Aakash Chopra reveals three players CSK should release before IPL 2021 Auction

Chennai Super Kings (CSK) had a disappointing run in the just-concluded 13th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL 2020). There were many holes in their ship, as a result, the Super Kings finished at the second-last position on the points tally and failed to qualify for the first time in their 10-year history in the tournament.

Former Indian opener and cricket analyst Aakash Chopra carried out a detailed analysis of the Yellow Army and discussed their strengths and weaknesses. Chopra feels that CSK had more problems than strengths and could exhibit their passion for winning towards the end of the tournament only as they clinched their last three games of IPL 2020.

“The Chennai Super Kings had more problems than strengths. This team surely has the experience and the desire and habit of winning and the passion was seen in the end,” Aakash said in a video uploaded on his Facebook page.

Speaking about the flaws in the squad, the former Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) player reckoned that the team should have named the replacement for Suresh Raina and Harbhajan Singh, who had pulled out of the league citing personal reasons. He also emphasized that the poor form of players like MS Dhoni, Kedar Jadhav and Ambati Rayudu along with a below-par fielding added to the team’s misery.

“Suresh Raina and Harbhajan had taken their names back and the team did not pick a replacement for them, then there were COVID-19 positive patients found, they didn’t have a good start, MS Dhoni did not fire with the bat,” Chopra stated.

“They were extremely ordinary while fielding and there were some problems in the bowling as well. Kedar Jadhav, Ambati Rayudu and Murali Vijay not having the same old form was a problem,” he added.

“I am not able to tell too many strengths,” says Aakash Chopra

The renowned commentator further stated that the team had a lot of loopholes and needs to take some harsh calls to come back stronger in IPL 2021. They should remove some players from the team who have not played competitive cricket for a long time.

“I am not able to tell too many strengths, I am telling the problems mostly which are too many. They had one and a half to two dozen problems that they were surrounded with, one after the other. The big thing that was seen is that if it keeps going on like this, then the Chennai Super Kings will have to bid goodbye to the players who have not played competitive cricket for a long time.”

“Shane Watson has already gone and in my opinion, Imran Tahir will also go. I feel this team will have to bid goodbye to Kedar Jadhav as well and I won’t be surprised if they don’t continue with Murali Vijay as well.”

The 43-year-old signed off saying that there are many players in the Super Kings that should not be playing in the Indian Premier League (IPL) and definitely not for CSK if they need to bounce back stronger.

“I feel there are a lot of players in the Chennai Super Kings who may not be seen playing again and definitely not in this team.” Aakash Chopra concluded.