Former Indian Test opener Aakash Chopra has opened up on Chennai Super Kings’ potential challenges in the upcoming Indian Premier League. While the renowned commentator noted that CSK mostly ticks all the right boxes but feels they lack a bit of firepower in the lower order.
Chopra highlighted that former skipper MS Dhoni bats lower down the order and doesn’t come to bat before the 17th over. Dhoni had scored 161 runs in 11 innings at an average of 53.67 and a blistering strike rate of 220.54 in IPL 2024.
Dhoni has all the experience of adding the finishing touches and it would certainly help the franchise if he bats a bit higher in the batting order.
“I am not able to find too many of them. When we look at the Chennai squad, too many challenges are not seen. They probably lack a little firepower because you have a legit finisher in the form of Shivam Dube, and you have one in the form of Dhoni, but Dhoni doesn’t come to bat before the 17th over,” Aakash Chopra said on his YouTube Channel.
Chopra said the trio of Rahul Tripathi, Ravindra Jadeja, and Devon Conway are not power-hitters.
“The power you talk about in T20 games hasn’t been seen in Ravindra Jadeja. You might see Rahul Tripathi playing, and then Devon Conway at the top, they are more like grafters. They are collectors but maybe not powerful strikers. I had to do some nitpicking to find challenges,” he observed.
The reputed commentator feels CSK might not need three spinners in the early part of the tournament as the pitches would be fresh.
“What will be their strategy? They will start playing on slow pitches if they wish to play three spinners, or else I feel they would play on good pitches and they could try a slightly different composition where they might not even need to play Noor. So initially on flattish pitches and then as the pitches get worn out, you may actually look at three spinners,” he said in the same video.
The former KKR player reckons either Ruturaj Gaikwad or Devon Conway would look to bat long for CSK.
“Ruturaj to bat deep into the innings. At least one of Ruturaj Gaikwad and Devon Conway should bat till around the 14th over, and then you just pass on the baton to the other guys to go hell for leather. I think they adopt that strategy, and that’s how they do very well,” Chopra observed.
CSK will play their opener against MI on Sunday at the MA Chidambaram Stadium.
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