While several senior players have not complied, the pattern MS Dhoni he himself has been below bat level. 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 years old and past his prime means there is uncertainty surrounding his future as well. The former India captain, of course, keeps his cards close to his chest, but CSK CEO Kasi Viswanathan insisted that Dhoni will also lead the team in 2021.
TABLE OF POINTS IPL 2020
“Yes, definitely. I am 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. A bad year. it doesn’t mean we will have to change everything, “Viswanathan told TOI on Monday.
“We were not playing to our potential this season. We lost games that we should have won. That set us back. Suresh Raina Y Harbhajan Singh added to the Covid cases in the camp meant that the balance of the side was upset, “he added.
While Dhoni may continue to lead the team in 2021, it is imperative that the team look very different next season. As a coach Stephen Fleming He recently said that the current team has “run out of juice.” Regardless of whether a new mega auction takes place before next season, the likes of Raina, Harbhajan, Kedar Jadhav Y Piyush chawla among others, they are no longer in their prime and will have to be unloaded if the three-time IPL champions want to regain their place at the top.
As the game against Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) on Sunday, the next two games provide an opportunity for CSK to test more young players and determine if they can be part of the setup going forward.
On Sunday, of course, Ruturaj Gaikwad made a good impression with an undefeated 65 of 51 balls to guide CSK to a comfortable eight-field victory. Gaikwad has had a difficult time in the UAE with Covid-19 before the start of the tournament, forcing him into an extended quarantine and then scores of 0, 5 and 0 in the three matches before Sunday. The 23-year-old could have been ruled out for good, but his Sunday innings will ensure he has a few more chances.
Looking ahead, Ruturaj’s entries hopefully reiterate to CSK leadership the importance of maintaining patience and showing faith in the youngest players without limits. A few days ago, Dhoni had suggested that the youngsters “had not shown the necessary spark”, but perhaps the best way to judge that is by testing them in the heat of the action. By doing so, they might uncover a couple of young talents who may be part of a refreshed and fresher setup in 2021.
.
