3 concerns for CSK heading into the IPL 2023 auction

The Chennai Super Kings (CSK) are on the back of another Indian Premier League (IPL) season in which they failed to reach the playoffs. A team that used to be penciled into the top four even before the season started, CSK are going through a rough period of transition.

CSK's activity in the IPL 2022 mega-auction didn't help their case. MS Dhoni's men weren't very proactive, leading to their squad appearing a touch jaded. The IPL 2023 auction, to be held on December 23, will give them a chance to correct some of their mistakes and construct a squad that can challenge for the title once again.

However, the Super Kings have a few areas to address. Here are three concerns for CSK heading into the IPL 2023 auction.

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#3 Injury-prone Deepak Chahar is eating into CSK's purse

Deepak Chahar missed the entirety of IPL 2022 with injury, with CSK unable to get any value out of the ₹14 crore they spent to acquire his services. The all-rounder is eating a significant portion of the team's budget, and unfortunately, he hasn't been able to keep himself fit.

Chahar suffered a hamstring injury in the second ODI against Bangladesh and was subsequently ruled out of the series. While the setback didn't seem serious enough to keep him out of action for months, with him returning to bat, he has spent a good amount of time on the sidelines.

Indian fast-bowling all-rounders are hard to come by, and CSK might find themselves struggling to find an adequate backup for Chahar. The fact that the 30-year-old is holding them back when it comes to money doesn't help their case, either.

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#2 There is high demand for players like Sam Curran

It's not just Indian fast-bowling all-rounders; overseas ones are in high demand too. Especially T20 World Cup Player of the Tournament winners like Sam Curran, who has completely transformed himself as a shortest-format bowler.

Curran has become a capable death bowler, using an assortment of yorkers, slower balls and bouncers to good effect. He is more than capable of wielding the willow, and early projections indicate that he might be the most expensive buy in the IPL 2023 auction.

That's unfortunate for CSK, who would definitely want to pursue their former player. Curran has been signed by MI Cape Town in the SAT20 League and that might generate some interest from the Mumbai Indians, apart from a number of franchises who are bound to join the bidding war for the Englishman.

Will CSK be able to acquire a quality pace-bowling all-rounder in the auction? Curran fits the bill perfectly, but he won't come cheap.

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#1 There aren't many express pacers in the IPL 2023 auction pool

CSK released two of the quickest fast bowlers on their roster in Chris Jordan and Adam Milne. While the former performed miserably for them in IPL 2022, the Kiwi pacer suffered an injury midway through the campaign.

CSK's fast bowlers aren't capable of hitting the 140-kph mark on a regular basis, and they lack a middle-overs enforcer who can hit the deck hard. Their pace attack looks very one-dimensional at the moment and they're bound to go after an out-and-out quick bowler in the IPL 2023 auction.

However, there aren't many options available. The ₹1.5 crore band features names like Riley Meredith, but there are no proven commodities up for grabs. Where will CSK find a proper fast bowler from?