Keeping IPL 2023 in mind, CSK will look to build a stronger team and aim for some prolific players with great potential.
The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 season surely did not go in favour of defending champions Chennai Super Kings (CSK), who became the second team to be eliminated from the playoffs race.
CSK saw many things go against them, be it not selecting Suresh Raina and him going unsold to losing Faf du Plessis to Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB).
Even, the decision of MS Dhoni relinquishing his captaincy and handing the baton to Ravindra Jadeja did not go in their favour.
The move did not work out and the team's performance, along with the all-rounder's form saw a drastic fall. In fact, it so happened that Jadeja even gave back the leadership hat to Dhoni.
After multiple losses and minimum victories, Dhoni was asked to see if he could keep CSK's playoffs hopes alive, however, the loopholes in the team were already uncovered.
Now keeping next year in mind, CSK will look to build a stronger team and aim for some prolific players with great potential. However, for that, they will also have to let go of some of the players they had in the squad for IPL 2022.
1. MS Dhoni
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Mahendra Singh Dhoni after returning as the captain, when came out on the field for the toss against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), was asked about his future with the Chennai Super Kings.
Coming up with an interesting reply, Dhoni said he will definitely return in the yellow jersey next year but did not confirm whether he will join the CSK camp as a player or in some other role.
"You'll definitely see me in the yellow jersey, whether it is this one, or some other one, you never know".
2. Ravindra Jadeja
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Ever since Ravindra Jadeja relinquished his captaincy, many believed that all wasn't well between the CSK team management and the all-rounder. However, CSK CEO Kasi Viswanathan had denied all such reports.
But now, former Indian opener Aakash Chopra believes this might have been the last season for Jadeja in the yellow jersey.
"I am getting a thought that maybe he won't even be there next year. This happens in the Chennai camp that you don't exactly know what has happened to the player when he is injured or gets dropped. A similar thing happened to Suresh Raina in 2021. After some games, they suddenly left him out," said Chopra in a video on his YouTube channel.
3. Ambati Rayudu
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Ambati Rayudu had taken to Twitter to announce that the ongoing IPL 2022 season will be his last but soon after deleted that tweet.
"I am happy to announce that this will be my last IPL. I have had a wonderful time playing it and being a part of 2 great teams for 13 years. Would love to sincerely thank Mumbai Indians and Csk for the wonderful journey," he had tweeted.
This is not the first time Rayudu announced his retirement in an absurd manner. He had done the same, when he was not picked for the 2019 ODI World Cup and had announced his retirement but reversed the decision and came back to play in the IPL.
CSK CEO Kasi Viswanathan even said, "That's wrong news. He is not retiring. We are not worried".
4. Dwayne Bravo
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Dwayne Bravo has been the Super Kings' top wicket-taker this season despite missing a few games due to injury. The pacer in the ten games he played picked up 16 scalps at 18.69.
However, once Deepak Chahar will be back in full form, and Mukesh Choudhary is already being used as their main bowler, Bravo's chances will only decrease. The CSK side had done the same with Imran Tahir as well.
5. Chris Jordan
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England pacer Chris Jordan has played four matches for CSK so far and has already leaked 135 runs in 12.5 overs at an economy rate of 10.52. What's more bad is he only took just two wickets in exchange.
In the first leg against Gujarat Titans (GT), the pacer yielded 58 runs from 3.5 overs. GT's stand-in skipper Rashid Khan had clobbered Jordan for 23 runs in five balls in the 18th over.
Indian commentator Sanjay Manjrekar spoke about Jordan and said, "When you see a player's form, people think he has played just two-three matches. But that's just this season. He's been playing for a long time for a lot of franchises and his IPL performances have been the same always. They've bowled very few economical or game-changing spells," ESPNcricinfo reported.
"So they should have no qualms in dropping Chris Jordan because his long-standing performance in the IPL isn't great".
