"CSK need to find a player like Suresh Raina" - Ravi Shastri on CSK's batting woes in IPL 2022
Ex-India head coach Ravi Shastri wants Chennai Super Kings (CSK) to further strengthen their batting line-up for the next edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL).
He recently pointed out that Suresh Raina was one of their top contributors with the bat for several years and played an instrumental role in CSK's success. Shastri stated that they need to find someone like him to get back in contention for the IPL title.
The southpaw was the IPL team's batting pillar and often steadied the ship while playing at the crucial No.3 spot. The former India coach opined that the franchise should try to identify a batter like Raina who can make things easier for the rest of the middle-order.
Shastri made these remarks while speaking on ESPNCricinfo. He said:
"CSK have been doing well for several years, but we often tend to forget Suresh Raina's contribution. He was a proven player in the IPL. He used to provide stability by scoring runs consistently while batting at No.3.
"He made things easier for the other batters. They need to find such a player. While Rayudu and Uthappa will still play, it will make a lot of difference if they get some cushion."
Raina was released by the four-time champions ahead of the IPL 2022 mega auction. Much to the surprise of the fans, the Chennai-based franchise did not bid for the seasoned campaigner during the event and he ultimately went unsold.
CSK finished ninth in the IPL points table 2022 in this year's cash-rich league. They failed to make it to the IPL playoffs 2022 and managed just four wins from their fourteen matches.
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"Ravindra Jadeja shouldn't be given the added pressure of captaincy" - Ravi Shastri
CSK tried to shake things up by handing over the captaincy to Ravindra Jadeja before the start of the tournament. However, the move backfired as they struggled to gain consistentcy.
Jadeja stepped down from the leadership post after just eight games and MS Dhoni then took over for the remainder of the season. Ravi Shastri added that Jadeja shouldn't be given the pressure of captaincy and should rather be allowed to play with full freedom.
He said:
"Ravindra Jadeja is a top cricketer. He is one of the best all-rounders in the world. He shouldn't be given the added pressure of captaincy and he should be allowed to play his game freely. He is a matchwinner and has played exceptionally well in the last two years or so."
Captaincy seemed to have taken a toll on Jadeja as he struggled with both bat and ball during the competition. He managed 116 runs from ten matches and had an ordinary strike rate of 118.37.
When it came to his bowling, the talismanic all-rounder was able to bag just five wickets in the tournament this year before being ruled out due to an injury.