Published 20:15 IST, December 3rd 2019
IPL 2020 Auction: 5 top young cricketers from the South who are on CSK's radar
IPL 2020: Chennai Super Kings have ₹14.60 crore after releasing players and MS Dhoni might be looking to add a few players to their roster to bolster options
Chennai Super Kings (CSK) is one of the most successful teams in the Indian Premier League (IPL). The yellow brigade led by their charismatic skipper MS Dhoni has once again retained their core as expected. Ahead of the 2020 Auction in Kolkata, CSK released five players that included Sam Billings and David Willey from England, India’s Mohit Sharma and two uncapped players in Dhruv Shorey and Chaitanya Bishnoi. Chennai Super Kings have ₹14.60 cr available and MS Dhoni might be looking to add a few players to their roster. Below are the players who can land themselves a lucrative contract with the 3-time champions.
IPL 2020: Players who are favourites to be picked by CSK
Baba Aparajith
The Tamil Nadu batsman has already been part of Chennai Super Kings in 2014 and then with Rising Pune Supergiants in 2016. But Dhoni’s policy of not tinkering with the line-up meant Aparajith spent more time on the sidelines. The 25-year-old has had an impressive TNPL 2019 with Kanchi Veerans, for whom he scored 242 runs at an average of 40 including two scores in excess of 50. Teams looking for a reliable batsman in the middle-order can bid for this him.
Shahrukh Khan
In case you are wondering, he is not a Hindi film actor but a 24-year-old Tamil Nadu youngster who has been on the rise since the last year or so. He has had an excellent TNPL (Tamil Nadu Premier League) and has been very good in the Vijay Hazare Trophy. Shahrukh is known for clearing the boundary line with ease. In fact, in 2018, he was third on the list of most sixes in the TNPL. On the domestic circuit, he has been scoring runs consistently and also plays the role of a finisher for Tamil Nadu. The youngster might be one of the most attractive uncapped players in the upcoming auctions.
Ganesan Periyaswamy
Periyasamy had a memorable debut season with Chepauk Super Gillies in the Tamil Nadu Premier League 2019 (TNPL). He was the leading wicket-taker of the 2019 season with 21 wickets in 9 innings at an impressive average of 10.48. The pace bowler, who has a Malinga-like bowling action, is also known to keep his composure in a pressure situation, which could be a great asset for CSK.
The franchise could replace Mohit Sharma with Periyasamy. Mohit hasn’t been in great form and leaked plenty of runs. Therefore, CSK could be justified in releasing Mohit especially if they can successfully obtain the services of this 25-year-old. CSK fans would also be willing to support the local boy.
R Sai Kishore
The 23-year-old from Tamil Nadu collected 20 wickets in 12 matches in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy this season. The youngster also relished a successful TNPL season, picking 7 from 7 matches at a remarkable economy rate of only 5.82. His height also works to his advantage and his long fingers can spin the ball nicely. The lanky spinner is definitely a good option for franchises looking to fill the spinner’s slot in their teams.
Praveen Dubey
He has been a part of the IPL side Royal Challengers Bangalore, but did not feature in a single game during his stint with the side. His performance in the KPL 2019 was impressive. Playing for Hubli Tigers, he helped his team lift the trophy this season with his solid all-round contribution. Praveen batted higher up the order, scoring 237 runs at a healthy average of 39.50. His tally included a half-century and 8 huge sixers. Apart from this, he was also decent with the ball as he picked up 4 wickets with his wily leg-spin. He stands a good chance of landing an IPL 2020 contract and perhaps more game time.
Updated 15:42 IST, December 4th 2019