5 players who you may not know were MS Dhoni's teammates at CSK in IPL 2008 ft. Chamara Kapugedera

Former India captain MS Dhoni continues to go strong in franchise cricket and remains a cornerstone of the Chennai Super Kings (CSK). In the 2025 IPL season, the 44-year-old once again led the side after regular skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad was sidelined due to injury. However, CSK endured a disappointing campaign, finishing at the bottom of the points table.

Despite the recent setback, CSK boasts a storied legacy in the IPL. They share the record for the most titles (five) with the Mumbai Indians (MI). On each of those five occasions, it was Dhoni who led them to glory, cementing his status as one of the most successful captains in IPL history.

Across his stints with CSK and the Rising Pune Supergiant, Dhoni has captained 235 IPL matches, the most by any player, winning 136 of them with an impressive win percentage of 57.87.

Overall, the veteran wicketkeeper-batter has played 278 IPL matches, amassing 5,439 runs in 242 innings at an average of 38.30 and a strike rate of 137.45, including 24 half-centuries.

As Dhoni shows no signs of slowing down, this article takes a look at five players you may not know were his teammates during the inaugural IPL season in 2008.

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#1 Abhinav Mukund

The first player on the list is former India opener Abhinav Mukund. The left-hander was part of the Chennai Super Kings squad during the inaugural IPL season in 2008. He featured in two matches, getting out for a golden duck against the Rajasthan Royals (RR) and not getting a chance to bat against the Deccan Chargers (DC).

In total, Mukund played three IPL matches. His final appearance came in 2013 for Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), where he scored 19 off 21 balls against RR.

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#2 Stephen Fleming

Former New Zealand cricketer Stephen Fleming was also part of the Chennai Super Kings squad during the 2008 IPL season. He played in 10 matches, scoring 196 runs at an average of 21.77 and a strike rate of 118.78, with a highest score of 45.

Fleming retired from IPL cricket after that season and returned in 2009 as CSK’s head coach. Since then, he has continued in the role, guiding the franchise to five IPL titles and becoming one of the most successful coaches in the league’s history.

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#3 Chamara Kapugedera

The third player on the list is former Sri Lankan cricketer Chamara Kapugedera. The right-handed batter appeared in five matches during the tournament.

He got the opportunity to bat in three innings but struggled to make an impact, scoring just 16 runs at an average of 5.33 and a strike rate of 69.59.

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#4 Makhaya Ntini

Former South Africa pacer Makhaya Ntini also represented the CSK during the 2008 IPL season. The right-arm fast bowler played in nine matches, picking up seven wickets at an average of 34.57 and an impressive economy rate of 6.91.

His standout performance came against the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) at Eden Gardens, where he delivered a spell of 4/21 in four overs.

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#5 Jacob Oram

The final player on the list who featured alongside MS Dhoni in Chennai Super Kings' 2008 squad is former New Zealand all-rounder Jacob Oram. He played four matches that season, scoring 18 runs across three innings and taking three wickets.

Oram returned to CSK in 2009 before later representing Rajasthan Royals and Mumbai Indians. In total, he played 18 IPL matches, scoring 106 runs at an average of 13.25 and a strike rate of 98.14, with a highest score of an unbeaten 41. He also picked up nine wickets at an average of 38.77 and an economy rate of 8.83.

Edited by Dev Sharma