Talent Identification key for CSK in the coming years, says Hussey as this season looks all but over for the 5-time champs.
Talent Identification will be a key area of focus for CSK next season onwards.
With their hopes of making the IPL 2025 playoffs all but gone, Chennai Super Kings (CSK) are hoping to ease the transition into the next season by bringing in young players like 17-year-old Ayush Mhatre and Dewald Brevis, who turned 22 on the eve of CSK’s game against Punjab Kings (PBKS), to see how they perform at the highest level. In the past, CSK has helped revive the careers of India internationals like Ajinkya Rahane and Shivam Dube.
On Tuesday, batting coach Michael Hussey discussed the young players they have available to them and said that CSK must improve their ability to find and develop them.
“I think it’s one area that we’ve really identified that we want to improve on is that talent identification side of things,” he said at the press conference.
“So, we have had different players come in and train with us at various stages, almost on trial a little bit, but also when their names come up for an auction, then at least we’ve seen them, we’ve had eyes on them. I mean, we get sent all the videos, packages and stuff. But to be able to actually watch them in the flesh, it does give you a bit more to go on.”
After putting the two and Brevis through match-simulation training at their high-performance academy on the outskirts of Chennai, CSK has included them into their squad. In order to get ready for subcontinent tours, certain international players, including as those from New Zealand and the West Indies, have lately trained at the academy.
“If we can play some practice games, see them [youngsters] under pressure, we can make more informed decisions about the talent that we’re looking at moving forward,” Hussey said. “So, it’s certainly one area that I think they’re putting a lot of time and effort into to make sure that we get the right talent moving forward.
“They’re very important decisions. There’s so much talent in this country and [it’s about] picking the right ones. We’re still going to make mistakes, no question. But if we can make more informed decisions, then I think that will help the franchise moving forward.”