Sunil Gavaskar, former Indian captain and commentator, expressed confidence in the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) for the Indian Premier League (IPL), believing they will undoubtedly secure a spot in the Top 4.
During a discussion on Star Sports, the 74-year-old also provided insights into the strengths and weaknesses of the CSK team for the forthcoming IPL edition.
The former Indian captain holds the view that Dhoni and his team are a well-balanced unit, blending both youthful talent and seasoned experience. While expressing reservations about the bowling and batting performances in the previous edition, he acknowledged the team’s strength in the middle order.
However, since Ambati Rayudu’s retirement, the batting lineup hasn’t been as stable.
Gavaskar’s confidence in CSK’s ability to secure a Top 4 spot stems from their impressive track record of qualifying in 12 out of 16 IPL editions. Given this history, he anticipates that the most successful IPL team will likely make it to the playoffs for the 13th time. Though not entirely certain, Gavaskar believes that CSK will indeed achieve this feat once again.
The former Indian player addressed concerns about injury backups, stating that he does not perceive significant issues in the seam bowling department of CSK, despite knowing that players like Deepak Chahar, Matheesha Pathirana, and Mustafizur Rahman have faced minor injury concerns.
He expressed confidence in Tushar Deshpande’s fitness and ability to secure a spot in the team, along with praising Mukesh Kumar’s impressive performance despite not playing last year. Both players are expected to feature prominently with the new ball, bolstering CSK’s bowling lineup.
Regarding Deepak Chahar’s return from a prolonged injury, the former opening batsman raised doubts about his fitness and availability for the upcoming IPL edition. He suggested that Shardul Thakur could potentially replace Chahar if required.
During IPL 2023, Deshapnde emerged as one of the standout bowlers, securing 21 wickets for CSK. With the addition of the Marathi fast bowler and the comeback of Mukesh Choudhury, the Chennai squad will receive further reinforcement.