Former India captain Sunil Gavaskar said that the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) have a powerful batting unit going into IPL 2024, with Ruturaj Gaikwad and Devon Conway probably being the tournament’s best opening combination. Conway and Gaikwad were the Chennai Super Kings’ top two run-getters in IPL 2023. In 16 games, the veteran New Zealand batter scored 672 runs at a strike rate of 139.70, while the star India batter scored 590 runs at a strike rate of 147.50.

“That’s been their advantage over the years. All these years, they have always had batters at the top who can take the attack to the opposition from the first ball itself and then they have got the finishers as well. I feel their left and right-handed opening combination of Ruturaj Gaikwad and Devon Conway is probably the best opening pair in the IPL because they always gave good starts last year. So the pressure was slightly eased on the players who used to come at No. 4 and No. 5,” Sunil Gavaskar said while speaking to Star Sports.

Ruturaj Gaikwad and Devon Conway shared CSK’s top five partnerships in IPL 2023 where they added 141 runs for the opening wicket against Delhi Capitals while sharing a 110-run stand against Lucknow Super Giants, respectively as well. They also added 80 or more runs against the SunRisers Hyderabad, Gujarat Titans, and Punjab Kings in different matches of the IPL 2023. And, Gavaskar added that the Chennai Super Kings’ batting depth holds them in good position as well.

“You always think about scoring runs in T20 cricket but chasing is also important. For chasing, you need to have a lineup where someone can come at No. 7 as well and hit big sixes. You have got an MS Dhoni and now they have got somebody like a Shivam Dube batting at No. 3 or No. 4. He is a long hitter, and then Jadeja, look at the way he finished the finals. Deepak Chahar can also play the big shots. So clearly their batting is the least of their worries,” Sunil Gavaskar stated.