Ravindra Jadeja grabbed eyeballs on July 9 and was the centre of attention when he deleted all his Instagram posts related to his franchise Chennai Super Kings from the past two years and ignited the spark about the rumours of his rift with the four-time champions. His action got everyone talking about a feud between the player and the franchise.

Jadeja has been associated with CSK for a decade now and has been a key component of the setup. Ahead of the IPL 2022, he stepped into MS Dhoni’s shoes as he was named the captain of the Men in Yellow. Jadeja’s captaincy stint put him in some unfavourable circumstances as the side kept losing and hardly won a couple of games before the management decided to hand over the duties back to Dhoni.

As Dhoni took over, Jadeja was shortly ruled out of the remainder of the IPL owing to an injury and returned directly for the India series. The all-rounder has barely spoken about his IPL stint ever since, and his actions of deleting the posts created an even bigger controversy. While CSK denied the news of him parting ways with the franchise, a section of fans still beleive Jadeja’s days with CSK are over.

Ravindra Jadeja’s cryptic post fueled the rumours

Notably, the 33-year-old shared a cryptic story on his Instagram on July 18, which added fuel to the fire that had been burning for the past couple of weeks as it read: ‘Don’t lower your standards for anyone or anything. Self-respect is everything.’

Chennai Super Kings have a very active social media handle, just like the other franchise, and they keep lauding the achievements of all the players, associated with the franchise, whenever they perform well or achieve big while representing their respective countries. Amidst all the rumours, CSK has kept backing Jadeja as the all-rounder has been doing really well for the Indian side.

But notably, Jadeja has not even dropped a like on the posts, which he usually used to do, alongside commenting, before the rift rumors began. After his Instagram story, the CSK fans took to Twitter and shared messages for the all-rounder, urging him not to leave the franchise as ‘We Yellove You Jadeja’ started trending on the social media platform.

Here’s a look at some tweets: 

WE YELLOVE YOU JADEJA 💛🦁 @imjadeja pic.twitter.com/1X4B1Cy5Fi

— Prabhu (@Cricprabhu) July 20, 2022

Then.! Now.!! Forever.!!!

WE YELLOVE YOU JADEJA 🦁 pic.twitter.com/Fg3kuaqNkP

— Karnataka Dhoni Fans Association™ 🏆 (@DhoniKarnataka) July 19, 2022

Some Unforgettable finishes from Sir Jadeja 🥶🛐

WE YELLOVE YOU JADEJA 😇#RAVINDRAJADEJA #CSK pic.twitter.com/18Ft4Gtrrv

— Shreyansh 🎭 (@shreyansh0727) July 19, 2022

Comeback stronger @ImJadeja 🏏🔥

WE YELLOVE YOU JADEJA 💛#WhistlePodu | #IPL2022 pic.twitter.com/IIBx4TnEJg

— CSK Fans Army™ (@CSKFansArmy) July 19, 2022

WE YELLOVE YOU JADEJA 💛💛
Plz @imjadeja king don't leave CSK. Don't know how some people are saying that CSK won't get affected even if you leave but deep inside we know how badly it will affect CSK😓
Will continue to support you forever in blues too🔥🔥 pic.twitter.com/cbIqnRYlbW

— Yash (@I_mYash183) July 19, 2022

Presenting before you, the most dangerous Trio of IPL. 😎🔥💪🏻@msdhoni @ImRaina @imjadeja 🦁👑

WE YELLOVE YOU JADEJA 😇#RAVINDRAJADEJA #CSK pic.twitter.com/iUFIUueeXq

— Shreyansh 🎭 (@shreyansh0727) July 19, 2022

WE YELLOVE YOU JADEJA 💛
Such an amazing pair MS Dhoni the miracle man along with Sir Ravindra jadeja. Love to watch both of you❤️#MSDhoni #Jadeja #SirJadeja pic.twitter.com/vNvWbWuo8W

— Ashutosh Srivastava (@kingashu1008) July 19, 2022

@imjadeja Tweet this once again please 🥺 We yellove you jadeja 💛 pic.twitter.com/uEILa5Zs3v

— Nivi_39 (@Nivi39) July 19, 2022

"WE YELLOVE YOU JADEJA"💛

Once A King Always A Super King
Comeback Strong @imjadeja 🦁#RavindraJadeja | #WhistlePodu pic.twitter.com/HSpWZChcbp

— Anjali ♡ (@imAnjalii718) July 19, 2022

Jadeja didn't delete it all!

