined CSK with a massive reputation, however, several injuries ensured the player did to achieve much success.
Oram played just 15 IPL matches for CSK before moving to Rajasthan Royals and Royal Challenger Bangalore in 2011 and 2013, respectively.
After retiring, the 42-year-old stepped into coaching and was recently seen with MI Cape Town as a bowling coach in SA20.
Suresh Raina
Suresh Raina is known as Mr.IPL [Source: Twitter]
Loved by Chennai as Chinna Thala, Suresh Raina was taking baby steps into international cricket when he joined CSK back in the day. The southpaw displayed his devastating best in his IPL debut against Punjab Kings, slamming a 13-ball 32.
Raina went on to become a legend for CSK and is fondly remembered by fans as Mr. IPL, having scored the most runs for the club.
The 36-year-old stepped away from IPL in 2021 and has since played in other T20 and T10 leagues around the world.
MS Dhoni
MS Dhoni has led CSK since 2008 [Source: Twitter]
CSK and Dhoni are synonyms. From guiding CSK to four IPL titles to making them the best in the world, Dhoni had raised the franchise's stock through the roof.
The skipper did not enjoy his IPL debut, falling for two, however, his leadership powered CSK to the final of the competition only to come second-best to Shane Warne's Rajasthan Royals in IPL 2008.
Dhoni remains the top draw for CSK in the IPL, despite retiring from international cricket in 2019.
Joginder Sharma
After helping India lift the 2007 T20 World Cup win, Joginder Sharma joined CSK with Dhoni at the helm of affairs. Sharma, who went for plenty on his IPL debut, did not enjoy much success in the league either.
Sharma joined the police after India's T20 WC win and played active cricket for Haryana until 2017. The 39-year-old announced his retirement from professional cricket last month.
Muttiah Muralitharan
The Sri Lankan legend joined CSK despite facing protests from a few local fans. Muralitharan got the wicket of national teammate Kumar Sangakarra to bring a halt to the scoring rate for the Kings, which proved to be a game-changer.
The wily spinner showcased his class in the 2009 and 2010 seasons for CSK before parting ways in 2011. The spinner joined Sunrisers Hyderabad as a bowling coach in 2015, after retiring.
Palani Amarnath
A relatively unknown entity, Amarnath joined CSK as a local lad. The pacer claimed the key wicket of James Hope, who scored a 33-ball 71. In his short career, Amarnath played only six IPL matches, picking 7 wickets.
He last played active cricket for Madurai SG in Tamil Nadu Premier League in 2017.
Manpreet Gony
Manpreet Gony claimed CSK's first-ever wicket in IPL [Source: Twitter]
After an impressive Ranji season with Punjab, Gony got picked up by CSK for their inaugural edition. Gony, who provided CSK with their first breakthrough, finished the 2008 edition as the joint-leading wicket-taker for the club along with Albie Morkel (17).
Gony went on to play for several IPL teams like Kings XI Punjab, Deccan Chargers, and Gujarat Lions. He last played for India Legends in Legends League Cricket Masters in 2021.
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