Not Dhoni Or Ashwin! Srikkanth Wants CSK To Drop These 2 Players Against DC

As the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) struggle to find their rhythm in IPL 2025, former India cricketer Krishnamachari Srikkanth has suggested two key changes to their playing XI. With two losses in their first three matches, CSK is under pressure to tweak their lineup for better performance.

Bold Selection Calls for CSK

Srikkanth believes that Chennai should bring in Devon Conway in place of Jamie Overton and replace Rahul Tripathi with Anshul Kamboj. The team’s early choices have already raised eyebrows, including moving captain Ruturaj Gaikwad to No. 3 in the batting order and selecting Deepak Hooda over Vijay Shankar.

Ravichandran Ashwin, acquired for Rs 9.75 crore for his second stint with CSK, started with a solid 1/31 performance in their win over Mumbai Indians. However, his recent outings have been underwhelming, leading to calls for a shift in strategy rather than outright exclusion.

“Conway has to come in place of Jamie Overton and also bring in Anshul Kamboj into the XI. With regards to Ashwin, don’t drop him, but stop him from bowling in the powerplay,” Srikkanth suggested on his YouTube channel.

Rethinking Ashwin’s Role

Srikkanth proposed a revised approach for Ashwin, restricting his overs to the middle phase of the innings. “Between 7-18th over he can be effective, with Jadeja and Noor Ahmad, they can easily slip in 10 overs at least. I will drop Tripathi and bring in Kamboj and then Conway in place of Overton,” he explained.

While Ashwin has experience bowling in powerplay situations, his economy rate of 7.13 in T20s remains respectable. However, in the recent match against Rajasthan Royals, he conceded 46 runs in his four overs before eventually dismissing a well-set Nitish Rana. By then, Rana had already inflicted damage, executing a range of aggressive strokes, including flicks, pulls, and reverse sweeps.

CSK Looks to Regroup Against Delhi Capitals

With 183 wickets in 215 IPL matches since 2009, Ashwin remains a seasoned campaigner. His best IPL season came in 2011 when he claimed 20 wickets in 16 matches at an economy of 6.15. As CSK prepares to face the undefeated Delhi Capitals at home on April 5, all eyes will be on whether Ashwin can find his rhythm and if the suggested lineup changes materialize.

With the tournament heating up, CSK will need to get their combinations right to stay in contention for a playoff spot.

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