MSD's CSK played like Dad's Army in 2020, became 'Super Kings' in IPL 2021: Aakash Chopra

Cricketer-turned-commentator Aakash Chopra has hailed MS Dhoni-led Chennai Super Kings for their remarkable transformation in the IPL 2021. Aakash Chopra on his YouTube channel outlined the difference between CSK's 2020 squad-CSK's 2021 squad and also expressed his shock after seeing Chennai's winning campaign in IPL 2021. Chopra even said that in IPL 2020, Chennai Super Kings played like 'Dad's Army' but in 2021 all the players of CSK got some superpowers. 

"There was a vast difference between IPL 2020 and IPL 2021. CSK played like a Dad's Army in 2020 and everyone got the superpowers as soon as 2021 came. The kings had become the Super Kings. Such a transformation can happen in six months, I and a lot of my friends had not thought so. But this team showed that," said Chopra in a video uploaded on his Youtube channel.

Chopra outlined how the CSK cracked the formula of six-hitting which they were lacking during IPL 2020. "The first thing that has changed for CSK is their six-hitting ability. If we talk about 2020, it is not that they played only in Abu Dhabi and Dubai, they played in Sharjah as well but were not hitting the sixes. When the first encounters were in the small Wankhede ground and after that they went to Delhi, it was in our mind that Chennai will be stuck because who will hit the sixes. I thought this team will not qualify because of this reason," added Chopra.

"If you talk about 2020, CSK was second-last in terms of the number of sixes. They hit a total of 75 sixes and were taking 22 balls to hit a six while the Mumbai Indians were hitting a six every 13.2 balls and hit 137 in total. This year they have played only seven encounters, and have hit 62 sixes, with a six every 13.1 balls," Chopra signed off.

Chennai Super Kings in IPL 2020 could not qualify for the play-offs and they were second-last - 7th on the points table. It was the lowest rankings for CSK in the history of IPL. IPL 2020 was shifted to the UAE due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the MS Dhoni-led side lost their key players including Suresh Raina and Harbhajan Singh just before the start of the season. 

On the other hand, CSK in IPL 2021 came back into its grove as the three times IPL champion was at the second spot till the tournament was suspended due to COVID-19. Notably, CSK bought Moeen Ali during the IPL 2021 auction and his inclusion in the squad played a major role in CSK's winning momentum. 

(Image Credits: IPLT20.COM)