3 reasons why signing Robin Uthappa makes no sense for CSK

The rumour mill proved right. Chennai Super Kings (CSK) traded Robin Uthappa from Rajasthan Royals (RR) on Thursday.

Both the teams announced the deal late night, and Twitter erupted into chaos. In came the ‘Dad Army’ jokes, with fans claiming CSK bought Uthappa because he fits their criteria. Others pointed at his poor form in recent years, tweeting that even if CSK wanted to get a former Rajasthan player, they could've gotten Steve Smith.

To the casual eye, CSK buying Robin Uthappa makes sense. He’s an Indian batsman that CSK needs for filling the gap Kedhar Jadhav left. He can replace Shane Watson at the top of the order or even play at No. 4 or 5. And you can never discount MS Dhoni’s ability to transform an aging player into a world-beater.

But look closely, and the move reeks of desperation. While CSK fans would hope that Robin Uthappa’s deal proves to be a masterstroke, here are 3 reasons why it makes no sense at all.

#1. Robin Uthappa’s struggles against spin

Could KKR turn to some spin early against Robin Uthappa?In IPL, his dismissal rate in the first 10 balls faced is much worse against spin (19 balls per wicket) than against pace (32.2).#IPL2020 #RRvKKR

— The CricViz Analyst (@cricvizanalyst) September 30, 2020

CSK have made a living out of their horses-for-courses approach. They know the Chepauk wicket better than anyone, and pick their team accordingly. On a ground where batsmen need to dig in to get going, scoring against spin is an essential skill.

But it's a skill Robin Uthappa doesn’t have. There's a belief that Robin Uthappa is a good player of spin, but the stats suggest otherwise. Since IPL 2017, Robin Uthappa has been dismissed 13 times by leg spinners. That is the most amongst the right-handers in that period. Last year alone, 41.66% of his dismissals came against the slower bowlers.

A look at how #RobinUthappa fared against different bowling types in IPL 2019 as compared to that in the previous two editions.A massive dip in his numbers against LA pace, RA off break and slow LA orthodox in 2019.Will these numbers improve in #IPL2020 ? pic.twitter.com/f7PA8kdRYj

— Stat Doctor🩺 (@stat_doctor) July 23, 2020

#2. Uthappa delays CSK’s batting order rejig

Chennai Super Kings need to sort out their batting order

CSK’s strategy at the previous mega auction was clear. Back your veterans to perform for you one last time, hopefully win a trophy or two, and then build a new team.

It worked almost perfectly. They defied odds to win in 2018, lost the final by a whisker in 2019. In 2020, it was evident that they had taken the most out of their aging squad, and the cracks in their side had turned into potholes.

“3rd year with an aging squad was always going to be difficult”, Stephen Fleming said last year. So why has he picked another player way past his prime? It was clear that CSK didn’t know their ideal batting order last year. Even if they did, it wasn’t performing to expectations.

Players like Sam Curran, N Jagadeesan, and Ruturaj Gaikwad need to have a full season under their belt. We saw what a consistent run at the top of the order did for Gaikwad. And the same could be expected of N Jagadeesan, who is currently the top scorer in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy.

Robin Uthappa’s arrival means the team will try and fit another aging veteran in the batting lineup, and that can only mean a bad thing for CSK’s youngsters.

#3. Robin Uthappa is not a short term replacement

Robin is our newest Bat-Man! Welcoming you with #Yellove Vanakkam @robbieuthappa! #WhistlePodu 🦁💛 pic.twitter.com/MYVpwvV2ZG

— Chennai Super Kings (@ChennaiIPL) January 21, 2021

Robin Uthappa’s move to CSK would have made sense if it happened last year. With Suresh Raina gone, the side needed an Indian batsman to beef up its batting order and provide some much needed experience.

But this year, Uthappa simply doesn’t have a place in the side.

Put him at the top of the order and risk giving youngsters less time. To expect him to do what Shane Watson did for the team would be incorrect as well, considering he scored at 119.51 last year.

Put him in the middle and his slow scoring rate will mean that CSK once again have the problem of leaving too much to do in the final few overs. His struggles in the middle order were evident last year, and he only scored some runs after returning to the top.

Uthappa last scored 400+ runs in the competition 7 years ago, and he hasn’t performed while playing in the middle order for years.

For those who think Robin Uthappa can be an able backup, do CSK really need one? Wouldn’t it make better sense to pick and back a youngster for years to come, rather than take a punt on Uthappa who may only be good for a year at best?

Robin Uthappa's move to CSK reeks of desperation. An attempt to plug a wound opened up by 2020's struggles. They don't realise that the thinking that got them Uthappa is the same short-term approach that caused them to miss the playoffs for the first time in their history last time out.