IPL 2020: CSK's 4 top options to replace Suresh Raina as MS Dhoni's deputy

Suresh Raina has been a vital cog for the franchise since the inception and is their highest run-scorer. The player is definitely one of the most consistent players for the CSK side and his withdrawal from the IPL 2020 will be an enormous blow for the side. Along with his duties of anchoring the side with his batting, he also served as MS Dhoni's deputy in the CSK unit and has also captained the team in MS Dhoni's absence. With he CSK squad for  the IPL 2020 is lacking a vice-captain, let's look at the possible candidates for the job.

1. Shane Watson

The seasoned Australian all-rounder has featured in 134 IPL games. Shane Watson has been a star performer for the CSK side. He was the pioneer in the franchise victory in the IPL finals of 2018. He has also taken up leadership roles in IPL in the past. He was appointed the captain for the Rajasthan Royals in 2014. Watson also has had occasional captaincy stints in the Australian cricket team. His experience in terms of franchise cricket is not just restricted to the IPL but he is also a veteran in several T20 leagues.

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2. Faf du Plessis

The South African batsman has been a mainstay for the CSK for several years now. He also has garnered accolades as a captain with the South African team. He has led the Proteas side in all the formats before he stepped down in 2020 and will bring that experience on the table if he is appointed as MS Dhoni's deputy.

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3. Dwayne Bravo

The all-rounder from West Indies also is one of the contenders for Suresh Raina's vacant vice-captain position. Bravo has been a part of the core group in the CSK unit for several years now. The West Indian also makes regular appearances in franchise-based T20 leagues all over the world. The 36-year-old also serves a vice-captain for Trinbago Knight Riders in the Caribbean Premier League 2020. He also has served as a skipper for the West Indies national side for a considerable amount of time. The franchise has a strong association with the star player and has retained him consistently 

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4. Ravindra Jadeja

The Saurashtra all-rounder has featured in 170 matches in the league. With all the experience and MS Dhoni's backing, he can be the ideal candidate to fill Suresh Raina's shoes for the IPL 2020. The southpaw has always been retained by the franchise and has shown immense faith in the all-rounder. Jadeja also is the youngest amongst all the players in the list.

Despite no prior experience as a captain, he can be moulded into one under MS Dhoni and can prove to be a long-term asset if they consider a long-term approach. Ravindra Jadeja could potentially be the person taking charge of the CSK unit after MS Dhoni decides to hang his boots from the league. 

CSK squad for IPL 2020

Narayan Jagadeesan, Ruturaj Gaikwad, KM Asif, Ravindra Jadeja, M Vijay, MS Dhoni, Josh Hazlewood, Kedar Jadhav, Karn Sharma, Piyush Chawla, Ambati Rayudu, Imran Tahir, Deepak Chahar, Faf du Plessis, Shardul Thakur, Mitchell Santner, Dwayne Bravo, Lungi Ngidi, Sam Curran, Monu Kumar, Shane Watson, Sai Kishore.

Senior players Suresh Raina and Harbhajan Singh have pulled out of IPL 2020, citing personal reasons.

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Image Source: CSK Instagram account