The Chennai Super Kings are through to the playoffs and their fans are happy as all is going well despite the flaws in the squad. They are good enough to win this season. But I am worried. I am worried because I feel that this well might be the swansong for "Thala" MS Dhoni with the franchise as a captain/player. Even if I am wrong we might have one more season utmost. We shouldn't expect MS to be playing at 39/40, don't we?
So what is CSK without MSD? Hard to imagine, isn't it. Do they have an immediate torchbearer? Someone Chepauk would go crazy for and support wholeheartedly like their own? Isn't that the culture and trademark of the city and the franchise? Actually, they do have one. Their own "Chinna Thala" Suresh Raina.
Suresh Raina has been an IPL legend over the past decade. Time and again he has won so many matches for Chennai Super Kings since the insertion of the tournament. He comes in and scores 400 runs or more every year for Chennai and more importantly he wins them matches. Whenever the going got tough, he was there soaking it up for them. Nobody can forget his epic innings against Punjab at Bangalore where he scored 83 of 27 balls and almost bailed them out in the 2014 eliminator.
Yet, he is struggling with the bat now. In fact, the past couple of years hasn't been great for him. He might have scored 400 plus runs last season too. But, he isn't dominating like he used to, neither is he winning matches with his knocks. He is playing second fiddle to Shane Watson, Ambati Rayudu or MS Dhoni whoever plays the dominant role on the day. And in this season, it is even worse.
I am unable to figure out what it is. Whether it's the fitness(he isn't as agile as he used to be), or just the self-belief/confidence that Raina is lacking. He has scored 245 runs at an average of 24.5 with just one 50 in 11 innings so far. He is also coming after an off domestic season, averaging 16 in 6 matches in the Syed Ali Mushtaq trophy that concluded recently.
And CSK needs Raina now more than ever. Watson is struggling though he had a played a great knock last game, Rayudu is still searching for his 3D glasses and it is only Dhoni who has scored the bulk of the runs. The one match that Dhoni didn't play, both Raina and CSK looked all at sea. Believe me, they are far better than that. Both him as a captain and CSK as a team.
For a franchise much known for the calmness surrounded around their captain, it was their deputy who kept it alive on the field. Raina was a bundle of energy and he was always the first to lift the bowler up when a wicket falls. He takes improbable catches quite often out of thin air to dismiss a destructive batsman who is going after bowlers. He was everywhere on the field.
We don't see that Raina anymore. He might have become the senior statesman and a calmer vice-captain himself. But he isn't doing his job with the bat and that it is affecting him in all aspects. He even dropped a simple catch the other day. We don't see Suresh Raina drop catches, do we? More than just the runs, its the way he is getting out, which is worrisome.
Come July 7, MSD will be 38 and as I mentioned already this might be his last if not the penultimate season as a player. And they will go into an auction only in 2020. One cannot see CSK go into auction looking for a star/captain/face to represent them. It has to be Suresh Raina himself for the next three to four years at least until they find a new young star and make him their own.
It's high time their "Chinna Thala" lives up to the tag that has been given and starts leading the scoreboard and wins matches like he used to. Hope he turns it around soon for the good of himself and the franchise.
So what is CSK without MSD? Hard to imagine, isn't it. Do they have an immediate torchbearer? Someone Chepauk would go crazy for and support wholeheartedly like their own? Isn't that the culture and trademark of the city and the franchise? Actually, they do have one. Their own "Chinna Thala" Suresh Raina.
Suresh Raina has been an excellent deputy for MS Dhoni and they both have been the pillars of the franchise since 2008. ( Image Courtesy: Gettyimages.com)
Suresh Raina has been an IPL legend over the past decade. Time and again he has won so many matches for Chennai Super Kings since the insertion of the tournament. He comes in and scores 400 runs or more every year for Chennai and more importantly he wins them matches. Whenever the going got tough, he was there soaking it up for them. Nobody can forget his epic innings against Punjab at Bangalore where he scored 83 of 27 balls and almost bailed them out in the 2014 eliminator.
Yet, he is struggling with the bat now. In fact, the past couple of years hasn't been great for him. He might have scored 400 plus runs last season too. But, he isn't dominating like he used to, neither is he winning matches with his knocks. He is playing second fiddle to Shane Watson, Ambati Rayudu or MS Dhoni whoever plays the dominant role on the day. And in this season, it is even worse.
Over the past decade, Raina has been the most consistent batsman of the tournament.
(Stat courtesy: Iplt20.com)
I am unable to figure out what it is. Whether it's the fitness(he isn't as agile as he used to be), or just the self-belief/confidence that Raina is lacking. He has scored 245 runs at an average of 24.5 with just one 50 in 11 innings so far. He is also coming after an off domestic season, averaging 16 in 6 matches in the Syed Ali Mushtaq trophy that concluded recently.
And CSK needs Raina now more than ever. Watson is struggling though he had a played a great knock last game, Rayudu is still searching for his 3D glasses and it is only Dhoni who has scored the bulk of the runs. The one match that Dhoni didn't play, both Raina and CSK looked all at sea. Believe me, they are far better than that. Both him as a captain and CSK as a team.
We don't see that Raina anymore. He might have become the senior statesman and a calmer vice-captain himself. But he isn't doing his job with the bat and that it is affecting him in all aspects. He even dropped a simple catch the other day. We don't see Suresh Raina drop catches, do we? More than just the runs, its the way he is getting out, which is worrisome.
It looked almost as if he was expecting the short ball up front from Dale Steyn.
(Image courtesy: iplt20.com)
Come July 7, MSD will be 38 and as I mentioned already this might be his last if not the penultimate season as a player. And they will go into an auction only in 2020. One cannot see CSK go into auction looking for a star/captain/face to represent them. It has to be Suresh Raina himself for the next three to four years at least until they find a new young star and make him their own.
Raina has to be one to take over from MS sooner or later and
hope he gets his confidence back before that. (Image courtesy: gettyimages.com)
hope he gets his confidence back before that. (Image courtesy: gettyimages.com)
It's high time their "Chinna Thala" lives up to the tag that has been given and starts leading the scoreboard and wins matches like he used to. Hope he turns it around soon for the good of himself and the franchise.
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