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Cricket Players'We are not aware of their current fitness status': CSK CEO shares update on star duo's availability for IPL 2022
IPL 2022: Chennai Super Kings have been bracketed in Group B with Sunrisers Hyderabad, Royal Challengers Bengaluru, Punjab Kings and Gujarat Titans.
Deepak Chahar was bought by Chennai Super Kings (CSK) for a whopping ₹14 crore, which is the second most expensive buy in this year's IPL auction. But the 29-year-old Rajasthan cricketer endured a right quadriceps injury while playing in the final T20 against the West Indies, which ruled him out of the subsequent assignment against Sri Lanka as well. Chahar is reportedly out for eight weeks, hinting towards his unavailability for the first half of the IPL season, but the BCCI is yet to provide an official update on his status.
Chennai's opener and last edition's highest run-getter Ruturaj Gaikwad has also sustained a hand injury. He was ruled out of the Sri Lanka T20Is and Mayank Agarwal was added to the squad. The defending champions will start their campaign against last year's runners-up Kolkata Knight Riders on March 26 and the yellow-clad outfit will be hoping for its two star players to join the squad as soon as possible.
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Kasi Vishwanathan said on Sunday provided a major update on Chahar and Ruturaj, saying the team management is still awaiting the fitness updates of its key players. Chennai players at present are training in Surat and are having a camp at the Lalabhai Contractor Stadium.
We are not aware of their current fitness status and won't be able to tell you when they would join the squad," said Vishwanathan about Chahar and Ruturaj as quoted by PTI.
"Obviously, the BCCI has told us that once they are match-fit, they would intimate us. They are at the NCA currently." All India players need to be at the NCA and get the clearance certificate after appearing in various fitness tests once the rehabilitation programme is complete.
CSK decided to retain a large part of their previous edition’s core in the recent mega auction. They had retained four players; Ravindra Jadeja, MS Dhoni, Moeen Ali and Ruturaj ahead of the two-day event in Bengaluru. The franchise further brought back Chahar, Ambati Rayudu, Robin Uthappa, and Dwayne Bravo, who had played major roles in their title-winning season in 2021.
The four-time champions, however, couldn’t bring back former South Africa batter Faf du Plessis, who eventually joined Royal Challengers Bangalore for ₹7 crore. Some new faces also joined the Chennai camp.
New Zealand opener Devon Conway was signed by the CSK alongside the likes of all-rounders Shivam Dube and Dwaine Pretorius. The franchise also placed its faith in India's U-19 World Cup-winning bowler Rajvardhan Hangargekar, who was bought for a sum of ₹1.5 crore.
New Zealand’s bowling all-rounder Mitchell Santner was also brought back by the Super Kings ahead of the 2022 edition, while his fellow Kiwi Adam Milne was signed for ₹1.9 crore.
