Four-time champions Chennai Super Kings (CSK) finished in penultimate place on IPL 2022 points table with only four victories in 14 games. Now Ravi Shastri, former India coach, pointed out the biggest challenge CSK faced in this IPL season.
With Josh Hazlewood's departure to Royal Challengers Bangalore and Deepak Chahar's injury, the club lacked depth in the bowling department.
Early in the season, Chennai was eliminated from contention for a play-off position. While the performances of rookie pacers Mukesh Choudhary and Simarjeet Singh were highlights, Chahar's absence from the fast-bowling mix was the main talking point.
A back issue has ruled the bowling all-rounder out for the season. Chahar got a hamstring injury in February during the home series against the West Indies. His absence may have harmed the team's balance, as Chennai started the season with four straight losses.
With a startling price tag of 14 crores, Chahar noted for his ability to swing the new ball, was the second most expensive player at the February auction. Because of his absence, Chennai's bowling faltered, and former India head coach Ravi Shastri believes Chahar would have made an impact with his propensity to take early wickets.
"The biggest problem for CSK was Deepak Chahar's unavailability. He is the type of pacer who can give you one or two wickets upfront. They definitely missed that. He would have taken a lot of wickets this season, considering the pitches. There was some swing on offer with the new ball and the surfaces were perfect for his game," Shastri told ESPNCricinfo.
Despite a lackluster IPL season, Shastri stated that Chennai will aim to invest in young players. During the transfer window, he feels the team should get a middle-order batter and a fast bowler.
"If MS Dhoni is the captain for the next season, he will surely persist with youngsters like Mukesh Choudhary, Simarjeet Singh, and Maheesh Theekshana. These guys will improve. However, they will have to try and rope in a middle-order batter and a fast bowler when the transfer window opens," said Shastri.
