Chennai Super Kings finished 7th on the IPL 2020 points table.
The Chennai Super Kings (CSK) finished at the penultimate spot in the IPL 2020 points table after their first horror season in the Indian Premier League.
The Yellow Army got together for a camp in Chennai before traveling to the UAE. Hardly anything went their way since landing in the country. They lost key players due to non-cricketing reasons at the start of the season and a total of 13 members got tested positive for COVID-19.
There was a sense of normalcy when they beat their arch-rivals Mumbai Indians in the tournament opener but things looked bleak from thereon. Leaving a few players aside, none of their players played to potential and therefore were unable to reach the playoffs for the first time ever.
IPL 2020: Chennai Super Kings (CSK) - Statistical Highlights
The Super Kings’ theory of backing experience of their aging playing to the full did not work in IPL 13 and the team was criticized for not being up to the mark with respect to intent and fitness. Only three of their batsmen played at a Strike Rate of more than 130 in the season, which is low by any T20 league’s standards, let alone the IPL.
As the CSK team management ponders upon what the team composition should look like in IPL 2021 with MS Dhoni continuing to lead the side, Team COC brings to you 5 players who might not get to keep their place in CSK franchise next season.
Team COC brings to you the five players who could be released by the Chennai Super Kings before IPL 14
SURESH RAINA
Probably the biggest loss faced by CSK in IPL 2020 was that of their highest run-getter, Suresh Raina. Mr. IPL, as he is fondly called, had traveled to the UAE with his teammates but returned back to India citing personal reasons. Whatever the reasons were behind Raina’s unavailability in the IPL, the chances of him returning to the Chennai-based franchise doesn’t seem strong enough.
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Raina has scored over 5000 runs in the IPL but hasn’t performed up to expectations in the past 2 years for CSK. In 2018 and 2019, he scored a total of 828 runs in 32 innings and did not feature in the top 3 run-getters for CSK in each of those seasons.
Suresh Raina looked fit and was looking determined to have a better season for CSK. He will most likely find a new team to play for in IPL 2020 as CSK look for a much younger team to form a new core for the upcoming seasons.
The 33-year-old has announced his retirement from international cricket and thus will only play the IPL. As the next season might be played out in April, we might see Suresh Raina in new colors pretty soon.
HARBHAJAN SINGH
The veteran off-spinner Harbhajan Singh never came to the UAE. He stayed back in India for the safety of his family and it meant a huge loss for his CSK family. The Chennai Super Kings lacked Harbhajan's experience as Ravindra Jadeja, Piyush Chawla, and Karn Sharma went for plenty of runs throughout the season.
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Some tracks in Dubai did aid the spinners in the first half and that is when Harbhajan would’ve come in handy for MS Dhoni. He was supposed to be one of the key players for CSK coming into the UAE. However, it was not to be and the team tried to find different combinations to make up for his absence.
Harbhajan has been out of cricketing action since IPL 2019. His only chance to play professional cricket was in the recently concluded IPL. With him opting for a safer route, CSK might most likely take a safer route too next time around.
Given that the veteran offie is now 40 years old, we might have already seen the last of Harbhajan Singh in the IPL. Dhoni talked about bringing in new blood and it might be the same when it comes to finding an off-spinner who can serve them for the coming decade.
KEDAR JADHAV
Kedar Jadhav lacked the intent in his batting throughout the season and was criticized heavily for the same. He was trusted to score quickly on a few occasions in IPL 2020, but he just couldn't get going, and could not take CSK home even once.
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The Maharashtra batsman returned just 62 runs in 8 matches this season. Jadhav’s strike rate of 93.93 was below par too. His 66-ball stay on the wicket throughout the competition was too much to take for the fans.
A team and its fans get frustrated if a player is not playing according to the situation and that is exactly what happened with Kedar Jadhav in IPL 13. In 2019 too, he scored 162 runs in 14 matches at a strike rate of 95.85.
CSK’s wipeout after IPL 2020 might just be the end for Kedar Jadhav with the Men in Yellow.
MURALI VIJAY
The opener from Tamil Nadu, Murali Vijay, was not among the starters for CSK in this IPL 2020 season. He got his opportunities after a couple of players had to be dropped due to injuries. Vijay opened the batting just thrice this season but looked a pale shadow of his earlier self.
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Vijay did not look in touch at all as he struggled for 41 deliveries in IPL 2020. He scored just 32 runs in that period at a strike rate of 74.41. 16 off those runs had come off 4 boundaries leaving out the remaining 37 balls for just 16 runs.
Such performances not only bring the batsman down but also make the team struggle.
The Super Kings have found an opener with a sound technique in Ruturaj Gaikwad and might look for another in the IPL 2021 auction and this means the 36-year-old might find himself out of favor next season.
Considering all these factors, Murali Vijay might not be in the scheme of things for the Chennai Super Kings in IPL 2021.
PIYUSH CHAWLA
Another veteran spinner, Piyush Chawla, could not perform up to the expectations. He too was considered as one of the most important players for CSK coming into IPL 2020. The pitches in the UAE, and especially Dubai, aided the spinners but Chawla could not make full use of the opportunity.
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In IPL 13, the 31-year-old was picked in the playing XI 7 times. He could pick only 6 wickets in 21 overs. He averaged a below-par 31.83 with the ball and was also leaking runs at 9 RPO. Chawla has performed much better than this in the previous editions.
CSK could not keep up the pressure with their spinners and thus ended up on the losing side 8 out of 14 times. They might be thinking of adding more T20-friendly spinners to their arsenal and it will be surprising to have Piyush Chawla in the mix after a disappointing season.
He is the fifth player that could be on the list of players to be released by CSK after IPL 2020.