CHENNAI: When Chennai Super Kings shelled out a staggering amount of Rs 14.2 crore each for new faces Prashant Veer and Kartik Sharma in last December’s IPL mini auction, it raised eyebrows. The two even became the most expensive uncapped Indian players ever signed in an IPL auction.
For a franchise known for ‘dad’s army’ etiquette and stability, there has been a clear change lately. Injuries have played a part, but it is hard to overlook the rotation in the team, with youngsters like Ayush Mhatre, Urvil Patel, Prashant and Kartik all running around.
The franchise has been trading its signature established core for a long-term investment, betting that bleeding these youngsters now will pay dividends for years to come.
CSK batting coach Michael Hussey acknowledged that the team is in a transition phase.
“In a lot of ways, it’s a pretty new team. You know, there’s quite a few new players that have come in, some good young talent that we want to expose to some games as well. Ideally speaking, we’d love to settle in with an 11 or 12 that we feel very comfortable with and then just let those guys really grow into their roles. So hopefully, we can get some form together, some wins together, and then hopefully we’ll have that confidence to move forward with the same type of team.”
That approach is evident in the way they have persisted with 20-year-old Kartik.
The wicketkeeper-batsman has had a poor run of form in his first five matches.
However, Hussey remains confident that he is just one game away from finding his groove.
“He is a great talent; I hope we can see him here at CSK for the next five to ten years. He is ambitious and wants to do well. We would love to give him as many opportunities as possible and see him really grow in that CSK jersey,” he said.
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