Chennai Super Kings’ (CSK) bowling woes have intensified as they navigate the crucial phase of IPL 2024. Head coach Stephen Fleming expressed concern over the team’s depleted bowling stocks, which have disrupted their balance.
Deepak Chahar, a key pacer, suffered an injury during Wednesday’s match against Punjab Kings, casting doubt over his availability. Matheesha Pathirana and Tushar Deshpande are also sidelined with niggles, leaving CSK short-handed.
Fleming acknowledged the severity of Chahar’s injury, stating that initial assessments were not promising. The Sri Lankan duo of Pathirana and Maheesh Theekshana will depart for visa work ahead of the T20 World Cup, but CSK hopes to have them back for the return fixture against PBKS.
Mustafizur Rahman’s IPL stint has concluded, and he will join the Bangladesh squad for their home T20I series against Zimbabwe. Tushar Deshpande is battling flu, further depleting CSK’s bowling options.
Richard Gleeson, on his IPL debut, impressed with his new-ball swing, but CSK lacks a specialist overseas seamer beyond him and Pathirana. Former New Zealand fast bowler Mitchell McClenaghan suggested that Mitchell Santner could be an option for CSK against PBKS.
Indian bowling options include Mukesh Choudhary, Simarjeet Singh, and Prashant Solanki, but they lack recent competitive experience. CSK also reshuffled their batting line-up, with Daryl Mitchell dropping down the order to accommodate Sameer Rizvi as Impact Player. However, Rizvi struggled to make an impact.
Fleming explained the tactical reasons behind the batting changes, but admitted that they failed to break up the opposition spinners. CSK’s bowling woes and tactical challenges have hindered their progress in the tournament, and they face an uphill battle to regain their balance and momentum.
