NEW DELHI: Chennai Super Kings, one of the most decorated franchises in the history of the Indian Premier League (IPL) with five trophies to their name, find themselves in unfamiliar territory this season. Struggling at the bottom of the points table, CSK have seen their trusted formula of banking on experience over youth finally backfire.The seasoned campaigners CSK invested in, such as Rahul Tripathi, Deepak Hooda, and Vijay Shankar, have all endured forgettable seasons. Even the much-anticipated homecoming of veteran spinner Ravichandran Ashwin failed to yield the expected result, with the veteran unable to deliver match-winning performances.Time to inject some fresh blood?Amid the underwhelming showing of their experienced core, CSK have turned to a new crop of players, youngsters Ayush Mhatre, Dewald Brevis, and Urvil Patel, all signed as replacements. Despite limited opportunities, this youthful trio has already shown flashes of brilliance, providing a glimmer of hope for the franchise’s future.Ayush Mhatre, brought in as a replacement for Ruturaj Gaikwad, has impressed at the top of the order. In just five matches, he has amassed 163 runs at an average of 32.60 and a blistering strike rate of 181.11.
Quiz: Who’s that IPL player?His standout performance came against RCB, where he smashed a career-best 94, showcasing fearless intent and shot-making acumen.Dewald Brevis, the dynamic South African batter, announced himself in style just yesterday with a blistering fast half-century against KKR, his first in the IPL. He tore into Vaibhav Arora, clobbering 30 runs in a single over and reaching his fifty in just 22 balls, reminding fans why he’s regarded as a future superstar.Then there’s Urvil Patel, another bright prospect who lit up the game against KKR with a blistering 31 off just 11 deliveries.
Urvil has been a standout performer on the domestic circuit, notably scoring a record-breaking 28-ball century against Tripura in the 2024–25 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, making the second-fastest hundred in T20 history and the fastest ever by an Indian.Will CSK finally pivot from their long-standing preference?It’s not the first time this debate has surfaced. Back in the 2020 season when CSK failed to qualify for the playoffs for the first time, MS Dhoni, during a toss, remarked that the younger players hadn’t “shown enough spark”.
Poll
Which young player has impressed you the most this season?
Ironically, it was Ruturaj Gaikwad, now the franchise’s chosen one, who proved him wrong by scoring three consecutive fifties at the tail end of that campaign. Ruturaj went on to become a cornerstone of CSK’s batting lineup, winning the Orange Cap in 2021 and becoming the first uncapped Indian to do so and playing pivotal roles in their 2021 and 2023 title runs.
Fast forward to now, and Dhoni’s post-match comments after the KKR game hinted at a potential shift in mindset. He said:“We have 25 players who can fill in, and I was focusing on that. We want answers for next year—who can bat where, who can bowl where depending on the conditions. You may get out sometimes, but you have to back yourself and play your shots. These are the players who are part of the squad now; you might have seen them in the nets or practice games, and now we’re giving them a chance to show how they react. It’s not just about technique, but also their mental strength and game awareness.”Now, whether they pivot from their long-standing preference is anyone’s guess.