WE YELLOVE YOU JADEJA#Jadeja pic.twitter.com/WA50xCPT0T

— Vaibhav Gaunekar_vmng (@Vaibhav_Vmng) July 19, 2022

WE YELLOVE YOU JADEJA 💛 please don't leave us @imjadeja 🥺 pic.twitter.com/ksa2GqZJOE

— Nivi_39 (@Nivi39) July 19, 2022

WE YELLOVE YOU JADEJA
Trending everywhere 🦁💛🔥#RAVINDRAJADEJA @imjadeja pic.twitter.com/6gSwy7BZnJ

— UD7172 (@udayraj_kathi_) July 19, 2022

WE YELLOVE YOU JADEJA 💛🔥@msdhoni | @imjadeja pic.twitter.com/ChxZdKMrN1

— Ravi Patil (@RaviPatil8055) July 19, 2022

The Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise Chennai Super Kings (CSK) consider making a women’s team for the proposed women’s IPL. The chief executive officer of CSK, Kasi Viswanathan stated that they would take a call once the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) decides to have the women’s IPL.

Viswanathan also mentioned that they have always had around nine former first-class players as talent scouts, who follow the domestic games closely. He also added that the Tamil Nadu Premier League (TNPL) has helped the franchise in a “big way” as it has produced 14 IPL players.

“Once the BCCI decides to have a women’s IPL, we will be interested,” Viswanathan told The Hindu on Saturday. “We will take a call when it is offered,” he said.

Look at the progress in Indian women’s cricket after receiving recognition: Viswanathan

Viswanathan also spoke about CSK’s poor performance in this year’s IPL as he admitted that the fans were disappointed. He said that the fans, however, understand the game and that there could be such phases along the way. Meanwhile, speaking about speculations of a rift between Ravindra Jadeja and the franchise, Viswanathan said that everything is fine.

“Look at the progress in Indian women’s cricket after receiving recognition. We have eight or nine former first-class cricketers as talent scouts at the CSK since its inception. They (fans) follow the domestic game closely. So, when we wanted someone who could bowl with raw pace, we could rope in K.M. Asif; our scouts from Kerala, Sunil Oasis and M.A. Satheesh, had been tracking him.”

“At the TNPL we have around 75 players from districts in the eight teams. The TNPL has helped Tamil Nadu cricket in a big way. It has produced 14 IPL players; that is a big number for a young league. The fans have been the backbone of CSK,” he added,

CSK had a below-par IPL 2022 as they finished ninth on the table, after winning only four games out of 14. They had the fewest number of wins along with Mumbai Indians (MI), who finished at the bottom of the table.

As the curtains come down on the cricket festival of India called the Indian Premier League, another series of if and if not, gets underway. The franchises spent a lot in the mega auction to build up a squad like never before. Through these 74 matches, some teams have performed at the forefront while a few failed to reach the expectations. 

The wavelength of this tournament goes beyond Indian boundaries. With overseas players on the side, other drafted Indian players don’t get enough chances to prove their worth. Let’s look at some underutilized players of CSK: 

1. Rajvardhan Hangargekar

19-year-old Rajvardhan was part of the winning squad of India, who lifted the recently concluded U19 Cricket World Cup trophy. The fiery right-arm fast bowler also has power hitting abilities. Hangargekar also works as a good alternative as a finisher.

Rajvardhan saw quite an interest in the auction room and sparked a bidding war, but was finally snapped by the CSK for INR 1.5 crore. He did not get a single game this season. While Chennai failed to make it to the playoffs, one game with Hangargekar as an experiment was a possibility.

This youngster’s services were never utilized by the team management and the captain. He took four wickets in six matches of the U19 world cup and played some crucial cameos at the end. Rajvardhan might play a big role in the upcoming seasons of the IPL.

2. Matheesha Pathirana

Matheesha Pathirana is another 19-year-old who got to play only two matches this IPL season. He was roped in by the Chennai Super Kings in IPL 2022 as a player replacement for the injured Adam Milne. Hailing from Kandy, Sri Lanka, the right-arm medium pacer is also a right-handed batter.

