5 Worst signings by Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in IPL History

It isn’t a secret that the Indian Premier League (IPL) is synonymous to Chennai Super Kings (CSK), largely because of what the franchise brings to the table. Just a few months ago when CSK returned to their home ground Chepauk Stadium for preparations of the 12th edition, the fans came out in large numbers just to see their favourites practising. Furthermore, the affectionate concordance which the Men in Yellow has got over the years cannot be matched with any other participating team.

Chennai Super Kings has one of the strongest scouting systems in the IPL with a pinch of Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s fortitude. Ambati Rayudu, Suresh Raina, Ravindra Jadeja, are few of many who went onto make a name for themselves at the world stage after proving their worth in cash-rich league.

However, many a time, the auction strategists have made some miscalculations which eventually have resulted in the team’s performances at times. There have been instances when some CSK players have failed to match their known potential and eventually been benched through the course of the tournament.

Here we bring you five worst signings by Chennai Super Kings in IPL history:

Tim Southee

Tim Southee made his IPL debut with Chennai Super Kings in 2011 and he failed to impress by a distance. He featured in 5 encounters and scalped mere 4 wickets with a disastrous average of 41.50 and an economy rate of 8.73. His ineffectiveness on Indian tracks made his case look slim and eventually was released in 2012.

Post his release from CSK squad, the speedster was picked at the auctions by Rajasthan Royals in 2014 to bolster their bowling line-up. However, his inclusion didn’t do any good to the franchise as the pacer went wicketless in the season. Surprisingly, he was retained for the following season. Despite a lot of faith shown in him, he still struggled to find his rhythm.

Southee went onto play for Mumbai Indians and Royal Challengers Bangalore but wasn’t able to leave a mark. Despite the horrific performance, he was still retained by the RCB for their 2019 season. It remains to be seen how he performs in the upcoming season if they decide to give me an extended run.