'You can't even play...': Ravi Shastri BLASTS CSK pacer, says he has become 'permanent NCA resident'

Chennai Super Kings (CSK) have so far played three games and won two of them in IPL 2023. The MS Dhoni-led Yellow Army occupy the fifth spot at present and will host the Rajasthan Royals (RR) at the MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai in match 17 on Wednesday evening (April 12). While CSK have got off to a decent start, there are many injury concerns for the Dhoni-led franchise. While Moeen Ali was unwell and missed their previous game, versus Mumbai Indians (MI), Ben Stokes is also not fully fit and set to miss a few more games.

In addition, Deepak Chahar somehow managed to bowl just one over in CSK's seven-wicket win over MI on April 08, at the Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai. He suffered a hamstring injury and is set to miss CSK's upcoming games. In IPL 2022, he missed the entire season due to back injury and has been out of action for Team India as well since December 2022. Injuries -- mainly back and hamstring issues -- have dented Chahar's run in the past few years and former India head coach Ravi Shastri blasted the CSK pacer.

Ahead of CSK versus RR, in Chennai, Shastri said on ESPNcricinfo's T20 Time Out, "Let us put it this way: There are quite a few players who have become permanent residents of the NCA. Soon they will get a residence permit there, allowing them to walk in any time they want. And it is not a good thing. It's unreal. I mean, you are not playing that much cricket to be injured again and again. You can't even play four matches on the trot. Then why are you going to NCA for? I mean you come back and after three matches you are back there."

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Shastri added, "So make sure you return fit and come back once and for all. It's damn frustrating, not just for the team but also for the players, the BCCI, and the captains of the various franchises. It's annoying, to say the least. I can understand a serious injury. But if after every four games someone touches the hamstring or his groyne, you start wondering what is actually going on. And some of them don't play any other cricket. I mean, it's just four overs, and in three hours the game is over. It's ridiculous."

While nothing is known about Chahar's injury right now, he is set to miss more than a couple of games for CSK and is participation in the remainder of IPL 2023 is also under dark clouds.