‘That’s something I see going against them’: Aakash Chopra highlights the challenges CSK may face in IPL 2021

Aakash Chopra stated that Raina is going to be a ‘critical cog’ for CSK and can make big differences with his performance.

Chennai Super Kings (CSK) are gearing up for the upcoming season of the Indian Premier League (IPL) which begins in April 2021. The Mahendra Singh Dhoni-led side will begin their campaign against Delhi Capitals (DC) in Mumbai on April 10.

Aakash Chopra and MS Dhoni. (BCCI/ PTI)

The team has already begun the preparations in Mumbai after the conclusion of a training camp held at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai. CSK will look to start afresh after a forgettable season in 2020 as they finished 7th in the points table and failed to qualify for the play-offs for the first time in IPL history.

Meanwhile, former Indian opener Aakash Chopra has pointed out some major challenges CSK may face in IPL 2021.

In the latest Facebook video AakashVani, Chopra said that the form of the top four players - Suresh Raina, Ambati Rayudu, Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Ravindra Jadeja – will be a major concern for the team.

“The likes of Suresh Raina, Ambati Rayudu, Mahendra Singh Dhoni haven’t played either international or competitive cricket. Ravindra Jadeja has been out of action for a while due to injury. So, four out of seven top performers don’t have a good form and competitive cricket game time.

“They may play Robin Uthappa and Ruturaj Gaikwad who have decent numbers in domestic cricket. Faf du Plessis will also fine. But what about the remaining four. That will be a challenge. Hitting the ground running is a challenge,” Chopra said.

“When you play in Mumbai, you won’t have the privilege to take your time and play. If the team wants to score big – like a score of 180 – all the top batters need to hit continuously from the beginning. And that is something I see going against them,” he added.

Chopra further stated that Raina is going to be a ‘critical cog’ for CSK and can make big differences with his performance.

“Before moving to Delhi, if they have 3 wins out of five under their belt, then they will be very well placed. If they manage two, they’ll still be searching for answers and I’ll hope they do well.

“I would suggest CSK promote Ravindra Jadeja up the order and let him bat a bit more. Mahendra Singh Dhoni shall play well too. But Raina is the critical cog. If he hits the ground running, CSK will be fine. And if not, since he hasn’t played for quite a long time now, CSK, I feel, will struggle this season and that’s not a good thing,” Chopra said.

As per the schedule of the IPL 2021, CSK are scheduled to play 5 matches in Mumbai, 4 in Delhi, 3 in Bengaluru and 2 in Kolkata.