CHENNAI: Chennai Super Kings have been slightly inconsistent so far in the Indian Premier League (IPL) and it may become a dogfight for them to make the Playoffs.
While the batting is still holding up, what’s really hurting CSK is the injury to their key pace bowlers. Sisanda Magala, their new death bowling expert from South Africa, suffered a split webbing while taking a catch off R Ashwin’s bowling on Wednesday and coach Stephen Fleming feels he will be out for at least two weeks.
IPL 2023 SCHEDULE | IPL 2023 POINTS TABLE
Before that, CSK had their premier paceman Deepak Chahar ruled out for the near future with a hamstring pull. Left-arm pacer Mukesh Choudhary, who had shaped up well in the last IPL, has already been ruled out while Simarjeet Singh, another interesting prospect, is also likely to take a minimum of 10 more days to be back in action.
Ben Stokes, meanwhile, has suffered a toe injury that kept him out of the last two games. “He is recovering day by day and we will have to see how he shapes up,” Fleming said.
While the batting is still holding up, what’s really hurting CSK is the injury to their key pace bowlers. Sisanda Magala, their new death bowling expert from South Africa, suffered a split webbing while taking a catch off R Ashwin’s bowling on Wednesday and coach Stephen Fleming feels he will be out for at least two weeks.
IPL 2023 SCHEDULE | IPL 2023 POINTS TABLE
Before that, CSK had their premier paceman Deepak Chahar ruled out for the near future with a hamstring pull. Left-arm pacer Mukesh Choudhary, who had shaped up well in the last IPL, has already been ruled out while Simarjeet Singh, another interesting prospect, is also likely to take a minimum of 10 more days to be back in action.
Ben Stokes, meanwhile, has suffered a toe injury that kept him out of the last two games. “He is recovering day by day and we will have to see how he shapes up,” Fleming said.
Even if he gets fit, it is a matter of conjecture whether Stokes will bowl again in IPL, especially with the Ashes just round the corner. “We are really operating on thin resources. Some of our bowlers are coming on the back of big domestic seasons and are a little broken,” Fleming said.
While playing at Chepauk, the injury woes are going to be less of an issue because the pitch will be slow and spin-friendly and there are good spinners in their ranks. But on good batting pitches, the challenge will be immense.
