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The nostalgia and romance of MS Dhoni's return to the helm had the pull to sway people from the reality of the side that look to have many a chink in their armour, which could hardly be taped over, but the rose-goggles were knocked out...
Read More The mighty Chennai Super Kings find themselves in unexplored territories of the IPL standings following a harsh reality check in the ongoing season of the money-rich T20 franchise league as they stand last after their humbling at the hands of holders Kolkata Knight Riders in their own backyard. CSK, who had deep-rooted issues with the sheer quality of the side’s batting order, suffered a blow even before a ball was bowled in the CSK vs KKR billing as skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad was ruled out ahead of the game with an injury to his elbow, making way for a ‘Return of the King’ with MS Dhoni resuming captain duties. The nostalgia and romance of the return had a pull to sway people from the reality of the side that look to have many a chink in their armour, which could hardly be taped over as Kolkata spinners ran riot before the defending champions’ top order completed the formality with nearly half-an-innings left to play.
A batting order overtly reliant on the top order, especially Gaikwad, for runs huffed and puffed to the triple digit mark in front of the ever-adoring home crowd at the MA Chidambaram Stadium as the man trusted with the future of the joint-most successful side in the history of the league watched on from the stands. And Dhoni’s bag of magic tricks seemed to be running thin with a team that looked to have lost the gamble they had opted for at the auction table. Star-Studded Spin (On Paper) What spurred the joy of the local Chennai fan base ahead of the season was the abundance of world-class spin in their fold with the repatriation of homeboy Ravichandran Ashwin and the addition of the crafty Noor Ahmed to a side that retained the services of Ravindra Jadeja.
A lineup that promised to leave every side visiting the MAC their heads scratching. Chennai also roped in Khaleel Ahmed to support the dangerous Matheesha Pathirana in seaming the ball. And for a while there it sounded as if the unit had the ability to turn the screws on visiting sides at home especially, but the reality turned out to be far too different to the imaginations of the yellow-crazy crowd.
Besides Gaikwad’s undoubted craft with the bat, there were questions surrounding Gaikwad’s ability to lead the fabled side, following the footsteps of the legendary World Cup winner as the batter seemed to have missed the spin-trick in the previous edition of the tournament with Chennai missing out on a playoff berth- a proper rarity. However, it was a slip that Chennai fell to towards the end of a start-stop season that saw Gaikwad leading the run-scoring from the front and it looked as though time would only make the unit more battle-hardened. However, their exceeding focus on bowling unit, which looks past its prime, to say the very least, has dealt a heavy blow to the side’s balance.
How To Replace A ‘Jinx’? The CSK tradition of serving as the second wind for players over the three-decade mark of age is well documented throughout the presence of the side in the T20 poster tournament. And the two batters who embodied the renewal of a lease on life out there in the 22 years were Ajinkya Rahane and Ambati Rayudu, who helped the side to silverware a couple of years ago with their swashbuckling knocks when least expected. Now, Rayudu has hung up his boots, while Rahane continues to ply his experience in the colours of KKR, as he helmed the side that dominated the Chennai surface – exerting his side’s quality in spin nevertheless in an absolute showcase of classical cricket irony.
While, CSK, who hoped they would find an able replacement for the duo with the signings of Rahul Tripathi, Deepak Hooda and Vijay Shankar, have woken up to a harsh reality where the trio tank in their responsibilities. CSK have the habit of backing their initial decisions through the course of a season, which has paid them back in the form of curated innings deep into the event year after year from veteran figures. But the Hail Mary punt the think-tank seemed to have taken with the acquisition of players who seem over the hill and at times puzzled with the blade in hand has cost them dearly.
Especially with the bowling unit not living up to the expectations, save for Khaleel and Noor. And a bowling unit that seems less than threatening to willow-wielders, in a game that looks to be aggressively tilting towards the batters, with the impact player rule, the soaring scoring rates and an overall increase in the carnage on the bowlers, does not augur well for a traditional superpower in transition. Retainers At The Bottom Barring KKR, and GT, who occupy a place in the coveted top-4 bracket, the teams that banked heavily on retentions to hold the core, the values and the results of their contingents together seem to have sunk down to the bottom of the table as CSK, Mumbai Indians and Sunrisers Hyderabad, who have eleven IPL crowns between them, adorn the lower echelons of the points table.
And as though to make a mockery of heavyweights who have earned their reputation over the years by forging victories, the yet undecorated teams look to be soaring up the table. Delhi Capitals and Punjab Kings seem to have their reboots off in quick style, while RCB look to have balance in their ranks. And this is possibly down to the sides that relied heavily on holding on to their core group of players, being short-changed, literally, at the auction table as over a dozen players CSK missed out on at the table, by the barest of financial margins, have gone on to work wonders for the employers that managed to eventually rope them in.
And if that was the type of distribution the powers-that-be intended to transpire with the revamped method of retention, they have definitely spruced up the pot with the decision. Maybe at the cost of the legacy teams, this one, though. Step Up? With the Chennai Super Kings caught between a rock and a hard time, and in need of reinstalling the sense of belief and trust to a benevolent crowd that seems disillusioned, to say the least, it might turn out to be a fruitful gambit to hand the young guns a run out even if it means at the cost of disrupting the template CSK have practiced to perfection over the years.
Anshul Kamboj, who made his foray into the yellow pride in the game against KKR, the promising Shaikh Rasheed and Andre Siddhart, all come to mind. CSK have prided themselves in being able to roll with the punches and adapt to the change in trends despite an air of orthodoxy about the way they function from within, and the timing to take a leap of faith seems to be prime with the pride playing for pride now..
