Chennai Super Kings is a franchise that can be considered as a ‘bliss’ for players from all backdrops. There is a rationale for why we suggest this. Presumably, this is also one of the foremost causes of why CSK has been such a flourishing franchise.
If you are a young cricketer, there is no other place to be than in CSK. There is a truckload of experience always available in the team, and it is just a matter of how you use the library. For the older guys too, CSK is a perfect squad to put a late stamp on your skills. There is a captain and a management that backs you, something that is very important in the later stages of your career. This way, CSK is advantageous to players of almost any attribute.
Maybe, that’s why many cricketers do well in CSK but flop later on in other franchises. This will be our focus in this article. We talk about a few players who were exceptional in the ‘Yellow’ jersey but failed to repeat the magic in other hues.
1.Michael Hussey
Michael Hussey easily goes up in the ‘Hall of Fame’ if the CSK office in Chennai starts having on. The Aussie’s contribution to the franchise has been massive, and he is still doing some work for the team in the backroom.
While for CSK he got 1768 runs at an average of 42, Hussey’s one-season move to Mumbai Indians yielded only 209 runs at an average of 23. The left-hander played nine games, and in none of it could he rediscover his ‘CSK’ form. That really shows how good CSK was for Hussey.
2.Subramaniam Badrinath
Had it been a different era, Subramaniam Badrinath would have seemingly ended as one of the legends of Indian cricket. Opportunities were hard for the Tamil Nadu cricketer, and hence, he had to face the extreme brunt of cut-throat competition in India.
Nevertheless, Badri had a decent IPL career. He was a massive success at CSK, scoring runs whenever and wherever his team asked him to do. However, after a few seasons, when he shifted to RCB, the form slumped. He did not get many opportunities, and later on, had to end his IPL career.
3.Albie Morkel
Albie Morkel was always branded as a perfect T20 all-rounder. He did his credentials no bad with his stint in Chennai. The Proteas cricketer amassed 827 runs for the team while also collecting 76 wickets for them.
These stats found a massive dip in other franchises. For RCB, Rising Pune Supergiant, and Delhi Daredevils, Albie managed a total of 9 wickets and 149 runs. Well, the numbers show a clear picture, and we can’t argue with it.
4.Mohit Sharma
Mohit Sharma was one of the few Indian pacers who bowled consistently well for CSK. While he was good during the middle-overs, Mohit’s true mark was felt at the death when he controlled the run-flow very well. All of this resulted in 58 wickets for the bowler in the Yellow jersey.
He got a high-profile move to KXIP later and operated as a lead bowler for the team for some time. He got 33 wickets for them, but his economy was on the higher side at 9.20. This was high compared to his CSK career, where he conceded just 7.82 runs per over.
5.Manpreet Singh Gony
Manpreet Gony was one of the bowling stars for CSK in the first edition. Overall, for the franchise, the tall pacer picked up 23 wickets, and also earned a call-up to the national team.
Unfortunately, he failed to sustain his form. His performances for Deccan Chargers, Gujarat Lions, and Kings XI Punjab were poor. For these three franchises combined, Gony could collect just 14 scalps.
6.Shadab Jakati
Prior to Ravindra Jadeja, it was actually Shadab Jakati’s slow left-armers that was working well for CSK. During this stint, the Goa-cricketer collected 46 wickets at an economy of 7.75.
He then played for RCB & Gujarat Lions but he could manage just a combined two wickets for these franchises. Shadab later did not get an opportunity to play in the IPL owing to bad form.
