Former India captain Sunil Gavaskar feels that lack of youth energy can imperil Chennai Super Kings (CSK)’s title hopes in IPL 2020. Chennai Super Kings are one of the most successful franchises in IPL history, having won 3 titles under the leadership of MS Dhoni.
“The absence of Raina and Harbhajan has left a huge void in the CSK team, and it will be hard to replace such stalwarts. However, this provides an opportunity for youngsters to make their presence felt,” said Gavaskar in an interview with Sports Tak.
He observed that CSK’s greatest strength has been the immense amount of experience in their squad, but added a caveat. With most players on the wrong side of their 30s, Dhoni might find it difficult to marshall his troops on the field and get the best out of them.
“Any good IPL team must have a proper blend of experience and youth. Does CSK have the kind of youngsters whose energy can uplift the team? That is a huge question the Chennai team faces. Due to this factor, I feel CSK will find the going a little difficult this IPL,” said Gavaskar.
Gavaskar hailed Dhoni’s temperament and mentioned that there are few T20 players of the calibre of Suresh Raina, who give their 100 per cent on the field.
“Having taken retirement from international cricket, MS Dhoni will have no pressure as such, and that should take his performances a notch higher this season. Suresh Raina, meanwhile, has been an absolute master playing the IPL. As a left-hander, he offers the perfect balance for any team. CSK will sorely miss his services this year.”
