Call it reverence for the former Indian captain or faith in MS Dhoni’s abilities, Chennai Super Kings (CSK) has stated that Dhoni will continue to lead the franchise at IPL 2021. CSK has cut a dismal figure at IPL 2020 by becoming the first team to be eliminated from the league this year. This is the first time in IPL history that CSK has failed to enter the playoff stage.
Despite his worst performance, CSK CEO Kasi Viswanathan stated in an interview with TOI that Dhoni will continue to lead the team at IPL 2021.
“Yes definitely. I’m very confident that Dhoni will lead CSK in 2021. He has won three titles for us in the IPL. This is the first year that we did not qualify for the playoffs. No other team has done that. Not a bad year. it means that we have to change everything. “ Viswanathan told TOI
Not only CSK, but Dhoni himself have been below average on the field. In 12 games this season, he has scored 199 runs with a strike rate of just 118.45. Although the 2021 IPL season is only six months away, the fact that Dhoni is 39 and past his prime means that the fingers are pointing to his personal form and his future as well. But according to the CEO of CSK, the team was simply affected by too many bad things at the same time, causing them to back down.
“We are not playing to our potential this season. We lost games that we should have won. That set us back. The withdrawals of Suresh Raina and Harbhajan Singh, along with the Covid cases in the camp, meant that the balance of the side was upset. “ was cited by TOI.
IPL 2020: End of the road for CSK’s ‘daddy army’, new gear on the radar for IPL 2021?
Although the CEO continues to show faith in the captain, coach Stephen Fleming admitted that CSK is an “aging team” and “has run out of energy.”
“It’s fair to say looking at the IPL chart now that this team may have run out of power,” said head coach Stephen Fleming in the post-game presentation after one of the games, revealing that morale in the locker room was alarmingly low.
“If you look at the three-year cycle, we win the first year; lost the last ball last year; And we always think that the third year with an aging squad would be difficult. And dubai [UAE] has challenged us with a new set of requirements “, he said.
The IPL 2020 is a thing of the past for CSK, its management and also for the fans. Should they look beyond Dhoni and his old horses for IPL 2021? According to a source close to the team’s leadership, some tough decisions will surely be made for the next edition.
“Look, like Fleming said, a lot of cracks in the armor have been exposed this time. Some tough decisions are sure to be made. The only problem is that there is little time between now and the next edition ”, the source close to CSK management told InsideSport on condition of anonymity last week.
The problem CSK will face when rebuilding equipment for the next IPL edition is that BCCI has not yet announced whether new auctions will be held for IPL 2021 or whether the same equipment will be maintained. CSK will definitely have to fight the deadlines if it decides to rebuild.
End of Road CSK’s DADS ARMY – Which players have seen their last IPL with CSK?
It is difficult to predict which players will leave the team at this stage. But one thing’s for sure, in the name of continuity, CSK’s promoters or management are unlikely to persist with the “aging” drive. This means it will be the end of the road for most of the seniors on the team.
Players likely to be in the firing line:
– Harbhajan & Raina have already ended their 3-year contract with CSK
– Shane Watson – It’s hard to imagine CSK will persist with Watson for the new edition. He no longer bowls and his inconsistent hitting left a lot to be desired this time.
– Kedar Jadhav – 8 games 60 odd runs, no sensible management will persist with him for the next edition at the age of 36
– Piyush Chawla – It is also sure to boot from CSK. Chawla, 32, sported a risk on the field and played without enthusiasm during games he played.
– Imran Tahir – He will soon be 42 years old and has yet to get a game at this IPL. In no way will they persist it into the next season.
– Ambati Rayudu – He did well with the opportunities he had, but that charisma to win matches on his own is lost with Rayudu. He is another who can be eliminated for the next IPL.
– Faf Du Plessis – Neither he failed at batting nor his physical form is in doubt. He’s also the third-highest scorer on the Orange Cap List, but it’s still unlikely CSK will include him in the squad as they set out to rebuild the squad for IPL 2021 and beyond.
