As the 14th season of the Indian Premier League has been placed on an indefinite halt in the face of a growing menace of a pandemic, people have already started speculating for the upcoming season of IPL with the mega-auction for grabs.
Severe thoughts about retentions and letting go are rife in the Indian cricketing roster and with a paradigm shift to unfold, the mega-auction will be a blockbuster event to witness.
Chennai Super Kings were back to their scintillating best in the 2021 IPL, a major chunk of the thanks can be taken by Faf Du Plessis and Moeen Ali who were savouring a golden season. However, things would not remain the same when every team will be confined with the choice to retain only three players that can extend to a maximum of five through the Right to Match cards.
We will be looking at five players that Chennai can onboard for the upcoming season which will hold their tenacity towards the trophy at its utmost value and can also add a flavour of their own greatness.
1. Suryakumar Yadav
Despite a flying season until now, Chennai’s major spot of bother will be an underperforming Suresh Raina who did get off to a flying start but fell face-first to the ground in no time. After a wonderful half-century to start the IPL with, Raina could 69 runs from the remaining six matches and his explosiveness hasn’t been on for show. He has seemed like a much calmer version of himself and has acted more like an anchor than the destroyer that we used to know. This is where Suryakumar Yadav fits into the equation.
The young man has been in exceptional touch ever since he has joined Mumbai Indians, he went on to cross the hallowed mark of 400 runs with consummate ease. He is a very affluent player that is underlined by the burning strike rate of 135.28 which has seen a vertiginous jump in the last couple of years as it read 145.01 in 2020 and 144.16 in 2021. Chennai’s major blitzkrieg has revolved around that number three position, and it was Raina who drove the scintillating statistics at the most important position of the batting order. SKY has the capability of effortlessly starting off on the front foot before settling in to hammer even bigger strikes.
2. Ishan Kishan
As Dhoni is witnessing a downside at the moment, especially with age catching up, Chennai will be eager to rope in a young wicket-keeping prospect who can inflict severe impact. Ishan Kishan didn’t really have a decent IPL 2021, however, his presence in the middle-order in the 2020 IPL was extremely significant to the champions.
Not only did he manage to garner 516 runs from 14 games, but he scored them at an astonishing average of 57.33 and a blistering strike rate of 145. With such impressive figures he will be a lucrative pick for Chennai Super Kings, especially with an impressive display behind the stumps.
3. Mohammad Siraj
Barring Lungi Ngidi, the pace department of Chennai Super Kings has been in an utter state of dilapidation. Despite Deepak Chahar showing promise in a couple of games, the remaining fixtures have been entirely barren for the medium-fast bowler. However, if there has been one man who has improved over the years by leaps and bounds, that is young Indian express bowler, Mohammad Siraj. After a rippling display in 2020 that saw him claiming 11 wickets laced with some impeccable death bowling, 2021 proved to be even better for the youngster.
Ever since a proper coronation in the Indian cricket team, Siraj has been an unplayable bowler. He was fabulous Down Under and his performances against England were equally stellar. When he came back for the fourteenth edition of IPL, he was a transformed man who could produce some thrilling bowling in the death overs. His 1-run over against Andre Russell in the tie with KKR drew so many contrasts with greats of the sport. He has also worked additionally on his economy rate that has seen a steep slump to 7.34 from a staggering economy rate of 8.68. In the mediocrity that has been produced by Shardul Thakur and Deepak Chahar, Mohammad Siraj can be an exciting addition to the squad.
4. Ravi Bishnoi
This youngster has been an extremely industrious aspirant in the colours of Punjab Kings. The wrong ones and those menacing googlies have been used in perfect proportions by him and in the ongoing edition of the tournament, his fielding has been highly lauded. He left everyone stunned in his maiden enterprise in the IPL in the preceding year as he chronicled figures of 12 wickets at a miserly economy rate of 7.37. As he didn’t get much game time in the ongoing edition of the tournament, his limited availability has already produced 4 wickets while the economy rate has dipped down to 6.18, figures which are magical, to say the least.
Chennai will most likely be retaining Ravindra Jadeja who will actually be relishing the company of Bishnoi, given the additional spinning variety that will be brought to the table.
5. David Warner
Last but the most important addition to the squad will most likely be David Warner. With a choice between Moeen Ali and Faf Du Plessis to be retained, Du Plessis will be getting the likeliest nod, given his preceding antiquity with the Kings. Warner has been highly involved in an altercation with the management of Sunrisers Hyderabad and may even be shown the door in the ensuing season. He has also slowed down over the years but still remains to be an untenable threat in any format of the sport.
The three-time Orange Cap holder boasts figures of 5447 runs from 148 matches with a stunning average of 42.22. His overall strike rate reads 140.13, but it witnessed a comprehensive dip in the ongoing edition as it read 110.28. He also stitched together his slowest half-century in the ongoing edition of the IPL. His career-best score of 126 still remains as one of the most explosive knocks to have been played in the history of IPL, ever.
