Kedar Jadhav set to be dropped by Chennai for next match against Bangalore?

The Chennai team ended up on the losing end on yet another occasion while chasing a target. The MS Dhoni-led side took on Kolkata in the Dream11 IPL 2020 contest at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi on October 7. Having bowled out the Kolkata side for 167, MS Dhoni and co. would have fancied their chances to successfully chase the target with their experienced batting line-up. 

Despite Shane Watson's gutsy half-century at the top of the order, and Ambati Rayudu's steady knock, the team invited trouble as they let the required run rate climb up while the innings progressed. After MS Dhoni's dismissal, Kedar Jadhav walked in to bat and had the task to steer his team to victory. However, spinner Varun Chakravarthy put pressure on Kedar Jadhav early on and the batsman could not get off the mark for the first five balls of his innings. 

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The right-handed batsman was batting alongside Ravindra Jadeja but failed to rotate the strike regularly and occupied the crease for most of the time during the partnership. He looked uncomfortable at the crease as Andre Russell targeted him with short-pitched balls. Ravindra Jadeja was stranded at the other end while Jadhav's attempts of hitting a big-shot went futile. With 26 runs to get in the penultimate over, Jadhav's refusal to take a single on the first ball also raised several eyebrows.

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Has Kedar Jadhav justified his place in the Chennai batting line-up?

With over 13 runs required per over, Kedar Jadhav's approach seemed bewildering as he visibly struggled to keep the scoreboard ticking. The 35-year-old cricketer could only manage 7 runs from the 12 balls he faced with only a solitary boundary. Kedar Jadhav's place in the Chennai line-up could be in trouble with only 58 runs to his name in six fixtures with an abysmal strike-rate of 98.85. 

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Looking at Kedar Jadhav's performances for the Chennai side, his scoring rate in the previous season for Chennai is even more appalling. In the 14 matches that he had featured in, he averaged a paltry 18.00 with a strike-rate of 95.85. It is baffling that Jadhav has not been able to score even at a run-a-ball pace, and chances are high that he might lose out on his place in the team's upcoming matches in the Dream11 IPL 2020. 

While Jadhav is known to be a decent bowler, MS Dhoni has not shown enough faith in him with the ball and has preferred other bowling options. This makes it even more difficult for Jadhav to justify his place in the team, considering the fact that he also is one of the slowest fielders in the Chennai side. With youngsters like Ruturaj Gaikwad and Narayan Jagadeesan waiting to get into the playing 11, the future does not seem to be very bright for Jadhav.

Chennai Dream11 IPL schedule 

The 3-time champions had shared the Chennai Dream11 IPL 2020 schedule on their social media accounts with their fans. After facing a loss against Kolkata, the team will take on Virat Kohli's Bangalore on October 10 in Dubai. Here is the complete Chennai Dream11 IPL schedule: 

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Image source: Kedar Jadhav Instagram