There are times that nothing clicks for a franchise. Numerous times, the team tries everything but somehow just cannot find the means to win a game. They end up at the bottom of the points table. In the history of the tournament, all teams have at some point gone through this.
It seems that the 2022 IPL season is one such for Chennai Super Kings. They tried to cover their bases in the auctions and got Ravindra Jadeja as the captain of the side before the IPL started. However, nothing has gone right for them since the tournament started. They lost 4 games on a trot for the first time in the history of the tournament.
The biggest barrier for CSK
The one thing that has hurt them the most is the absence of their premier pacer Deepak Chahar. In the last few seasons, he has picked wickets upfront for them at the start of the innings. In the final leg of the innings, he bowls the death overs and ensures that the team does a splendid job in the bowling department.
The team expended INR 14 crores in the 2022 IPL auctions and CSK was left with little to get a backup for him. He had injured himself during India’s T20I series against West Indies in February. He had suffered a quadricep tear while playing in that series. He has been on the path of recuperation ever since. CSK invested in him expecting his recovery before the IPL.
No end in sight to CSK’s issues
It now seems that this issue will haunt them throughout the IPL as reports are coming in that the pacer has suffered a back injury while he was going rehabilitation at the National Cricket Academy situated in Bengaluru.
There is still no confirmation from CSK whether he will be able to join them or not in this year’s IPL but if reports are true then the chances seem bleak.
However, with Josh Hazelwood eligible for selection, the team management may finally be able to heave a sigh of relief.