Sunil Gavaskar Doubtful Of Chennai Super Kings' Chances Of Winning IPL 2020
Published - 17 Sep 2020, 08:57 PM | Updated - 23 Aug 2024, 12:34 AM
Former Indian opening batsman Sunil Gavaskar has revealed his take on the chances of Chennai Super Kings (CSK) lifting their fourth IPL trophy this year. CSK will lock horns with Mumbai Indians in the inaugural game of IPL 2020 in Abu Dhabi and is expected to be a marquee clash with star players on either side. Meanwhile, Sunil Gavaskar does not back the yellow army to win this year due to the presence of many senior cricketers.
Also read: IPL 2020: Sunil Gavaskar Points Out Mumbai Indians’ Weaknesses
Barring the likes of Sam Curran, Josh Hazlewood, Lungi Ngidi, and Shardul Thakur, the CSK’s other first-choice picks are on the wrong side of the 30s. It includes the skipper MS Dhoni, Faf Du Plessis, Shane Watson, and Imran Tahir. However, it is worth noting that experience goes a long way in winning a tournament like IPL, which is highly competitive.
According to Sunil Gavaskar, CSK has always received the term of Dad’s Army due to the presence of many senior cricketers. Gavaskar added that a team becomes strong only if it has an excellent mixture of youth and experience. The 70-year old doubts whether CSK has youngsters to lift the energy of the entire team.
“CSK has always been termed as the Dad’s Army because of the number of senior players that they have in the team. If you see their age, they are quite senior. And I have always said that if you have a good mixture of youth and experience, then the team becomes a strong team. But do they have the young players whose energy lifts the whole team? This is a big question. And that is why I think that CSK will face difficulties in winning IPL 2020,” Gavaskar told Sports Tak.
Suresh Raina and Harbhajan Singh are irreplaceable: Sunil Gavaskar
The 125-Test veteran underlined that the absence of Suresh Raina and Harbhajan Singh, who are vastly experienced is a body blow. Hence, it is an uphill task to replace them. At the same time, Gavaskar thinks it is an opportunity for the youngsters to grab their spots and prove themselves.
“If we look at CSK’s team, then firstly, they were struck with two big blows in the form of Suresh Raina and Harbhajan Singh pulling out of the tournament. It means that two legends and experienced players are not a part of their team. So it will be very difficult for anyone to take their place. But again this is an opportunity for a youngster to grab with both hands,” he added.
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