GT vs CSK: Ruturaj Gaikwad faces open revolt by Mitchell Santner in his 1st season as Chennai Captain

New Zealand all-rounder Mitchell Santner has openly admitted to being frustrated with the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in the Indian Premier League (IPL). Santner has been a part of the most successful franchise of the IPL, CSK, since 2018, but he has not gotten enough chances that he deserves.

The Kiwi star has found it challenging to break into CSK’s playing XI regularly in the IPL due to the team's composition and the presence of Indian all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja.

Across six seasons, Santner has featured in just 16 matches for CSK, where he has managed 14 wickets and scored 67 runs. Even in the ongoing IPL 2024, he played only one match for the CSK.

Mitchell Santner expresses frustration with limited opportunities at CSK

His sole appearance in the ongoing IPL 2024 came against the Punjab Kings (PBKS) at the HPCA Stadium in Dharamsala. The left-arm spinner delivered an impressive performance, conceding only 10 runs and claiming the crucial wicket of in-form batsman Shashank Singh in his three overs.

Additionally, the all-rounder contributed with the bat, scoring 11 runs in CSK’s 28-run win over PBKS. On May 7, CSK shared a video on its official microblogging platform, X, where Santner expressed his frustration over getting limited opportunities in the IPL, having only participated in one match this season.

Mitchell Santner said on CSK’s official website: “Yeah, I guess that’s the challenge of not playing all the time. It might be frustrating at times but I think, it’s trying to stay focused if you are not playing. What I try to do is help the other boys out, whether it’s at training or during the game and even have conversations with people.”

It’s all about the team’s success for me: Mitchell Santner

Despite his frustrations, the New Zealand all-rounder stressed that he remains prepared to grab any opportunity that comes his way, even if it means featuring in just two matches throughout the season. He emphasized his commitment to support CSK whenever called upon.

Santner added, “And then I guess when you do get your opportunity, it’s not letting the team down, it’s making sure you are ready for that whenever it comes. It’s such a long tournament. So, if it is only 2 games, I am going to try my best for those 2 games and if it’s cooler, if it’s not, I am happy it’s all about the team’s success for me.”

https://twitter.com/ChennaiIPL/status/1787835412255293516

Notably, after their close win over the PBKS, CSK climbed to third place with 12 points in the IPL 2024 points table, with six wins from the 11 games that they have played so far this season. The defending champions will next face the Gujarat Titans (GT) at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on May 10.

Then, Chennai’s remaining two games in the league phase of the ongoing IPL 2024 are against the Rajasthan Royals (RR) on May 12 and Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) on May 18. They now need at least four points to ensure their qualification for the IPL 2024 Playoffs.