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Cricket Players'Don't take piss out of cricket, it'll come back...': CSK lambasted, 'Is R Ashwin motivated enough' question raised
IPL 2025: CSK's lacklustre performance has raised several questions about the performances of senior players like Ravichandran Ashwin.
MS Dhoni might have returned at the helm of Chennai Super Kings (CSK) after Ruturaj Gaikwad's elbow injury, but the fortunes in the Indian Premier League (IPL) remain the same. The five-time champions stumbled to a massive eight-wicket loss with 59 balls to spare against the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) at the MA Chidambaram Stadium on Friday. Following this loss, former New Zealand pacer Danny Morrison questioned whether senior players like Ravichandran Ashwin are motivated enough for the ongoing competition.
Against KKR at the Chepauk, CSK managed just 103/9 in the allotted twenty overs. The lacklustre approach with the bat inside the powerplay continued once again, and the visitors had no difficulty chasing down the total.
MS Dhoni again came out to bat at No.9, only managing 1 run before being dismissed by Sunil Narine. The top-scorer for CSK was Vijay Shankar, who registered 29 runs with the bat. The 2023 IPL winners are now languishing in the ninth place in the points table with just 2 points from 6 games.
"Is it too much of a love affair with those guys that have been there a long time? I know there's the nickname of Dad's Army. How motivated are they? Some guys, R Ashwin, he's finished internationally. All of those sorts of things where you should still have a bit to offer. And he's a spinner, and we know how long they can last," Morrison said on ESPNCricinfo's 'TimeOut' show.
"But only he could ask that for you. How really motivated are you to keep doing it, given that you think of Ashwin as a Test player who finished recently in Australia and probably didn't finish as he'd like? We are going to ask those questions because you want to know why it is not going well," he added.
'Don't take the piss out of cricket'
Ashwin has looked a pale shadow of his old self, taking just 5 wickets in six matches. The premier off-spinner has leaked runs at a canter. Even against KKR, Sunil Narine went after Ashwin and the latter seemed to have no answers.
Morrison gave a piece of advice to CSK players, asking them not to take the piss out of the game as it will come back and bite them badly.
"So from those emotive type things, I wonder because you asked that question. I think a lot of those guys, you're hanging on a bit too long. How motivated are you? You love what you do. Sure you do. But there comes a time, international sport, anything, and you play at the top, it's ruthless, it'll come back and bite you," said Morrison.
"There's a lovely saying, don't take the piss out of cricket because it'll take the piss out of you. It will come back and bite you badly," he added.
Chennai Super Kings will next square off against Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) on Monday, April 14.
