IPL-2: CSK vs Deccan Chargers

As I write this post I've just found out that Mumbai has beat the Knights by 90-odd runs. The Knights are heading for dark days! :P

K, back to the first match of the day. Deccan managed a convincing win. The scorecard might not suggest that. But all through the chase Mr Herschelle Gibbs had everything under control.
It is extremely disappointing to see CSK playing like this. They are low on spirit and determinaton. The team looks very one-dimensional. And most surprising of all, Dhoni looks short of ideas!
Well, I see a few things wrong with the team. I'm just shouting out loud here, so don't mind. I think Dhoni is not making use of his XI players. To me it looks as if guys like Badrinath and Joginder Sharma are there just to add up the numbers.
Badrinath is wasted at No 7. The least you could do is let the guy bat at 5. He's a genuine batsmen. Playing at that position will allow him to anchor the innings through the middle and end overs. Also if our top orders fails he'll hold fort at one end atleast. He's not a big hitting guy. Making him play in the last 3-4 overs is completely wasting his talent. If he's not going to play up the order might as well replace him with a bowler or something.
Now I don't know what utililty Joginder Sharma provides in this set up. Dhoni might take him to be his lukcy mascot or something. But clearly the mascot is not working this time. Someone else should play in his place.
With the likes of M.Vijay around, I can't understand why Dhoni persists with Parthiv Patel. He's done a decent job. But you want your best blokes to face as many balls as they can. Especially in a 20-20. Parthiv can play some rear-guard role. As opener I don't think he fits the billing. When there is a talent like Vijay I would use him.
Ntini has to play. We badly need the fire- power he provides with his pace. Morkel is in awful form with bat and ball. It might not be a bad idea to sit Morkel out and play Ntini.
Last I am looking for some imagination from Dhoni. It was obvious in this game that Gilchrist and Gibbs were going to attack the opening bowlers. They would then just play out Murali's 4 overs and then get on with the others. In this situation I would have liked Murali to have opened the bowling and tightened the screws on the batsmen.
Right now the Chennai team is looking too predictable. There needs to be some fresh faces, some fresh ideas brought in to the game. The middle order batsmen's form is a major cause for concern. And our bowling attack looks depleted. It's important that we fix this if we are to entertain any hopes of entering the semis.
Chennai is still a very good team. I hope they will give me reason to be proud.