Chennai Super Kings believe that they can win from any situation, says Suresh Raina
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Suresh Raina has asserted that having won so many matches from different situations, Chennai Super Kings are confident to win any game. He went on to say that the owners are wonderful people and hence the team has no additional pressure which is convenient for them to focus solely on their game.
"The exceptional performance of Chennai Super Kings in this season of the IPL makes it seem that they never went away. After the two year ban in 2016 and 2017, the team has already found its spirit and is dominating the IPL again. Suresh Raina has always been consistent in his batting which has earned him praise from all directions and he is the only batsman in IPL history to cross the 300-run mark in all seasons so far. It was natural that he was retained by the returning Super Kings and when interviewed, he said that there are many factors that work for the team.
"Given the brand of cricket we play, we always have the momentum. We have won so many matches that we believe we can win from any situation. A lot of other very good teams cannot do that. Everyone says when you get a lot of money, there is a lot of pressure," Raina told India Today on the sidelines of a promotional event for ASICS. "When you are getting money from your office and do not do some good work, then you definitely feel some pressure."
CSK made sure that they got their core back as they retained MS Dhoni, Suresh Raina and Ravindra Jadeja, before the auction, to form the backbone of the team. This was followed by Dwayne Bravo and Faf du Plessis being brought back into the squad via the RTM option during the 2018 mega-auction. In addition, CSK invested in the experience of Shane Watson and Harbhajan Singh who have proved worthy to the team with the Aussie scoring 424 runs while Harbhajan scalping 10 wickets this season.
"I think the kind of fearless cricketers who have joined us this season - Rayudu, Watson have helped and then you have a captain who has led from the front, that helps too. We have covered all our bases. Then you would have seen Harbhajan Singh has bowled really well this season for us," Raina said.
"Then the experience of playing in so many play-off matches over the years has come in handy. We have so many cricketers who are experienced in the international arena. Faf du Plessis is also with us."
CSK has comfortably made their way into the playoffs and currently sit second on the points table with 16 points after having won eight out of 12 matches. The CSK skipper has been in great form for this season and has contributed 413 runs by himself which includes 29 sixes from 12 matches. Micheal Hussey and L Balaji are back on board with CSK, coaching the team from behind the lines. The new owners have made all the right choices and the team has done justice to them and to all the fans who have been waiting a long time for their return.
"Most importantly, the owners are wonderful people. That means we do not have any extra pressure and any extra baggage with us. We just need to focus on our cricket and go out in the middle and do our best. Michael Hussey and L Balaji, who are now coaches, had also played with us. The system, the core is still the same. So along with the brand, the loyalty has also remained unchanged," Raina observed.
Dhoni's ambition doesn't stop at the play-offs and he has declared his wish to win the tournament. Given the consistent performance of the team and the loyalty of the players, they might just lift the trophy again at the Wankhede stadium in less than two weeks.
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