IPL 2023 CSK preview: After horrid season, Chennai Super Kings look for revival helped by 'Whistle Podu Army'

CSK IPL 2023 Preview: With return of the home-and-away format in the Indian Premier League, no team would be more pleased to have home fixtures than Chennai Super Kings. Despite the noise that Wankhede Stadium or M Chinnaswamy Stadium can generate, it cannot match up to the frenzy of Chepauk.

And they would desperately need all the fan support from ‘Whistle Podu Army’ especially after how the 2022 season transpired. The second-most successful franchise in IPL history, the ones who clinched the title in the 2021 season, dropped to ninth a year later. They only finished second from the bottom due to a better net run rate than Mumbai Indians.

IPL 2023 | Everything you need to know about Chennai Super Kings

The loud Chennai crowd will get a much-awaited taste of CSK on 3 April against Lucknow Super Giants. But their campaign gets underway on 31 March against reigning IPL champions Gujarat Titans which is where MS Dhoni & Co’s carefully assembled squad will be put to their first test.

Ahead of the IPL auction, Dwayne Bravo and Robin Uthappa announced their retirements. CSK, meanwhile, released Chris Jordan, Adam Milne, KM Asif, N Jagadeesan, C Hari Nishanth, and Bhagath Verma.

At the auction, they signed Ben Stokes, Kyle Jamieson, Nishant Sindh, Ajinkya Rahane, and Shaik Rasheed.

Even before the season gets underway, CSK have been struck by injuries. Jamieson has been ruled out of the tournament with a stress fracture and has been replaced by Sisanda Magala. Mukesh Choudhary, who impressed in 2022, is unlikely to start the season.

Sri Lanka’s Matheesha Pathirana and Maheesh Theekshana will miss the first three matches for their tour of New Zealand. Stokes, their big money signing, is unlikely to bowl in the early stages. But the England star’s batting and finishing abilities could be lethal enough to take CSK to wins.

Getting a 360* perspective on things with the Gaffer!