Filling the void left by proven match-winners and established names is like replacing the irreplaceable. But none can escape the constant of change.
Chennai Super Kings, an IPL franchise which was once labelled the ‘Dad’s Army’ for recruiting many veterans, has been injecting young blood into the squad in recent times as it hopes to bring back the glory days.
Captain Ruturaj Gaikwad, however, admitted that it is no child’s play to start clicking straightaway with a bunch of youth.
“Looking at this team now, it is a very young team. The excitement is there but at the same time, there’s a lot of difference between experienced players and inexperienced players. So, you have to allow them to make mistakes. You have to allow them to express themselves. You have to make sure that they are in a good Headspace,” Gaikwad said in the pre-match press conference.
“I mean, [there’s pressure to perform] from families, from the media, from team members, everyone [in the IPL],” Gaikwad said. “So to cope with that and to just get into that IPL performance mode, sometimes it takes time,” he added.
The challenge for CSK was laid bare in that opening game. Bowled out for just 127, they were never in control after being reduced to 51 for 5 inside 7.2 overs, with Jofra Archer and Nandre Burger ripping through the top order. The chase was even more one-sided, as RR cruised home in just 12.1 overs, powered by a stunning 15-ball 52 from teenage sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi.