He featured in Sri Lanka’s U19 World Cup squads in 2020 and 2022. Pathirana caught the eyes of everyone due to his slingy bowling action. Similar to the Sri Lankan great Lasith Malinga, he also times his yorkers well.

In the two games he played, he bagged two wickets with an economy of over seven. Due to Deepak Chahar’s injury, Pathirana might have been a good option if he had gotten enough time.

3. Simarjeet Singh

The tall, skiddy pacer represents Delhi in the domestic circuit. The 24-year-old right-arm bowler was a net bowler with the Delhi Capitals previously. He was bought by Chennai Super Kings for his base price of INR 20 lakhs, at the IPL 2022 Mega Auction. 

Singh got a total of six games to play this season, that too very late in the tournament. He went underutilized because of the number of matches he made the playing XI in. 

In all these six games, he made a great impact through his length deliveries. Though he bagged only four wickets, he assisted other bowlers, with his tight lines only conceding at an economy of 7.6.

4. Mitchell Santner

The Kiwi all-rounder was once again was roped in by CSK to ply his trade. Santner has always emerged as a smart spinner. Also being a handy batter, Santner has finished games for CSK, by hitting last-ball six as well.

He was bought by CSK for INR 1.9 crore at the 2022 Mega Auction which is a major promotion over 2018, where he was bought for just INR 50 lacs. Santner has been an impressive prospect while dealing with the irregularity of his inclusion in New Zealand. He best performs lower down the order.

Also being an outstanding fielder, Santner did not get enough games this time. With only six games to his name, he bagged four wickets at an economy of 6.9. 

5. Devon Conway 

Conway left an impeccable mark while ending this season. With consecutive 80+ scores in the last few games, he became one of the best buys for CSK. His debut season was a hit with CSK.

In the very first game of IPL 2022, he got out early and then returned late to playing XI. He missed most of the matches during the middle part of the tournament, where Chennai also struggled to swim through. Conway was already a quick striker. 

In only seven matches he played, he made a total of 252 runs, with the highest score of 87. With an average of 42, he gave a guilt trip to the franchise in the last few games. With a strike rate of 145, he makes a case for a perfect T20 batsman. If only he played in a few more games, the result could have been different for Chennai. 

The 15th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) has just concluded with Gujarat Titans claiming the title in their debut season. It was a brilliant season for the Hardik Pandya-led side, which finished at the top of the points table. The Titans got the job done in the playoffs, winning back-to-back matches to claim the title. The tail-end of the season is when the big game players really have to step up.

We witnessed several match-winning performances during the course of the playoffs. On the other hand, a few reputed stars failed to bring out their A-game in the playoffs. Perhaps, the pressure of a knockout game got the better of them.

In this article, we look at the Best XI of teams in playoffs:

1. KL Rahul

Although KL Rahul ended up on losing side in the Eliminator, his knock deserves some praise. The opening batter scored 79 runs off 58 balls in a chase of just over 200 runs. One can argue that he could have been a bit more aggressive with his approach, and gone after the bowlers in the middle overs.

Nevertheless, Rahul did a pretty decent job with the bat. No batter except Deepak Hooda could contribute well with the bat, and supported his skipper well from one end.

The former Punjab Kings skipper ended yet another successful season with the bat, as he smashed 616 runs in 15 innings at a staggering average of 51.33. And, he also managed to take Lucknow to the playoffs in their debut season, which is surely a big positive going forward.

2. Jos Buttler (WK)

Jos Buttler has enjoyed a dream season with the bat in IPL 2022. The English batter stood up for his side in the knockout games, as he put on two terrific displays. The right-handed batter scored 89 runs off 56 balls against Gujarat Titans in Qualifier 1. Although that was not sufficient enough to win the game for Rajasthan, it was quite a valiant effort.

Buttler scored his fourth century of the season in Qualifier 2 against Royal Challengers Bangalore smashing an unbeaten knock of 106 runs off just 60 balls. That knock helped the Royals earn a spot in the finals for the first time since 2008, and he was also awarded the player of the match award.

Jos Buttler was again the top scorer for his side in the finals, scoring 39 runs off 35 balls. But the Royals collapsed with the bat posting only 130 runs with the bat. Buttler also won the Orange Cap for scoring a whopping 863 runs in the entire season.

