Chennai Super Kings are enjoying the perfect comeback to the IPL, rising to the occasion and dishing out thrilling victories in the first half of the tournament.
Advertisement
The Dhoni led franchise has managed to find that extra gear during crunch situations, that has helped them motor along and go all out for that final push during trying situations.
Different players have stepped up during different games and it has largely been a team effort.
However, no team is perfect and with the injuries and the overseas quota, a lot of teams would welcome the newly introduced Transfer market, as it would help them off load a few players that aren’t quite in the consideration set to make the XI and can recruit a few players who could help them provide that extra balance to their franchise.
The Transfer window will be available from Match 28 to Match 42. Only uncapped players and capped players who have played 2 or fewer games would be eligible for transfers.
While CSK do have a very balanced side, they can do with an overseas fast bowling spearhead after Ngidi was forced to return to South Africa because of his father’s death.
They also would want to find an able replacement for Faf du Plessis at the top of the order, especially with so many top order overseas batsmen warming the benches.
Here we look at the 5 players that could be bought by CSK in the transfer window:
1) Tim Southee
Tim Southee has been warming the bench for RCB this IPL despite RCB missing a good enough fast bowling spearhead.
Virat Kohli has continued to ignore Southee and it doesn’t seem like he would be drafted in anytime soon.
CSK don’t have a fast bowling overseas spear head, and while Shardul and Deepak Chahar have done a good enough job, sometime down the line, Southee could become a huge asset for Dhoni.
2) Colin Munro
Colin Munro is one of the most feared opening batsmen in the world but a couple of failures for him have led to DD going in with Jason Roy at the top of the order.
Now, Munro was LBW in his first innings for DD, and was run-out without even facing a ball in his second innings.
It was very unfair on part of the DD franchise to sit him out after 2 failures, wherein the second failure wasn’t even his fault.
Jason Roy was drafted in and he dished out one of the best batting performances of this year’s IPL to help DD register this only win this season.
DD have persisted with Roy ever since and thus making Munro available for a transfer during the transfer window.
Munro was in exceptional form during the limited overs series at home and in Australia. And despite being in exceptional form at the top of the order for New Zealand for sometime now, Munro has found it tough to get a good long run in the IPL. Maybe, Dhoni and CSK can provide him with that.
It is difficult that this transfer would go through, as Munro doesn’t really play spin that well and CSK need an opener who can tackle spin easily, especially at the Chepauk.
3) Abhishek Sharma
While Shubman Gill, Shivam Mavi and Prithvi Shaw have gotten a few opportunities in the IPL this year, Abhishek Sharma is still waiting to get his first IPL cap.
The U-19 star was instrumental in India’s World Cup winning campaign in New Zealand, bamboozling the batsmen with his slow left arm spin and using the long handle to good effect during the death overs.
He could slot in as Jaddu’s replacement in the CSK XI, as the experienced Indian all-rounder hasn’t really set the stage on fire this season.
A little competition for his place and maybe Jaddu could perform better than he currently is.
Also, playing under the stewardship of Dhoni could do a world of good for the young Abhishek Sharma.
4) Alex Hales
Alex Hales was recruited by SRH after Warner was banned from the IPL, but he has failed to make it to the SRH XI until now.
Hales has been brilliant for England in the limited overs format, pioneering that English limited overs revolution together with Morgan, Buttler, Roy and Stokes.
Again, he could take du Plessis’ spot in the team, as on current form he is a better T20 player than Faf.
And while Munro might still make it to the DD XI, it feels as if Hales will be on the SRH bench for the foreseeable future.
If CSK actually go through with it, it could be one of the best transfers of the mid-transfer window.
5) Basil Thampi
Basil Thampi finally got a game for SRH tonight against MI, and delivered big time, bowling that important 15th over in the 118 run chase. He bowled quick. accurate and with heart, catching the imagination of all the onlookers.
However, once Bhuvi is fit, Thampi might have to make way, as with Stanlake out, SRH might opt for the pace trio of Bhuvi, Kaul and Sandeep.
If Thampi is thus available, he would be a welcome addition to the CSK setup, joining hands with Chahar and Thakur as the third promising Indian seamer.
