IPL 2021: Five players Chennai Super Kings should release ahead of the auction

One of the most consistent sides in the history of the Indian Premier League, Chennai Super Kings had their most underwhelming season in the 2020 edition. It was the first time they had failed to qualify for the IPL playoffs. Much of that failure was attributed to an ageing squad, with many players past their prime.

With the IPL 2021 auction fast approaching, the deadline to submit the list of retained players is not far away.

Let's look at five players CSK can look to release ahead of the auction:

#5 Piyush Chawla

Piyush Chawla finished the 2020 season with an economy of 9.09

Chennai Super Kings lacked a reliable Indian alternative for Imran Tahir ahead of IPL 2020, which is why they looked to strengthen that department at the auction.

Piyush Chawla seemed like the perfect fit, particularly with the Chepauk pitch providing assistance to spin bowlers. Consequently, they spent a massive Rs. 6.75 crore on him.

However, the tournament shifted to Dubai due to the COVID-19 outbreak in India, and Chawla struggled to adjust. He could not put a brake on the scoring and was unable to pick up wickets regularly.

Chawla leaked runs at 9.09 in IPL 2020, as opposed to his career economy rate of 7.87 in the tournament. His ineffectiveness meant one of CSK's strengths, their grip on the middle overs, was difficult to retain.

Considering the possibility of UAE hosting IPL 2021 as well, Chawla might prove to be a liability for the Men in Yellow. Hence he might be among one of the players CSK look to release.

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#4 Murali Vijay

Murali Vijay scored 32 runs in three innings at a below par strike rate of 74.41

One of the most memorable IPL knocks from Murali Vijay was his 127* off 56 balls, which came in the 2010 edition. His T20 credentials kept improving since then and he played some impressive knocks for CSK in the next couple of years. 10 years down the line, Vijay is still with CSK, but that effortless strokeplay has gone missing.

After serving their two-year ban, CSK bought Vijay in the 2018 auction as a backup opener. In the two seasons prior to 2020, Vijay was used as a utility player by CSK, particularly when they rested their regular openers.

Suresh Raina's unavailability in the 2020 edition gave Vijay a permanent spot. However, the opener scored just 32 runs off 43 balls in three games, striking at a paltry 74.41.

It is unlikely that CSK will retain Vijay as the backup opener this season. They might look for a younger and more dynamic option from the domestic circuit.

#3 Harbhajan Singh

Harbhajan Singh skipped the 2020 season citing personal reasons

Having played for Mumbai Indians for more than a decade, Harbhajan Singh was bought by CSK for Rs 2 crore in 2018. After a not-so-impressive season that year, the off-spinner turned things around spectacularly in 2019, picking up 16 wickets from 11 games at 19.50.

However, he ended up skipping the 2020 edition, citing personal reasons. Having been away from action for long – he last played competitive cricket in May 2019 – the spinner will now be rusty. Age is also a factor that goes against Harbhajan, along with his lack of athleticism on the field.

The management might therefore look to release the 40-year-old and opt for a young off-spinner instead.

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#2 Monu Kumar

Monu Kumar was a part of India's squad at the 2014 U19 Cricket World Cup, where they made the quarterfinal. The right-arm pacer was bought by CSK in 2018 for his base price of Rs. 20 lakh. However, the Jharkhand cricketer finally got his maiden opportunity in 2020, with the management deciding to test their bench strength after CSK had no chance of making it to the playoff.

Playing his first IPL game, Monu was a bit wayward against RCB, leaking 20 runs in two overs. Moreover, in three years of being at the club, he has been unable to impress the management and get substantial opportunities. CSK might be tempted to release him this time.

#1 Kedar Jadhav

Kedar Jadhav has scored at a strike rate of 95.85 and 93.93 in 2019 and 2020 respectively

When CSK focused on experience in the 2018 auction, Kedar Jadhav was an obvious option for the middle order. His numbers coming in at five or below were stellar, alongside his international experience. Chennai went as high as Rs. 7.8 crore to get his services.

Jadhav repaid the faith of the management in his first match for CSK, winning them the game despite struggling with a hamstring injury.

However, Jadhav hasn't lived up to that standard since. After his CSK debut, he hardly made a significant contribution in the 22 games he has played for them since. His strike rate in the last two seasons has been 95.85 and 93.93, while averaging just 18.00 and 20.66 with the bat.

While an excellent team performance masked Jadhav's failures in 2019, a poor show by the franchise brought his performances under scrutiny in 2020. His returns with the bat remained underwhelming and his slow reactions on the field did not help matters.

Hence, CSK releasing Jadhav seems likely this time around.