3 former CSK players who would have been the perfect fit for them in IPL 2023
Chennai Super Kings (CSK) did good business in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 mini-auction that took place in Kochi last month. They broke the bank, shelling out ₹16.25 crore to sign ace all-rounder Ben Stokes.
Chennai made a couple of smart buys as well, adding experienced Ajinkya Rahane to the top of the order, while also getting New Zealand pacer Kyle Jamison. MS Dhoni and Co. also signed India's U19 stars Shaik Rasheed and Nishant Sindhu to the squad.
CSK will hope to put up a better performance this year after finishing ninth in IPL 2022, only avoiding last place owing to having a superior net run rate.
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While the squad looks strong on paper, a few former Chennai players would have strengthened it further. On that note, let's take a look at three former CSK cricketers who would have been the perfect fit for them in IPL 2023.
#3 Josh Hazlewood
The premier Australian pacer was part of the Chennai set-up in 2020 and the second half of 2021. Josh Hazlewood was instrumental in CSK lifting the IPL trophy in the UAE, picking up 11 wickets in nine matches.
He was accurate in the death overs, nailing the yorkers perfectly. He would have been perfect for the Super Kings in IPL 2023 given that they lack quality death-over bowlers, an area that haunted them last year.
Although they signed Jamieson at the auction, he is not a quality death bowler and often leaks runs under pressure.
#2 Faf du Plessis
Former South African skipper Faf du Plessis is one of the best foreign signings for the Chennai franchise in the history of the league. He was part of the team from 2011 to 2021, except for 2016 and 2017 when they were suspended.
Du Plessis was a force to reckon with at the top order in CSK colors and won many matches for the franchise. Overall, the Proteas batter has featured in 92 matches, scoring 2721 runs at an average of over 35 and a strike rate of 131.45.
Although Chennai signed New Zealand opener Devon Conway last year as a replacement for Du Plessis, the southpaw is still far from replicating what the former did.
With Dhoni and Co. eyeing a title finish in IPL 2023, Du Plessis' presence in the top order would have made a lot of difference for the side.
#1 Shardul Thakur
The Indian all-rounder is among the most prominent names in world cricket but is a very impactful player. Shardul Thakur is every captain's delight because of his ability to deliver in crunch situations, both with bat and ball.
Shardul, who hails from Palghar, can bowl at different phases of the game, which makes him an important player. Although he can leak runs at times but is a wicket-taking bowler. The all-rounder can also play the long handles, scoring some useful runs in the lower order.
Shardul played a key role in CSK's title-winning IPL 2021 campaign, picking up 21 wickets in 16 games.
With all-rounders a must-have in the shortest format, Shardul would be a perfect fit for Chennai's IPL 2023 squad.
Also Read: 3 reasons why Trent Boult should not be part of RR's playing XI in IPL 2023