Ravindra Jadeja joins CSK camp ahead of IPL 2021, uncertainty looms over Dhoni's deputy

Making an early return, star all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja joined the Chennai Super Kings camp on Friday. Having recovered from his journey sooner than expected, Jadeja joined the Yellow camp in Mumbai just weeks before the IPL 2021 commences. The ace all-rounder is currently under quarantine at the team hotel. 

Ravindra Jadeja has been out of action since India's Test series against Australia. During the Sydney Test of the tour, Jadeja had sustained a fracture on his left thumb forcing him to exit the series mid-way. The fracture which needed a surgery had also ruled him out of the England series casting a cloud over his availability for the IPL as well. 

However, an early recovery led to Jadeja hitting the nets at the National Cricket Academy in Bangalore - a video of which he shared recently. CSK CEO Kasi Viswanathan has also expressed hopes over Jadeja's return to action in the first game itself. 

Cloud over CSK's vice-captain

Meanwhile, there is a cloud of uncertainty over Chennai's vice-captain for the upcoming season. Until 2019, Suresh Raina would assist MS Dhoni in the leadership group, however, the franchise CEO had recently confirmed that it yet to appoint a vice-captain for IPL 2021. "We'll name the vice-captain closer to the tournament," Viswanathan had said. Raina had to miss the last IPL due to personal reasons and had left the UAE before the start of the tournament, joined the team camp on March 24. 

CSK redesign jersey for the first time

With just two weeks to go for the 14th edition of the IPL to commence, the Chennai Super Kings on Wednesday launched their new jersey for the upcoming season, marking a change in the kit for the first time in 11 years. The bright yellow jersey, styled by Myntra, was unveiled by skipper MS Dhoni. The redesigned kit for IPL 2021 sports the symbolic lion on the front with camouflage straps on the shoulders. As per reports, the camouflage is a tribute to India's armed forces. 

CSK has been one of the first few franchises to begin their preparations for the high-octane tournament. Several players have been a part of the camp in Chennai under MS Dhoni's watchful eye for more than a month now. The franchise has also been sharing glimpses of the practice sessions occasionally, in which the skipper seems to be working hard to shed off the rustiness. Having retired from international cricket, MS Dhoni will return to action only after his outing in the IPL last year in Dubai. 

While the Chennai Super Kings have a spectacular record at the M. A. Chidambaram Stadium, they are not slated to play any encounter at the venue. The CSK team 2021 will open their IPL 2021 campaign on April 10 as they take on the Delhi Capitals at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. After their underwhelming run in the UAE, the CSK side would be keen on staging a turnaround in this year's edition of the cash-rich league. 

image source: PTI/ChennaiIPL