3. Shubman Gill

Shubman Gill stepped up for his side in the last couple of matches. In fact, he was instrumental in Gujarat’s chases in the playoffs. The Indian batter scored a quickfire knock of 35 runs off just 21 balls in Qualifier 1 against Rajasthan Royals. Although it was not a big innings, it did have quite a bit of impact on a huge chase in terms of getting off the blocks quickly for the Titans.

In the final, Shubman Gill orchestrated a mature inning, scoring an unbeaten knock of 45 runs off just 43 balls. He batted right through the 18 overs, helping Gujarat chase down a tricky target if 131 runs.

The eventual champions lost a couple of wickets in the middle, but Shubman Gill’s calm innings really steadied the ship for them. Hence, the youngster certainly deserves a spot in the Best XI of teams in playoffs.

4. Rajat Patidar

Rajat Patidar rose to the occasion during the playoffs, as he was among the better players for Bangalore during the playoffs. He scored a blistering knock of 112 runs off just 54 balls against Lucknow in the Eliminator, which helped his side post a huge first innings total.

He came into bat after Bangalore lost their skipper, Faf du Plessis in the first over itself. The way he held the innings together was quite commendable. Rajat backed up his performance with another good knock in the Qualifier 2. He scored 58 runs off 42 balls against Rajasthan Royals, which meant that Bangalore atleast had something to defend.

The 28-year-old batted for almost 15 overs, scoring four fours, and clearing the fence on three occasions. Patidar was included in the squad as a replacement player and was brought into the XI towards the end of the league stage of IPL, but he made the most of his opportunities.

5. Hardik Pandya (C)

Hardik Pandya was not only a fantastic leader throughout IPL 2022 but also contributed with both, bat and ball during the course of the playoffs. The Indian all-rounder led Gujarat Titans to IPL glory, after thoroughly dominating the season, right from the onset.

He scored a quickfire knock of 40 runs in the seven-wicket victory over Rajasthan Royals in Qualifier 1, and also chipped in with a couple of overs. Hardik also managed to pick up the key wicket of Devdutt Padikkal at a crucial juncture in the game. In the final, he was awarded the player of the match, for his all-round performance.

The skipper constructed a well-made innings of 34 runs, and picked up three wickets in his four-over spell. Moreover, his wickets included some big fishes in the form of Jos Buttler, Sanju Samson and Shimron Hetymer. The wicket of Jos Buttler really turned around the game for Gujarat, given that Rajasthan lacked firepower in their lower middle-order.

6. David Miller

David Miller has had an IPL season of some magnitude, given how often he stood up for his side in high-pressure chases. The South African batter scored a match-winning knock of 68 runs off just 38 balls against Rajasthan Royals in Qualifier 1.

He smashed three huge sixes off Prasidh Krishna’s final over to take the Titans into the finals. The Protea batter followed it up with another handy knock in the final, where he scored an unbeaten knock of 32 runs off just 19 balls.

Gujarat had found themselves in a somewhat tricky situation when Miller walked out to bat in the middle, and the left-handed batter started taking charge right from ball one. In the end, it was quite a comfortable chase for Gujarat, who won with over 10 balls to spare.

7. Deepak Hooda

Deepak Hooda played just one innings in the playoffs, but such was the impact of his knock that he certainly makes into this lineup. The Lucknow batter scored 45 runs off just 26 balls against Bangalore in the Eliminator to keep LSG in the hunt during the steep chase.

Unfortunately, his efforts weren’t enough to take his side into the next round. However, given the situation he walked out to bat, it was quite a decent knock from his side. In a chase of 208 runs, Hooda walked out into the middle, with the score reading two wickets down fo just 41 runs.

Hence, it was Deepak Hooda’s short cameo which brought LSG back into the chase. The 27-year-old had a successful season with the bat, as he amassed 451 runs in 14 innings at an average of just over 32.

8. Rashid Khan

Rashid Khan went about his business in the playoffs rather silently. He was as effective as expected and lived up to his reputation in the entire season as well. The Afghanistan spinner conceded just 15 runs off his four overs in Qualifier 1, although he did not manage to pick up a wicket.

