Defending champions Chennai Super Kings (CSK) kick-start the IPL 2022 as they take on last year’s runners-up Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) on March 26 at Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium.

A bunch of CSK players, including the skipper MS Dhoni, have already begun their preparations for the tournament. Instead of their home venue in Chennai, they have all assembled at Surat’s Lalbhai Contractor Stadium.

With their opening match less than two weeks away, their preparation is in full swing but all is not rosy for the four-time winners.

Their biggest concern of the franchise heading into their new season is that they don’t have any clue about the fitness update of two of their key players Deepak Chahar and Ruturaj Gaikwad.

After a 20-run victory over #MI, Chennai Super Kings duo Ruturaj Gaikwad and Deepak Chahar are all smiles for an #IPLSelfie. #CSKvMI #VIVOIPL pic.twitter.com/jrudNlAIU4

Even the franchise’s CEO Kasi Viswanathan couldn’t tell when the two players would be joining the squad. The only update he has is that both the players are currently at the National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru.

“We are not aware of their current fitness status and won't be able to tell you when they would join the squad,” Vishwanathan was quoted as saying by news agency PTI.

He also stated that both the players are under the BCCI’s supervision and they would be intimidated once they clear all the necessary fitness tests.

“Obviously, the BCCI has told us that once they are match-fit, they would intimate us. They are at the NCA currently,” he explained.

Both the players, who had suffered injuries during the white-ball series against the West Indies last month, haven’t joined the CSK pre-tournament camp in Surat and are undergoing rehabilitation at the NCA, which is headed by legendary batter VVS Laxman.

Gaikwad, who won the Orange Cap last year, had complained of wrist pain on his right hand last month and was ruled out of the three-match T20I series against Sri Lanka.

Chahar, who is CSK’s most expensive purchase in auction history, had suffered a quadriceps injury on his right leg and is most likely to be out for at least six to eight weeks, if not more.

There were reports which claimed that the medium pacer’s injury was so serious that it could rule him out of the whole tournament. Even if that’s not true, it’s almost certain that he will miss at least half of the matches.

Missing even one of these two star players would be a major blow to the second most decorated franchise in IPL history and their bid to defend their title successfully. However, the CSK fans would hope that the new signings raise their hand and do the job for them.

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