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The Chennai Super Kings have been one of the most consistent in the history of the Indian Premier League. They have made the playoffs eleven times and the final nine times while winning the title on four occasions. The Yellow Army would want to win another trophy this year as it could possibly be their captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni's last season.
So in the 2022 Auction, they went ahead and picked an experienced team alongside youngsters who could be their franchise stars in the future. Former India player and expert Aakash Chopra also feels that the Yellow Army has one of the most balanced squads in the tournament.
But despite having a great overall squad, CSK still possesses many weaknesses that could hamper their chances of reaching the finals and winning their fifth IPL title. So let us look at the list of five Chennai players who could struggle in the 2022 IPL.
Chris Jordan
Chris Jordan was considered as one of the weakest picks made by the Yellow Army in the 2022 auction. The English pacer has historically been among the expensive bowlers in the IPL with an economy of 9.12 and an average of 27.92. With Deepak Chahar’s injury lingering around, Jordan would be given extra responsibility which hasn't had a positive impact on his performance in the past.
Shivam Dube
The Mumbai-born Shivam Dube was touted as the next superstar of Indian Cricket but he hasn’t lived up to those expectations yet. Dube will be given a crucial finishing role alongside Ravi Jadeja but his inconsistent performances could turn into a liability for CSK. The 28-year-old has had a few great performances but has otherwise looked like a mediocre play. With an average of 22.17 and a strike rate of 120.54, Shivam Dube could have another sub-par season for the CSK.
Deepak Chahar
Deepak Chahar was the most expensive player picked by Chennai in the 2022 auction at a price of Rs. 14 crores. He has been one of the most consistent players for CSK but his current hamstring injury could lead to a below-par season. According to a report by the Times of India, Deepak could miss the IPL. The report stated, “His injury looks bad. For all you know, he could be out of the IPL too”. But even he returns to playing XI, he would need a considerate amount of time to return to his former self.
Ruturaj Gaikwad
Like Deepak Chahar, Ruturaj Gaikwad could miss this year's IPL citing a wrist injury which will be detrimental to the CSK's success. Gaikwad has been the cornerstone of the batting order and has made crucial runs in crunch situations. But returning after a wrist injury could hold him back from scoring big runs and repeating his success from the previous seasons.
Maheesh Theekshana
Maheesh Theekshana is another player dealing with injuries for the Chennai Super Kings. He was recently ruled out of the India-Sri Lanka tour due to a hamstring injury. Moreover, spinners haven’t been managed to dominate in venues like the Wankhede, DY Patil, Brabourne and MCA stadiums which have flat wickets with smaller boundaries, hence the transition to the IPL could be difficult for Theekshana.