But given that most of the bowlers conceded more than 10 runs per over, Rashid Khan did a brilliant job. In the finals, Rashid Khan again conceded the bare minimum. The wrist spinner gave away just 18 runs in his four-over spell, and also managed to pick up the wicket of Devdutt Padikkal.

He applied the pressure in the middle stages of the innings, which made sure that Rajasthan did not chip away with easy runs. His contributions with both, bat and ball this season has played a huge role in Titans’ charge towards the title.

9. Mohsin Khan

Mohsin Khan was the pick of the bowlers for Lucknow in their defeat against Bangalore in the Eliminator. He conceded just 25 runs off four overs, picking up the crucial wicket of Faf du Plessis in the first over itself. The left-arm pacer hardly gave any easy runs, and smartly varied his pace.

The rest of the bowling attack went for plenty of runs, as no bowler except Mohsin Khan had an economy rate of less than 9. Avesh Khan, leader of LSG’s pace attack also conceded 44 runs in four overs, going at an economy rate of 11.

Mohsin Khan had a fruitful season with Lucknow as well picking 14 wickets in just nine matches and his overall economy rate read 5.96 which was exceptional.

10. Josh Hazlewood

Josh Hazlewood put up a couple of good performances in the playoffs. He managed to pick up three wickets in his four-over spell against Lucknow in the Eliminator. He did go for a few runs but managed to get the key wicket of KL Rahul right towards the end of the chase.

The Australian pacer was also effective in the second Qualifier which ended on sour note for Bangalore. The tall pacer picked up two wickets in his four-over spell, conceding just 23 runs.

Moreover, most of the bowlers went for plenty of runs, given that Jos Buttler was the man on a mission in the chase. The Aussie quick managed to pick up the wickets of Yashasvi Jaiswal and Devdutt Padikkal, which at least kept Bangalore in the game for a bit longer.

11. Prasidh Krishna

Prasidh Krishna did not have a great outing against Gujarat in Qualifier 1, where he conceded 40 runs in 3.3 overs, as David Miller took him to the cleaners in the final over. However, he bounced back pretty well, and picked up three wickets against Bangalore in Qualifier 2.

He picked up the wickets of Virat Kohli, Dinesh Karthik which completely changed the game and restricted RCB to an under-par total. Again in the final, he was taken for runs as he conceded 40 at an economy rate of 10. He did manage to pick up an early wicket in the form of Wriddhiman Saha, and was in fact quite good with the new ball.

Overall, Prasidh Krishna does make the cut into the side, given that he delivered a match winning performance against Bangalore in the second Qualifier.

Former Indian head coach Ravi Shastri has opined that the four-time champions Chennai Super Kings (CSK) need to have a batter like their former loyal servant Suresh Raina. To note, the defending champions had a horrible time during their stint at the 2022 Indian Premier League (IPL) as they finished second last in the points table.

The left-handed batter Suresh Raina was not retained by the Yellow Army ahead of the IPL 2022 mega auction. The defending champions did not even bid for the veteran player as he went unsold in the auction.  Shastri has now emphasized the fact that CSK needs to find someone like him to get back in contention for the IPL title.

Suresh Raina was a proven player in the IPL: Ravi Shastri

“CSK has been doing well for several years, but we often tend to forget Suresh Raina’s contribution. He was a proven player in the IPL. He used to provide stability by scoring runs consistently while batting at No.3,” Shastri said during a conversation with ESPN Cricinfo.

“He made things easier for the other batters. They need to find such a player. While Rayudu and Uthappa will still play, it will make a lot of difference if they get some cushion.” he added.

As mentioned above, CSK had a horrible time during this year’s edition as they only managed to win four matches from their 14 encounters. The Yellow Army managed to win their contests against Delhi Capitals (DC), Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), Mumbai Indians (MI), and Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB).

As compared to the previous edition, the Yellow Army were missing the services of England’s all-rounder Sam Curran, and pacer Deepak Chahar, and to make things worse for them, their star all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja was not able to make an impact with both bat and ball. He eventually got ruled out of the season due to injury issues.

Meanwhile, the Qualifier 1 of the IPL 2022 is slated to be played between Gujarat Titans (GT) and Rajasthan Royals (RR) on May 24 (Tuesday).

