The intimidatory factor with CSK and MI is no longer there: Ravi Shastri

After Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Mumbai Indians (MI) both lost their first four games of the tournament, former India coach Ravi Shastri feels that the two teams have lost their charm in the event. He said that the other teams are no longer scared of facing MI and CSK.

MI have lifted the trophy five times since the inception of the tournament, and CSK are just one short of that, with four titles to their name. Since 2017, it has been either CSK or MI to lift the cup as they have dominated the tournament throughout.

But after witnessing the team’s performance this season, it has become difficult to call them champions as both the teams are struggling to get their first points of the tournament and are placed at the bottom of the points table with a negative net run rate.

What’s disappointing is that they’ve been outplayed: Ravi Shastri

“What’s disappointing from both those teams is that they’ve been outplayed, you know by a couple of teams. I’ve kept saying it one week into the IPL, that intimidatory factor that was there with Chennai and Mumbai, no longer it’s there, no team is afraid of them. Their aura. No one is afraid of them because of the spread out in the auction,” he told broadcasters.

“They’ve got their backs to the wall, they have to step up to the plate. It’s no point telling the other guys this is the way you should play, you should be doing that job. And it’s not gonna be easy. If you lose four on the trot, you mentioned 10 left, not easy at all,” he added.

He also mentioned that both CSK and MI have lost their aura, and do not have the X-factor like they once had. This has led to other teams gaining the confidence of defeating the multiple-times champions of the league.

“Other teams believe they can beat them. They don’t look at the name Chennai Super Kings or Mumbai Indians. They’ll go and play the game, they’ll believe they can beat that opposition. As opposed to yes, the years have gone by where they had that aura, that presence, that would intimidate sides. So even if the side had a chance, somehow or the other they would panic, just when they had to cross the finishing line. But this IPL, you won’t see that,” Shastri concluded.