As the IPL 2025 season races towards its dramatic conclusion, legendary spinner and former India coach Anil Kumble has offered a piece of important advice to the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) — back the youngsters. With only five games left before the playoffs, every team is scrambling to fine-tune their combinations, but Kumble believes CSK has a golden opportunity to trust their young players and set a foundation for the future.
Speaking during a pre-match show, Kumble emphasized the importance of giving consistent opportunities to emerging talent, especially when the business end of the tournament demands both energy and fearlessness. According to him, while experienced players bring stability, it is often the raw, fearless exuberance of youngsters that can make a decisive impact in crunch moments. He pointed out that with CSK hovering around the mid-table, now is the perfect time to unleash the younger players, not just to boost immediate performance but to invest in the long-term future of the franchise.
CSK has traditionally been a team that leans heavily on experience. Led for years by the iconic MS Dhoni and now under new leadership, the franchise has often preferred battle-hardened cricketers over untested youth. While this strategy has brought them immense success, including multiple IPL titles, Kumble’s comments suggest that a slight shift in approach might be needed given the evolving nature of T20 cricket, where athleticism, quick reflexes, and aggressive intent are at a premium.
This season, CSK has a number of exciting young players in their squad who have impressed in patches. Batters like Shaik Rasheed and Sameer Rizvi, along with bowlers like Tushar Deshpande and Rajvardhan Hangargekar, have shown that they possess the skills needed to perform at the highest level. However, opportunities have often been sporadic, with team management sticking to their trusted seniors even when the results have been mixed. Kumble’s suggestion is timely, as he underlined that giving these youngsters a sustained run could inject fresh energy into the squad at a critical juncture.
Backing youngsters doesn’t mean a complete overhaul of the playing XI. Kumble hinted at a balanced approach — maintaining the spine of experienced players while allowing two or three young talents to play with freedom. The idea is to empower them, show trust in their abilities, and let them express themselves without fear of failure. In many past IPL seasons, young players who were backed during the later stages ended up playing match-winning roles, and CSK could certainly benefit from a similar scenario.
The five remaining matches for CSK are pivotal, with playoff qualification still within reach but far from guaranteed. Each game will be a high-pressure contest, and fresh legs and fearless minds could prove to be a crucial advantage. Kumble’s advice resonates not just for CSK but serves as a reminder for all teams — that believing in youth can often open doors to success in the most unexpected ways.
As CSK strategizes for their final push, it will be interesting to see if they heed Anil Kumble’s wise counsel. Whether it results in immediate rewards or sets the stage for a brighter future, trusting their young brigade could very well be the spark Chennai needs to reignite their title hopes in IPL 2025.