Former Indian all-rounder Irfan Pathan revealed his five positives from the Chennai Super Kings camp despite their dismal performance in the IPL 2022 season. The defending champions finished ninth on the points table with just four wins in 14 games after a defeat in their last game against the Rajasthan Royals. The season did not go well for CSK right from the start of the tournament despite them showing good signs in the second half of the tournament.

Ruturaj Gaikwad, who had a terrific season last year, failed to live up to the expectations this year and could manage just 368 runs at the top of the order. Ravindra Jadeja lacked the batting form and wasn’t at his best in terms of captaincy as well. The injury of Deepak Chahar did not help either while Ambati Rayudu and Shivam Dube had an on and off season which did not help the cause for CSK.

However, they have a lot of positives to take forward as they tried a lot of Indian domestic seamers who were impressive amid the injury to Deepak Chahar. Also, MS Dhoni’s batting form was a huge plus and he had already noted about playing in the next IPL season as well which will be a great boost to their captaincy potential and finishing abilities.

Meanwhile, Pathan posted an Instagram video congratulating Rajasthan Royals for finishing in the top two of the points table which will provide them with an extra opportunity to make the finals. He went on to pick five positives from the CSK set-up to be Maheesh Theekshana, Mukesh Choudhary, Simarjeet Singh, Matheesha Pathirana and Devon Conway.

“What positives can CSK take for the next season??,” Pathan captioned the video on Instagram.

Here’s Irfan Pathan’s video on Instagram

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Irfan Pathan (@irfanpathan_official)

It will be interesting to see if Chennai Super Kings go for a captaincy potential in the next IPL auction with Dhoni not getting any younger and they will have to groom a successor in time as well.

Four-time champions Chennai Super Kings’ IPL 2022 campaign ended with another defeat in their last league game. This season went almost like a nightmare for Dhoni & Co, who won only four of their 14 league-stage games. On Friday, against Rajasthan, it was only Moeen Ali (93) who scored most for Chennai in the first innings amidst their batting collapse.

CSK scored a total of 150 runs for the loss of six wickets in 20 overs which was chased by Rajasthan with two balls left, thanks to an amazing all-round show from Ravi Ashwin. After a disappointing season for CSK, head coach Stephen Fleming figured out some positives for the team found from this season. He named Mukesh Choudhary and Simarjeet Singh as the findings on those Chennai can see their future.

Its a normal story of a season where you don’t qualify: Stephen Fleming

During the post-match press conference after a five-wicket defeat against Rajasthan Royals, CSK head coach Fleming, narrating Choudhary and Simarjeet’s performances, said : “I think he (Mukesh Choudhary) was excellent. He had a nervous start, but we stuck with him and we reaped the rewards towards the end.  He just got better with every passing day.  Simarjeet, he got a handful of games too, is also responding to the pressure. So, those two boys definitely were a positive.”

Appearing in 13 matches out of total of 14 games, Choudhary registered 16 wickets against his name with an average and economy of 26.50 and 9.31 respectively. His best bowling performance in a match are four wickets he scalped conceding 46 runs. On the Contrary, Simarjeet Singh has appeared in six matches for his team, he scalped four wickets with an average of 34.50 and an economy rate of 7.66.

Head coach Fleming termed this season as a mixed one considering some of the games close for the CSK to win but they couldn’t click on the time. Talking about Chennai’s early elimination, Fleming opined: “But we were not good enough to get across the line and that is the normal story of the season where you do not qualify.”

The four-time IPL champions, Chennai Super Kings, didn’t quite have the IPL they would have wished for after the mega auction. CSK’s failure to make the playoffs in the 2022 IPL is only the second time in the league’s 15-year history. After being tagged as the “Dad’s Army” in 2018, CSK made a miraculous comeback in 2018 by winning the title with an average age of players being above 30.

However, the whistle-podu army had a good mix of young and senior players in the 2022 season but still failed to deliver the results. As CSK were already eliminated from the ongoing Tata IPL 2022, they tried a few new faces in the final few games to test the waters of these players and how they can be utilized in the coming years.

In an attempt to add the 5th title to their collection, CSK might just want to bring in some new energy to their squad. While CSK will give opportunities to young players, the Super Kings will also close the curtains on a few aging players who might not fit into their combination in the next season.

