Deepak Chahar, the pacer for Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and India, discussed the challenges ahead of IPL 2024 under MS Dhoni’s leadership. Chahar’s recurring hamstring injuries have impacted his participation in important tournaments, including the South African tour and the T20I series against Afghanistan, with his last competitive match in December 2023. He credited Dhoni for strategically using him as a new ball bowler, resulting in early breakthroughs and contributing significantly to the team’s success. Chahar also highlighted his batting abilities and readiness to contribute whenever required.
The addition of Shardul Thakur adds depth to CSK’s batting lineup, while Kiwi players Daryl Mitchell and Rachin Ravindra enhance the squad’s proficiency against spin bowling. However, Chahar pointed out the challenge for Dhoni and Stephen Fleming in determining the team’s optimal balance given the abundance of options. The upcoming IPL poses a dilemma for the CSK management as they navigate through various combinations to finalize the team lineup.