New Zealand all-rounder Mitchell Santner has openly admitted that he is frustrated by this Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in the Indian Premier League (IPL). Santner has been part of the IPL’s most successful franchise, CSK, since 2018, but he hasn’t gotten enough chances that he deserved.
Due to the composition of the team and the presence of Indian all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja, it was difficult for the New Zealand star to break into CSK’s playing XI regularly in the IPL.
In six seasons, Santner has featured in just 16 games for CSK, where he managed 14 wickets and scored 67 runs. Also in the current one IPL 2024he played only one game for CSK.
Mitchell Santner expresses his frustration over limited options at CSK
His only appearance in the ongoing IPL 2024 was against the Punjab Kings (PBKS) at the HPCA Stadium in Dharamsala. The left-arm spinner delivered an impressive performance, conceding just ten runs and taking the crucial wicket of in-form batsman Shashank Singh in his three overs.
Furthermore, the all-rounder contributed with the bat and scored 11 runs in CSK’s 28-run win over PBKS. On May 7, CSK released a video on its official microblogging platform
Mitchell Santner said on CSK’s official website: “Yeah, I think that’s the challenge of not playing all the time. It might be frustrating at times, but I think it’s about staying focused when you’re not playing. I try to help the other guys, be it at practice or during the game, and even have conversations with people.”
For me it’s all about the success of the team: Mitchell Santner
Despite his frustration, the New Zealand all-rounder stressed that he remains ready to take advantage of any opportunity that comes his way, even if it means only playing in two games all season. He stressed his commitment to support CSK whenever required.
Santner added: “And then when you get the chance, I don’t think it’s about letting the team down, it’s about making sure you’re ready for it whenever it comes. It’s such a long tournament. So if it’s just two games, I’ll give my best for those two games, and if it’s cooler, if not, I’m happy because for me it’s all about the team’s success.”
https://twitter.com/ChennaiIPL/status/1787835412255293516
Notably, after their narrow win over PBKS, CSK climbed to third place in the IPL 2024 points table with 12 points, with six wins from the 11 games they have played so far this season. The defending champions will face Gujarat Titans (GT) at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on May 10.
Then, Chennai’s remaining two matches in the league phase of the ongoing IPL 2024 are against Rajasthan Royals (RR) on May 12 and against Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) on May 18. They now need at least four points to secure qualification for IPL 2024 playoffs.