Here are the top three players that CSK might release ahead of the 2023 season:

3. Chris Jordan

Chris Jordan, England’s T20 specialist, was bought by Chennai Super Kings for a whopping INR 3.60 crores. Jordan has had a nightmare of an IPL, where he has picked just two wickets in four innings. He has given away runs at an economy of more than 8.9 runs per innings for Chennai. The worst innings for the English all-rounder came when he was dismissed all over the park by the Gujarat batters in a run chase. Then, Jordan gave away 25 runs in the 18th over when the game was pretty much in Chennai’s pocket and cost them a win with an expensive over.

Jordan was benched after the game against Gujarat and never really made a comeback into CSK’s playing eleven. With Dwyane Bravo almost running towards the end of his career, Chennai was looking for a bowling all-rounder to replace DJ Bravo. Jordan was roped in to be the like-for-like replacement for Bravo but has been nothing short of a blunder for CSK. In fact, CSK also purchased Dwaine Pretorious, who has rather come close to being a replacement for Bravo with his slower balls and pinch hitting in the end.

CSK would like to make way for a better bowling all-rounder in place of the aging Chris Jordan in the next season too. In IPL 2022, CSK’s middle order and bowling looked a bit fragile. A hard-hitting all-rounder should be the ideal choice for CSK. With the likes of Ben Stokes expected to be a part of the 2022 auction, Stokesy could be the perfect replacement for the four-time IPL champions. As Jordan didn’t get even a single game ever since he was dropped, it shows the lack of trust of CSK management over Jordan. It would be interesting to see how Jordan performs on the international circuit, which will decide his fortunes for the 2023 IPL.

2. Tushar Deshpande

The services of Tushar Deshpande were acquired by the Chennai Super Kings for a base price of 20 lakhs. Tushar was believed to be a backup for the injured Deepak Chahar, to deliver the goods in his absence. Tushar played two opening games for CSK and managed to pick just one wicket while leaking runs at more than 10 runs per over.

The Chennai Super Kings have benched Tushar ever since not getting a single game in the rest of the IPL with CSK. In the meantime, CSK gave opportunities to Simarjeet Singh and Mukesh Choudhary. With their wicket-taking and match-winning performances, they both appeared to impress the CSK Captain, Mahendra Singh Dhoni. More than the performances, MSD was impressed with the maturity and courage of both the bowlers, as he spoke of them with high regard in post-match conferences.

As the man who makes all the moves for Chennai is already overwhelmed with Simarjeet’s and Mukesh’s performances and with Deepak Chahar and Adam Milne coming back next year, it would be difficult for someone like Tushar Desphande to make a comeback into the eleven for CSK. CSK is hoping that next year’s IPL will be back to its home and away format. If so, 50% of CSK’s matches will be played at the Chepauk. CSK would rather try to include a spinner or two in their lineup instead of an additional backup seamer. CSK might actually release Tushar Desphande as the seam and swing bowling departments both look secured with two backups.

1. Robin Uthappa

The walking assassin, Robin Uthappa, was the surprise package for CSK in the 2021 season. Robin didn’t get even a single opportunity to wear the yellow jersey till the 13th match of the 2021 season. The mastermind, Mahendra Singh Dhoni, decided to put him in the playing eleven in place of an injured or rather struggling Suresh Raina. Though, Robbie didn’t have a great IPL debut for Chennai Super Kings, the 19-run innings was of substance, which earned him a spot in the playing eleven.

Then, Robbie repaid the trust shown by the management with a match-winning 63 off just 44 deliveries in the first qualifier against the same opponents, Delhi Capitals, and took Chennai to the IPL 2021 Finals. We were seeing the Uthappa of the old times, who would just walk down the wicket to fast bowlers and whack them over mid-on and mid-off for fun. Robin’s role was a short and sweet one in 2021 for CSK, where he played four innings and scored 115 runs in the final stages of the tournament. Robin also scored a quick-fire 15-ball 31 in the finals against his former teammates KKR, helping CSK to an above-par total.

