CSK’s Struggles: Jadeja Blames Auction for Firepower Deficiency
Chennai Super Kings are having a rough IPL season. After a disappointing fifth-place finish last year, they’re now at the bottom of the table, facing an uphill battle to make the playoffs. Things haven’t gone as planned for the five-time champions, who started with a win against rivals Mumbai Indians but have struggled since then.
Their batting hasn’t been as strong as it needs to be in the fast-paced T20 format. Players like Deepak Hooda, Vijay Shankar, and Rahul Tripathi haven’t been able to deliver the power they need in the middle order. And relying too heavily on Shivam Dube to hit big shots in the middle overs hasn’t worked out either.
Even the return of their veteran captain, MS Dhoni, after Ruturaj Gaikwad’s injury hasn’t turned things around. They’ve only won two out of their nine matches so far.
Former Indian cricketer Ajay Jadeja, a big fan of both CSK and Mumbai Indians, isn’t holding back in his criticism. He believes the team’s struggles stem from the auction, where they failed to acquire the firepower they needed.
“The auction was where you could see that they do not have the firepower, that most other teams have acquired. So that was probably the key to start with. And then, naturally, when things don’t go well, you lose,” Jadeja explained.
He also pointed out that CSK has been making a lot of changes to their lineup this year, something new for a team known for its loyalty to its players. This uncertainty, Jadeja believes, might be a result of the auction.
“Chennai, over the years, I’ve been following them so much, they would stick. I don’t know if you remember that it was Shane Watson, who struggled all the way to the final, but he still played all those games. This year, Conway came to three games, Rachin is now out. So that is something new that I’m seeing with them. I don’t know why, but maybe because of the uncertainty at the auction that happened this time, this is also what we are seeing,” he concluded.
