IPL 2022 | 'No team is afraid of them'- Ravi Shastri on the losing streak of MI and CSK

Mumbai Indians (MI) and Chennai Super Kings (CSK), two of the most successful franchises of the Indian Premier League (IPL), are having a terrible time in the ongoing season of the lucrative league, losing each of their respective four matches.

With 0 points to their account, both the teams are languishing at the bottom of the points table. Meanwhile, the former India coach Ravi Shastri has said that the units are no longer scared of the four-time champions, CSK, and five-time IPL Champions, MI, as they have lost their charm in the ongoing IPL season.

While speaking to the broadcasters, Shastri said that both the teams have been outplayed by the opposite sides so far in the tournament. Citing the poor auction as a reason behind both teams' failure. 

Shastri said, “What’s disappointing from both those teams is that they’ve been outplayed, you know by a couple of teams. I’ve kept saying it one week into the IPL, that intimidatory factor that was there with Chennai and Mumbai, no longer it's there. No team is afraid of them. Their aura, no one is afraid of them because of the spread out in the auction.” 

He continued, "They’ve got their back to the wall, they have to step up to the plate. It’s no point telling the other guys this is the way you should play; you should be doing that job. And it’s not gonna be easy if you lose four on the trot. You mentioned ten left, not easy at all.”

Chennai lost their opening match against KKR, followed by a six wickets defeat at the hands of the newcomers Lucknow Super Giants (LSG). Their latest failures came against Punjab Kings (PBKS) and SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) by 54 runs and eight wickets, respectively.

Mumbai Indians are in the same boat as they are yet to find their perfect playing combination in the tournament, especially in their bowling attack after the departure of Black Caps pacer Trent Boult. 

The 59-year-old further added that once CSK and MI have lost their intimidatory factor, they do not have that aura they once exhibited.

“Other teams believe they can beat them. They don’t look at the name Chennai Super Kings or Mumbai Indians. They’ll go and play the game, they’ll believe they can beat that opposition. As opposed to yes, the years have gone by where they had that aura, that presence, that would intimidate sides. So even if the side had a chance, somehow or the other they would panic, just when they had to cross the finishing line. But this IPL, you won’t see that," Shastri concluded.