Five-time champion Chennai Super Kings have had a miserable start this season in the IPL having lost three games in a row. The big question in every fan's mind is can CSK bounce back? "Yes, we can get back to winning ways," Lakshmipathy Balaji, former CSK pacer and bowling coach, told this daily.
The former India medium pacer, who was part of the CSK support staff when they won the titles in 2018 and 2021, is optimistic about a turnaround. Balaji admitted that the team will be emotionally drained after the three losses and said the onus will be on captain Ruturaj Gaikwad to lift the morale. "I think the one thing that is very important is to get the dressing room in good space, especially when you are losing. The dressing room is obviously somewhere where you start feeling disoriented. So keep the dressing room in a healthy space. And clarity. Clarity for each and everyone, especially from the support staff group. Right from Ruturaj and the entire support staff need to come together. They must talk to the players and lift the morale," added the former Tamil Nadu captain.
Balaji who is the first bowler to take a hat-trick in the IPL asserted the team should regroup and start believing that they can win the remaining games. "As I said earlier, losses are emotionally draining which people from outside will not know. The team management should talk and tell the players that it is a long tournament (14 matches). There is a chance, we have lost three, there are still 11 more to go. You have to know exactly when to press the right button. They (team think tank) should discuss how to pick up the 11 opportunities in your favour. You have to be very clear, especially the leadership group and the senior players.
"How are they going to take the initiative?. How are they going to take the responsibility? How are they going to start walking the talk? Make a change. It has to have clarity. It has to have a sense of direction. Once they get these things right, we can certainly start winning," said Balaji, insisting that it (winning) is all about self belief.
CSK openers Sanju Samson and Gaikwad have not clicked, while Ayush Mhatre has got some runs at No 3. Should Ayush open? "The top three positions in the batting order are crucial. You cannot make a change just for the heck of it. It has to have clarity, it has to have a sense of direction. The batting is not an issue at the moment, they (CSK) have crossed 200 plus in two out of the three matches they have played. That means the batting has had some kind of timing, especially lower down the order. In the top order, a couple of knocks from the Mhatre, apart from that, there has not been the kind of influencing knock on display so far. Both Sanju and Ruturaj are experienced, they know the job. So I believe they are just one game away from playing a big innings," said Balaji.
Balaji opined that Dewald Brevis should be brought in for their next match against Delhi Capitals scheduled on Saturday. "It's good if he (Brevis) plays. At the moment, the top order is not clicking. So when Brevis comes in, one can expect at least two from the top four to score runs. At the top players need to combine and stitch partnerships. The impact player I believe should be a bowler and not a batter," explained Balaji.
A few teams like Sunrisers Hyderabad started the proceedings with spinners and Balaji said CSK should replace a pacer with West Indies' left-arm finger spinner Akeal Hosein. "I would want Akeal Hosein in the team. Akeal needs to play. There is no way you have four medium pacer in your lineup. You can replace one of them with Akeal. Either Jamie Overton or Matt Henry can make way for him," said Balaji.
Meanwhile Sarfaraz Khan who was not a certainty in the playing XI at the start of the season has made best use of the opportunities that he got. "He (Sarfraz) is a hard working cricketer, he has shed weight. Body wise he is much fitter, looking much stronger, that makes him leaner and gives the edge to perform at the IPL. He is hungrier now," signed off Balaji.