CSK – Chennai Super Kings, the four-time IPL champions, haven’t had the IPL they hoped for following the mega auction. CSK’s failure to make the playoffs in the 2022 IPL was only the league’s second in its 15-year history. After being dubbed “Dad’s Army” in 2018, CSK made a miraculous comeback in 2018, winning the title with an average of more than 30 players. The whistle-podu army, on the other hand, had a good mix of young and senior players in the 2022 season but still failed to deliver the results.
Because CSK has already been eliminated from the ongoing Tata IPL 2022, a large number of players will be tested in the final few games to see how they can be used in the coming years. CSK may want to bring in some new energy to their squad in order to add a fifth title to their collection. While CSK will give young players opportunities, the Super Kings will also say goodbye to a few ageing players who may not fit into their lineup next season.
Chennai Super Kings
Here are the top three players CSK could release before the 2023 season:
1. Robin Utthappa
Robin Utthappa, the walking assassin, was a surprise package for CSK in the 2021 season. Robin didn’t get a single chance to wear the yellow jersey until the 13th game of the 2021 season. Mahendra Singh Dhoni, the mastermind, decided to start him in place of an injured or struggling Suresh Raina. Though Robbie’s IPL debut for Chennai Super Kings was not spectacular, his 19-run innings earned him a spot in the playing eleven.
Then, in the qualifier 1 against the same opponents, the Delhi Capitals, Robbie repaid the management’s faith with a match-winning 63 off 44 deliveries, propelling Chennai to the IPL 2021 Finals. We were witnessing the old Utthappa, who would simply walk down the wicket to fast bowlers and whack them over mid-on and mid-off for fun. Robin’s role for CSK in 2021 was brief, as he played four innings and scored 115 runs in the tournament’s final stages. Robin also scored a quick 15-ball 31 against his former teammates KKR in the finals, helping CSK to an above-par total.
Being the franchise that CSK is, who just doesn’t leave out the players who have won matches for them, and Robin’s little gem match-winning innings ensured him a spot in the CSK setup in 2022 as well. Robin had a good start to the 2022 season, scoring two fifties in the first five games, but then he went downhill like a rolling ball. CSK used Robin, who had scores of 3, 30, 1, 1, 0 and 1 in the previous five innings. Robin, being the player that he is, can bat as an opener or as a one-down batter.
The CSK setup currently has both the opening and one-down slots filled with potentially younger players who can play for another three to four years, with Ruturaj and Conway firing and Moen being the batting all-rounder at number three. The management would rather groom the younger players than rely on players who may be out sooner rather than later. With such low scores and age not being on Uthappa’s side, CSK were forced to drop Robbie in the current season, and it wouldn’t be surprising if they released the 36-year-old to make room for new faces in the squad next year.
2. Tushar Deshpande
The Chennai Super Kings signed Tushar Deshpande for a base price of 20 lakhs. Tushar was seen as a backup to Deepak Chahar, who was injured, to deliver the goods in his absence. Tushar played two opening games for CSK, picking up one wicket and allowing more than ten runs per over.
Tushar has been benched by Chennai Super Kings ever since, and he will not play another game for CSK in the rest of the IPL. Meanwhile, CSK gave Simarjeet Singh and Mukesh Choudhary opportunities. With wicket-taking match-winning performances, they both appeared to impress CSK Captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni. More than the bowlers’ performances, MSD was impressed by their maturity and courage.
As the man who makes all the decisions for Chennai is already overwhelmed by Simarjeet and Mukes’ performances, and with Deepak Chahar and Adam Milne returning next year, it would be difficult for someone like Tushar Desphande to make a comeback into CSK’s eleven. In the hopes that the IPL will return to a home-and-away format next year, CSK will play 50 percent of its matches at Chepauk. CSK will try to include a spinner or two in their lineup rather than an extra backup seamer. With two backups in both the seam and swing bowling departments, CSK may decide to release Tushar Desphande.
3. Chris Jordan
Chris Jordan, England’s T20 specialist, was purchased for a whopping 3.60 crores by Chennai Super Kings. Jordan has had a nightmare IPL season, with only two wickets in four innings. Jordan has given up runs at a rate of more than 8.9 per innings for Chennai. The English all-worst rounder’s innings came in a run chase, when he was dismissed all over the park by Gujarat batters. Then, in the 18th over, when the game was almost in Chennai’s pocket, Jordan gave up 25 runs and cost them the game with an expensive over.
Jordan was benched following the game against Gujarat and never returned to CSK’s starting eleven. With Dwyane Bravo nearing the end of his career, Chennai was looking for a bowling all-rounder to take his place. CSK’s Jordan was brought in as a like-for-like replacement for Bravo, but he has been nothing short of a disaster for the club. CSK also acquired Dwaine Pretorious, who has come close to replacing Bravo with his slower balls and pinch hitting in the end.
CSK would like to replace the ageing Chris Jordan with a better bowling all-rounder in the coming season as well. When CSK is eliminated in the 2022 season and the middle order and bowling look frail, a hard-hitting all-rounder should be the ideal choice for CSK. With Ben Stokes and others expected to be available in the 2022 auction, Stokesy could be the ideal replacement for the four-time IPL champions. Jordan hasn’t played a single game since he was dropped, demonstrating CSK management’s lack of faith in him. It will be fascinating to see how Jordan performs on the international stage, as this will determine his fortunes in the 2023 IPL.
