CSK's Michael Hussey Remains Hopeful Despite Struggles of Veteran Players
Chennai Super Kings' Optimism Amidst Challenges
Chennai (Tamil Nadu) [India] - April 12: Michael Hussey, the batting coach for Chennai Super Kings, has dismissed the idea that the team's Indian players are past their prime. He expressed confidence in their ability to perform well in the remaining matches of the 2025 Indian Premier League (IPL) season.
Despite the team's bowlers struggling to contain opposing batsmen, the seasoned Indian players have not been delivering strong performances with the bat. Key players like Vijay Shankar, Rahul Tripathi, and Deepak Hooda have been underwhelming in their contributions.
In a recent match, CSK faced a significant 8-wicket loss to the Kolkata Knight Riders, with the trio managing only 45 runs collectively as the team posted a disappointing 103/9 in their first innings. Hooda was dismissed for a duck, while Tripathi, moved to the number three position, scored a slow 16 off 22 balls. Shankar was the most productive of the three, scoring 29 runs from 21 balls.
Despite their struggles, CSK has opted to stick with these experienced players rather than giving opportunities to IPL newcomers like Delhi's Vansh Bedi and Tamil Nadu's C Andre Siddarth, who could potentially revitalize the team's performance. Following their fifth consecutive defeat in the league, Hussey remains hopeful that these veterans can regain their form, referencing past success stories like Shane Watson.
“I don’t agree with that notion. We’ve had players in the later stages of their careers excel at CSK before, like Shane Watson and Ajinkya Rahane. I believe our current players still have quality cricket left in them and can deliver strong performances,” Hussey stated during the post-match press conference, as reported by a Media House.
Tripathi and Hooda are under pressure due to their poor form in this season. Tripathi, expected to provide a strong start, has only managed 46 runs in four matches, averaging 11.50.
Hooda's situation is even more dire, with just seven runs in three matches, averaging a mere 2.33. Shankar has performed relatively better, accumulating 109 runs in four games at an average of 54.50, but the team's overall failures have overshadowed his contributions.
Hussey acknowledged the presence of talented young players in the squad but emphasized that the management prefers to wait until they are fully prepared for the challenges ahead before introducing them into the lineup.
“We want to ensure that we bring in young players when they are ready to perform. We have some excellent talents waiting for their opportunity. However, we are still focused on progressing as far as we can in the tournament,” he added.