Being the franchise CSK has been, who just doesn’t leave out players who have won matches for them, and these little gem match-winning innings of Robin, ensured him a place in the CSK setup in 2022 as well. Robin started the 2022 season in some fashion, scoring two fifties in the first five games, but went downhill like a rolling balls as Robin had scores of 3, 30, 1, 1, 0 and 1 in the last five innings. Robin, being the player he is, is suitable as either an opener or a one-down batter. Currently, with Ruturaj Gaikway and Devon Conway firing, and Moen Ali being the batting all-rounder at number three, the CSK setup has both the opening slot and the one-down slot filled with potentially younger players who can play for another three to four years.

The management would rather look to groom the younger bunch than to again rely on players who might miss out sooner than later. With such below-par scores, Robin’s inclusion disturbing the balance of the side and most importantly age also not being on Uthappa’s side, CSK were left with no other option but to drop him from the first eleven and it wouldn’t be a surprise if they release the 36-year-old to make way for new faces in the squad next year.

Chennai Super Kings suffered a five-wicket loss at the hands of Rajasthan Royals in their final IPL 2022 league game at the Brabourne Stadium in Mumbai on May 20. However, it was CSK skipper MS Dhoni’s huge statement at the toss that grabbed headlines in this contest. The legendary cricketer made it clear that he would be playing in the league next season as well as he wants to acknowledge the Chennai fans.

Meanwhile, former India head coach Ravi Shastri has come forward and welcomed the veteran stumper’s move saying that the 40-year-old is fit enough to be in the Chennai Super Kings’ scheme of things next season. Giving further clarification on the same, the cricketer-turned-cricket pundit said that Dhoni’s individual performances were way better than last year. Dhoni scored 232 runs in 13 innings at an average of 33.14 and strike rate of 123.40 hitting 21 fours and 10 sixes.

I think he has enjoyed his cricket this season: Ravi Shastri

“There is no question about that. It’s good that they have made the announcement now, it cuts all the speculation, all the drama that goes behind it. He has one of the best leaders the country has ever produced, especially in white-ball cricket. The announcement must be heartening for the CSK fans more than anything else,” Shastri told ESPNCricinfo.

Rajasthan Royals and India’s veteran all-rounder Ravichandran Ashwin has garnered praises from former India cricketer Mohammad Kaif after his heroics against the Chennai Super Kings in the 68th match of the IPL 2022. Ashwin’s all-around performance helped RR not just qualify for the playoffs, but also take the second spot in the points table, thereby handing them an extra life in the playoff stage.

While Ravi Ashwin has had a consistent season with the ball, taking 11 wickets at an economy rate of 7.14, it is his batting that has had a huge influence on the Rajasthan Royals, who have been a batter short all season in the lower order. This season, he’s been pushed up the order on a regular basis, not just to knock out the new ball’s swing, but also to bat like a legitimate striker.

In the game against CSK, Ashwin was once again promoted to number five and he played a brilliant knock of 40* off just 23 balls to take his team over the line in the final over. He was also pumped up after helping the side win and take them into the top two. “Dear Ashwin, is there anything in cricket you can’t do? Master spinner, impact batsman, time to start bowling at 150 kph. You are a champion all-rounder. @ashwinravi99,” Kaif tweeted.

Dear Ashwin, is there anything in cricket you can't do? Master spinner, impact batsman, time to start bowling at 150 kph. You are a champion all-rounder. @ashwinravi99

— Mohammad Kaif (@MohammadKaif) May 21, 2022

Ashwin’s efforts helped RR jump to the No. 2 place in the points table

As CSK won the toss and elected to bat first, opener Ruturaj Gaikwad fell quickly at the start of the play. But Moeen Ali and Devon Conway led the side to a brilliant powerplay with the former doing most of the fireworks with the bat. But Conway’s substance in the partnership helped Moeen to hit those big shots. Ashwin broke the partnership and gave his side the much-needed breakthrough by scalping Conway.

Chasing the target of 151, RR’s stylish opener Jos Buttler had to walk off early. But Yashasvi Jaiswal steadied the ship and sailed his team past the CSK lineup. It was during the middle overs when Ashwin walked out to bat and went on to smash some powerful boundaries that included three big sixes and a couple of fours. His unbeaten 40*(23) helped the Royals win the game by five wickets as Ashwin earned the Player of the Match award.

Rajasthan Royals will now face the Gujarat Titans in the first qualifier of the playoffs stage. A victory would ensure them a place in the season finale, whereas a defeat would give them an opportunity at the second eliminator to redeem themselves and aim for the finale.