Ever since IPL’s inception, we have seen some great CSK players be part of the competition. Most of these players came to Chennai Super Kings and carved out of niche with their exceptional performances. They were so consistent that they attained legendary status inside the franchise. However, they did not have a perfect ending to their IPL careers.
Almost every cricketer will have a tough phase to overcome in his career. It’s how he tackles it that determines how long he survives in the game. Not all have been able to ace this part of their careers. In this article, we take a look at five great CSK players who could not have great endings to their IPL careers.
1. Murali Vijay
Murali Vijay has scored over 2000 runs for CSK and has certainly been one of the best batsmen for them. While he also enjoyed decent stints at Delhi Daredevils and Kings XI Punjab, the Tamil Nadu opener had to rather face an early lean patch in his career. Since then, he has not been able to set things straight. In IPL 2020, too, despite a few chances, Vijay was not up to the mark. A comeback now seems quite far for the talented cricketer.
2. S Badrinath
S Badrinath scored 1667 runs for CSK in 114 games. Despite him being branded as a Test cricketer, Badri exceeded expectations with his performances. Whenever he was promoted up the order, you knew that CSK was in trouble. Invariably, the cricketer used to pull them out of the predicament. However, after he left the franchise, the right-hander could not enjoy a fruitful phase in IPL. He was there in RCB for a while but did not get sufficient chances. Therefore, he had to endure a forgettable ending to his memorable IPL career.
3. Albie Morkel
Albie Morkel was one of the great CSK players to be part of IPL. He was excellent for the men in yellow in both the departments of the game. While he usually opened the bowling for the unit, he also had the ability to contribute with the ball during the middle and at the death. With regards to his batting, Albie had a one-dimensional role. He used to come in as a power-hitter whose only responsibility was to take on the bowling. On most occasions, the South African was successful in his endeavours.
4. Mohit Sharma
With 69 wickets from 58 games for the franchise, Mohit is still one of the Top 10 wicket-takers for CSK. Hence, he finds himself on this list of great CSK players. Mohit, though, could not repeat his show anywhere else. Be it Kings XI Punjab, Delhi Capitals or even Team India, the Haryana pacer could not find momentum. Even when he came back to CSK for a second stint, the player was not his previous self. Although he has not retired officially, a comeback in IPL seems difficult now.
5. Manpreet Gony
When everyone looked at the first-ever CSK squad, there was a big gap that was staring. They did not have an Indian pacer who could be a consistent part of the XI. However, Manpreet Gony did that job, and he was mighty successful with it. In 26 games for the franchise, the Punjab player collected 23 wickets and helped CSK be a dominant force. But, after letting go of the yellow jersey, Gony had a tough time in his career. He had stints at Deccan Chargers and KXIP, but nothing seemed to work. The tall pacer also had to face a few controversies. He just could not have a perfect ending to his competitive playing career.
