Ranking 5 worst player releases by CSK in IPL history

There’s no doubt that CSK is one of the iconic teams of the IPL. It perhaps also has the largest fan base amongst all IPL teams along with a genius head coach and an utterly successful IPL captain. The duo of MS Dhoni and Stephen Fleming has overall led the franchise into record IPL playoffs and precisely into eight IPL finals.

Now since the head coach and the captain haven’t got changed since its initial days, the ironclad rule of profoundly backing its ongoing personnel is a hallmark trait of this franchise. In fact, such a mantra has also led the yellow army to indulge in the least amount of blunders in terms of worst player releases.

Hence, despite its 12 years of establishment, the management hasn’t much associated itself with some impaired wrongdoings and therefore it still enjoys the brimming presence of some elite veterans. Nevertheless, on that account, let’s then check out-

5 worst player releases in IPL history by CSK

5. George Bailey

In his short IPL career, George Bailey used to be a constant overseas reserve for CSK since the 2009 season. By getting picked at a minor price of INR 2.46 million in IPL 2009, the former Australian captain actually had also played three games during his debut stint. In fact, in between when the 2011 mega auction had come, the yellow army had made a repurchase of him for INR 2.3 Million.

However, because the franchise for the majority of its course used to get brimmed with the established presence of overseas players like Mike Hussey, Dwayne Bravo, and Albie Morkel, rarely Bailey then played much in the yellow jersey. Perhaps in his entire stay of 4-consecutive years, the Australian had in total played 4 IPL games wherein he showcased a decent average of 20.25.

But when the KXIP franchise had bagged him for INR 3.2 Crores in IPL 2014, he immediately had unveiled himself both with bat and through his captaincy. In fact, while playing for the franchise in the 2014 and 2015 seasons, Bailey in total scored 516 runs from his 30 games at an overall average of 26. Hence, while in the hindsight Bailey’s loss would have barely affected CSK, the franchise certainly had passed a gem to the Punjab team.

4. Wriddhiman Saha

To have a genuine Indian wicket-keeper batter as a backup for MSD, the franchise had bagged the services of Saha in IPL 2011. Precisely, he was also seen as a backup for the role which S Badrinath had played as a mere floater. Also, since Saha had the ability to bat anywhere in the top seven, maybe he was perceived as a backup for any Indian batter in the playing XI.

However, since the stalwarts like Suresh Raina, M Vijay, S Badrinath, and MS Dhoni used to rarely take a break, the cricketer only received some reasonable opportunities. Overall in his three-year stint from 2011-2013, Saha played a total of 11 games in which he scored a total of mere 144 runs.

But when the cricketer was then picked by the Punjab franchise in the 2014 auction, his batting had become a revelation where he impressively had amassed a pile of 362 runs at an average of 32.90. More importantly by getting used as a floater even his strike rate got improved and jumped around 145. All in all, while the CSK franchise surely could have explored Saha’s batting much more in 2013 especially when S Badrinath had malfunctioned, the KXIP team on the other hand had utilized his batting skills to full potential.

3. Chris Morris

Chris Morris had first joined the IPL in 2013 and was bagged by the CSK management for INR 3.3 Crores. His pace bowling proposition had immediately impressed the franchise and right from the initial games, Morris was roped in to fill the void of former Aussie pacer Doug Bollinger. In fact, by playing all the matches, the SA all-rounder had scalped 15 wickets from 16 games at an economy of 8.02.

However, his absence from the 2014 mega auction had brought in a one-year break after which he then was bagged by the RR franchise in 2015. Now despite being in the requirement of overseas pacers before the 2015 season, the CSK franchise bought two other pacers- AJ Tye and Kyle Abbott rather than making a repurchase of Chris Morris.

Overall, while the pacer had an impressive second season with the RR franchise, the yellow army could have easily fostered and nurtured Morris as a potent back of either Dwayne Bravo or Ashish Nehra in the long run.

2. Andrew Tye

Andrew Tye had first joined the IPL in 2015 and was bagged by the CSK management for a mere INR 20 Lakh. Along with him, the franchise had also roped in some other additional overseas pacers (Matt Henry & Kyle Abbott) out of which none played a single IPL game in the 2015 season. Since the likes of Brendon McCullum, Dwayne Smith, Faf Du Plessis, and Dwayne Bravo used to be the centerpieces of the side, hardly anyone else was infused.

However, when the yellow army had made a comeback in the 2018 season, AJ Tye had already established himself as a top-notch T20 bowler. Before the 2018 season wherein he was also available at the mega auction, Tye had remarkably scalped 12 wickets from his 6 games while playing for the Gujarat franchise in 2017. Also, since Dwayne Bravo was completely injured for the entire season, Tye had fully replaced him under the captaincy of Suresh Raina.

But unfortunately despite performing for GL in the 2017 season along with being available in the 2018 auction, CSK management just ignored him and Tye was later seen as the Purple cap holder. By representing the Punjab franchise, the Aussie pacer took 24 wickets from his 14 games at an economy of 8. Overall, although the yellow army eventually clinched its third IPL title in 2018, they could have easily further explored AJ Tye’s distinctive bowling and his overall variance.

1. Ravi Ashwin

Until the two-year ban, Ravi Ashwin was certainly CSK’s premier spinner. In fact in his last 2015 season with CSK, Ashwin had commendably bowled at an economy of 5.8. Comprehensively, by entering into the peak of his career at that time, it never looked liked CSK might get rid of Ashwin.

However, since the spinner was discarded from white-ball cricket in 2017, even the CSK management took an indifferent turn by bagging the veteran Harbhajan Singh in place of their local boy in 2018. Although even Ashwin initially had a grim season in 2018 especially when representing the Punjab franchise, he’s now completely a unique proposition. By being DC’s chief spinner now, Ashwin has one of the best economies amongst all spinners in IPL.

Overall, while the veteran Harbhajan Singh’s stay was also a pretty successful stint, the management now barely has an eminent spinner apart from Imran Tahir. Since even Imran Tahir’s selection gets largely based on the count of other main overseas picks, maybe Ashwin would have still easily helmed the spinner’s job. All in all, since CSK had also extensively tried the leg-spin bowling of Karn Sharma and Piyush Chawla, Ashwin’s presence in the hindsight would have never resulted in such a grappling situation.