What’s the story?
Chennai Super Kings (CSK) have officially announced their return to the Indian Premier League (IPL). The franchise is set to make a comeback to the lucrative T20 tournament after serving a two-year suspension. Along with them, Rajasthan Royals will also return for next year’s IPL edition.
CSK’s Twitter handle celebrated their impending comeback by sending out a series of messages which read, “Next summer, we will be there! Our awesome home will also be back next summer!”
The Background
Having won the IPL title in 2010 and 2011, CSK are the joint-second most successful side in the tournament after Mumbai Indians. Following the 2015 season, they were handed a two-year ban along with Rajasthan Royals by the Supreme Court appointed Lodha committee. In their place, Gujarat Lions and Rising Pune Supergiant (RPS) participated in the 2016 and 2017 seasons.
The heart of the matter
Almost immediately after Mumbai lifted their third title on Sunday night, CSK’s official Twitter handle announced their return to the tournament. One of the most popular franchises in the tournament, they were synonymous with the sport in Chennai. Led by wicket-keeper batsman MS Dhoni, their squad featured plenty of prominent names such as Ravichandran Ashwin, Dwayne Bravo, Suresh Raina and Ravindra Jadeja.
However, they were hit hard by the 2013 betting and spot-fixing scandal. Team official Gurunath Meiyappan was arrested for his involvement in the murky episode. After a lengthy investigation, CSK and Royals were suspended for two years in 2015. With their hiatus set to end next year, both teams will come back to the IPL fold. On the other hand, 2017 runners-up RPS and Lions exit the scene.
What’s next?
It remains to be seen how CSK approach the all-important auction next year. Early reports suggest that players from all teams will be released into the auction pool for the 2018 season. However, there could be the ‘right to match option’ which allows franchises to retain their preferred cricketers.
Author‘s Take
The development will come as a breath of fresh air for long-time loyalists of CSK. However, given the fact that they were not in the mix for two years, their path towards reclaiming lost glory might not be a straightforward one.
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