The Chennai Super Kings (CSK) will kick-start their title defence in IPL 2024 in the opening game of the tournament, on March 22. MS Dhoni’s side will host Faf du Plessis’ RCB at the Chepauk, with Faf, a former CSK boy, set to receive a rousing reception from the Chennai crowd, which will also be buzzing for the return to Virat Kohli.
In the IPL 2024 auction in December. CSK added a couple more New Zealand players – Rachin Ravindra and Daryl Mitchell – to their squad, following the departure of Ben Stokes and Kyle Jamieson.
CSK’s squad looks even stronger this year, however, they have a few injury concerns at the start of the season that will force a couple of changes in their plans.
4 CSK Players Who Are Injured Or Unavailable At The Start Of IPL 2024 Season:
Devon Conway
Devon Conway’s finger injury news has dented CSK heavily for the first half of the tournament. The left-handed New Zealand opener suffered a thumb injury last month during the T20I series at home against Australia.
Conway has been ruled out until May, but he is expected to play in the last three weeks of the tournament. The left-hander was a crucial cog of CSK last season when he amassed 672 runs and was the Man of the Match in the final. Rachin Ravindra or Daryl Mitchell is likely to take up the opening spot of Conway’s.
Shivam Dube
Not only Conway, but MS Dhoni’s franchise is also fretting over the side strain injury to Shivam Dube. Used as a middle-order spin-basher, Dube had a fantastic tournament last year when he smashed 418 runs at a strike rate of 158. He returned to the Indian team and did very well.
However, he could miss the start of the season due to a side strain that he suffered during the Ranji Trophy.
Mustafizur Rahman
Bangladesh pacer Mustafizur Rahman is fit, but he’s not been given the NOC by the BCB for the entire IPL 2024 season. Rahman will not be available for the last couple of weeks of the IPL 2024 – the BCB has permitted him to be in the IPL from March 22 to May 11 to keep him fresh and prepare for the T20 World Cup.
Matheesha Pathirana
Young Sri Lankan pacer Matheesha Pathirana missed the third T20I against Bangladesh earlier this month due to a reported grade-one hamstring injury on his left leg. It remains to be seen if he is fit for the start of this year’s tournament.
Pathirana, who is now touching an even higher pace of 150 KPH, picked 19 wickets last season and was MS Dhoni’s go-to pacer in the death overs.
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