CSK reward Faf du Plessis and Sam Curran for these IPL 2020 feats ahead of new season

After a dismal 7th place finish - with a difference of just 0.141 net run rate points separating them from a last-place finish - at the IPL 2020, the Chennai Super Kings will have their work cut out for them if they wish to prevent a 2020 repeat this season. With three title wins to their name, in 2010, 2011 and 2018, Chennai are among the most successful teams in the IPL. However, as last season showed, the team's strategy of retaining generally older players and their dependence on their skipper to finish out games is one that may not prove to be as effective as it once was.  

Sam Curran and Faf du Plessis honoured by CSK

Looking to bounce back from their worst performance at the Indian Premier League, MS Dhoni and his CSK side have turned to motivation as a way to help players get some of their confidence back in time for the new season. The team's mini award session saw English allrounder Sam Curran and South African legend Faf du Plessis take home the top honours for being the team's highest wicket taker and run scorers respectively.

Playing in his first season for the CSK side, youngster Sam Curran ended the IPL 2020 with 13 wickets to his name, with best figures of 3/19 and an average economy of 8.19. Coming into this season having had a very decent series against India, Curran will be one of the players to watch out for at the tournament this year. Meanwhile, CSK veteran Faf du Plessis came away with 449 runs in the 2020 season. His highest score was 87* while his average was 40.81 with a strike rate of 140.75. This was also Du Plessis' personal best performance at the IPL.

CSK IPL 2021 schedule

According to the CSK IPL 2021 schedule, MS Dhoni and his CSK side will take on brand new skipper Rishabh Pant and the Delhi Capitals in their first fixture of the season. The match will take place on Saturday, April 10 in Mumbai and will begin at 7:30 PM (IST). The CSK team 2021 will play their first five matches in Mumbai, followed by four in Delhi, three in Bengaluru and the last two games in Kolkata. Here is a full list of the CSK matches for IPL 2021:

CSK team 2021

MS Dhoni, Suresh Raina, Faf du Plessis, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Ambati Rayudu, N. Jagadeesan, Robin Uthappa, Ravindra Jadeja, Sam Curran, Dwayne Bravo, Karn Sharma, R. Sai Kishore, Mitchell Santner, Imran Tahir, Deepak Chahar, Shardul Thakur, Lungi Ngidi, Josh Hazlewood, KM Asif, Moeen Ali (₹7 crore), K Gowtham (₹9.25 crore), Cheteshwar Pujara (₹50 lakh), M Harisankar Reddy (₹20 lakh), K. Bhagath Varma (₹20 lakh), C Hari Nishanth (₹20 lakh)

Image Credits: IPL and BCCI Twitter