3 former KKR players who have done well for CSK in the IPL
From donning the purple of the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) last year to possibly making them regret having released him, Ajinkya Rahane has been in scintillating form for the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in IPL 2023.
The veteran batter has batted like a man possessed, tearing into bowling units for fun while occupying the crucial No. 3 spot for the Men in Yellow. It hit a crescendo on Sunday, April 23, as he clobbered the KKR bowlers around Eden Gardens for an unbeaten 29-ball 71.
Rahane's exploits were pivotal in ensuring that the Super Kings won their fifth match of IPL 2023 to soar to the top of the points table. It is not the first time, however, that a former KKR player has turned out in yellow and performed exceedingly well.
Different gravy 🍜
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Let's look at three other former KKR players who have performed well for CSK in the years gone by.
#1 Brendon McCullum
Brendon McCullum lit up the opening night of the IPL with a breathtaking unbeaten 158 for KKR that remains etched in eternal cricketing folklore. However, he also had a two-year gig with CSK in 2014 and 2015, forming a destructive opening partnership with Dwayne Smith.
McCullum tallied 841 runs in the period at an average of 32.35 and a strike rate of 137.19, scoring five half-centuries and a century along the way. He was the lone batter to cross 400 runs for the Super Kings in the 2015 season.
Having departed ahead of the playoffs to join the New Zealand Test squad, his absence was dearly felt as CSK failed to leave an impact with the bat, losing to Mumbai Indians (MI) in the final.
#2 Robin Uthappa
FIFTY for Robin Uthappa! 🔥
The veteran brings up his 27th IPL fifty 🙌
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A KKR legend whose stellar Orange Cap-winning run with the bat led them to their second title in 2014, Robin Uthappa has been a bona fide superstar in the IPL. Having moved from the Knight Riders to the Rajasthan Royals (RR) in 2020, he was traded to CSK ahead of the 2021 season.
Uthappa had to sit out 12 matches before finally getting a place in the playing XI but he grabbed his opportunity with both hands. A stellar 44-ball 63 paved the way for the side's victory in Qualifier 1 against Delhi Capitals (DC), before he sustained the momentum in the final against his former side KKR with a 15-ball 31, taking the attack to the spinners.
Uthappa's contributions saw him being reacquired at the auction the following year and while he tapered off after a promising start, he was still one of the few bright spots in an otherwise disappointing campaign for CSK. He then called time on his IPL career later in 2022.
#3 David Hussey
In an unusual move, CSK pulled David Hussey out of the commentary box as Dwayne Bravo's replacement in the middle of their IPL 2014 campaign. He didn't show any kind of rust, however, as he chipped in with useful contributions with the bat towards the business end of the tournament.
Hussey was part of the KKR franchise between 2008 and 2010. During his time with CSK, he batted just four times although he scored a fluent half-century against SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) before backing it up with an unbeaten 40 against MI in the Eliminator.
He wasn't retained ahead of the 2015 season in which, funnily enough, his brother Michael was bought back by the franchise. David has gone on to don coaching roles thereafter, even returning to KKR in that capacity.
Can Ajinkya Rahane sustain his rich vein of form for CSK in IPL 2023? Have your say in the comments section below!
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