Chahar is out for a few weeks, Magala out for two weeks, Stokes is being monitored: Stephen Fleming

Injury concerns are very much bothering Chennai Super Kings in the ongoing IPL 2023. Multiple players are currently sidelined, and their performance on the pitch hasn’t been eye-catching as well. In the last match, the MS Dhoni-led side suffered a defeat at the hands of Rajasthan Royals, and thus, things are currently not looking promising for the four-time champions.

Sharing an update on the injured players, head coach Stephen Fleming revealed that ace pacer Deepak Chahar has been ruled out for a few weeks, while South Africa pacer Sisanda Magala, who joined as Kyle Jamieson’s replacement will miss at least two weeks. On the other hand, the medical team are still monitoring Ben Stokes’ injury, who is expected to return by the end of April. On top of that, MS Dhoni hurt his knee against RR and was in doubt for the upcoming game, but as things stand, the 41-year-old is likely to continue despite his injury.

“He (Dhoni) is nursing a knee injury which you can see in some of his movement, hindering him somewhat. His fitness has been professional. He comes in months before the tournament starts. He does some netting in Ranchi, but his main pre-season is a month before he comes to Chennai,” Fleming was quoted as saying by The New Indian Express.

“Chahar is out for a few weeks. Magala is out for two weeks. Stokes is being monitored on a day to day basis. Sri Lankan pacer Matheesha Pathirana tested positive for Covid in New Zealand, has recovered and is available for selection now. We did not want to rush him back for this (Rajasthan) game,” the former cricketer added.

We’re operating on pretty thin resources: Fleming

Following Magala’s injury, Fleming let his frustrations out and stated that the team cannot afford any other injuries. He also revealed that they are currently operating on pretty thin resources, and it has been difficult for CSK so far.

“For us, it’s losing another player - that’s two games in a row - and we’re already pretty thin, so we’d like it (injuries) to stop. Magala’s hand was split unfortunately, so he was unable to bowl those last two overs. And same with Deepak Chahar in the last game, so we’re operating on pretty thin resources,” the 50-year-old added.

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