IPL 2020: CSK are out of the tournament, says Scott Styris

Former New Zealand all-rounder Scott Styris believes that the Chennai Super Kings' chances of making it to the playoffs of IPL 2020 are over. CSK have made it to the playoffs in all seasons of the IPL that they have played thus far. They have lost 7 out of their 10 games so far, and find themselves at the bottom of the points table.

Styris stated that as mentioned by CSK head coach Stephen Fleming, this team has a lot of players on the wrong side of 30, and persisting with them for a long period of time was going to backfire at some point. Age does have an effect on performance, according to Styris, and thus he is of the opinion that this kind of season for CSK was due to arrive after so much success.

“Short answer and it hurts me to say this, I don’t think so. I think they are the one side who are out of this tournament right now," Scott Styris told Star Sports.

“You could tell by Stephen Fleming’s press conference last match. He believes the life cycle of this team is gone. We have been talking about it for 3 years, an ageing, old team. When that is the case, the performances, at some stage, were supposed to fall off the cliff as age catches up. I think this year is the year,” he further added.

I cannot see CSK turning it around: Scott Styris

CSK have four games left in IPL 2020. If they win all four of them, they could reach 14 points — which mathematically is still enough for them to make it to the playoffs, provided other results go their way.

However, Scott Styris does not see it happening, as he believes that many match-winners from CSK have been inconsistent of late. According to him, only Faf du Plessis and Deepak Chahar have performed consistently, and thus he feels the ship has sailed as far as CSK's playoffs chances are concerned.

“I think they did well to get as far as they did last year. But there are so many match-winners in that CSK side who are a little bit older or not quite finding form. I can’t see them turning it around. Apart from Faf du Plessis, with his consistent performances, and Deepak Chahar, there are not much else,” Scott Styris said.

CSK will now play their next game against the Mumbai Indians on 23rd October at Sharjah.