IPL: Impact of these three openers on Chennai Super Kings
What's the story
Over the years, Chennai Super Kings have banked on a star-studded top order in the Indian Premier League. Three legends - Matthew Hayden, Brendon McCullum, and Faf du Plessis - brought a unique style, shaping CSK's dominance in different eras. The star openers truly bolstered the MS Dhoni-led Yellow Army. Have a look at how these iconic batters fared as CSK's openers across editions.
Hayden
Matthew Hayden: Over 1,100 runs as opener
Hayden, the burly Aussie batter, played for CSK between 2008 and 2010. He hammered 1,107 runs from 32 IPL matches at 36.90, all for CSK (all as an opener). Hayden grabbed eyeballs while batting with his quirky Mongoose bat. Known for his brutal hitting, Hayden consistently attacked in the Powerplay. As per ESPNcricinfo, he had an average of 45.15 in this phase.
McCullum
McCullum's high-risk approach
McCullum ran riot in the first-ever IPL game, back in 2008. He hammered an unbeaten 158 for Kolkata Knight Riders against Royal Challengers Bengaluru. McCullum represented CSK in 2014 and 2015, amassing 841 runs from 28 matches. He averaged 31.14 while striking at an impressive 137.19. The Kiwi batter maintained an even more high-risk batting approach. He even slammed a ton in 2015.
Du Plessis
How du Plessis fared as CSK's opener
Du Plessis is among the greatest batters to have graced CSK's top order. He has powered the Super Kings to several momentous wins. He has the third-most runs for CSK (2,721) in the IPL, only behind Dhoni and Suresh Raina. As many as 1,960 of these runs came while opening for CSK. His strike-rate in this regard read 132.97 (16 fifties).
Information
IPL titles with CSK
Hayden helped CSK win their inaugural title in 2010. He scored 346 runs from 16 matches in that campaign. Meanwhile, du Plessis starred in CSK's 2018 and 2021 title-winning campaigns. He scored 633 runs in 2021.