3 issues Ben Stokes could resolve for CSK in IPL 2023

Chennai Super Kings (CSK) made headlines owing to their marquee signing of Ben Stokes at the IPL 2023 Auction in Kochi on Friday, December 23. The four-time champions, who endured a forgettable 2022 season, broke the bank to acquire the services of England's Test skipper, shelling out a whopping ₹16.25 crore for him.

This will be Stokes' third IPL franchise, having represented the now-defunct Rising Pune Supergiant (RPS) and the Rajasthan Royals (RR) in the past. Interestingly, he worked with CSK head coach Stephen Fleming at RPS in 2017, with MS Dhoni also a part of that side.

The Super Kings ran out of budget for former player Sam Curran, who was snapped up by the Punjab Kings (PBKS) for a record sum of ₹18.50 crore at the IPL 2023 Auction. Stokes remains CSK's most expensive signing in history though and is expected to fill the void left by all-rounder Dwayne Bravo.

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His signing ahead of IPL 2023 should solve a few issues that weighed the Super Kings down in the previous season. Let's look at three such issues which could be offset by his arrival.

#1 Pace hitter at the top

When Ben Stokes opens the batting https://t.co/F8OIwcDWzr

CSK's batting lineup was crying out loud for a good player of high-quality pace and movement. They seem to have ticked off that box courtesy of Stokes' acquisition at the IPL 2023 Auction.

With the likes of Ruturaj Gaikwad, Ambati Rayudu, Moeen Ali, and Shivam Dube more proficient against spin than pace, this was the kind of player the Super Kings needed to round off their batting lineup.

While it remains to be seen as to where Stokes bats in IPL 2023, he will surely add wings to this lineup against the moving ball and hard-length pace bowling. Given that these factors have brought about CSK's downfall in the past, this is a much-needed shot in the arm for the four-time champions.

#2 Gives Ruturaj Gaikwad time to ease into his innings

Stokes is an outstanding buy for CSK. Not only he gives them another bowling option in the XI. He is a batter who can play pace well.

Can easily open with him & Rutu, with Conway at 3 who can play both pace & spin well. That's a very good Top 3.

Over time, it has been observed that Ruturaj Gaikwad takes time to build an innings and he often starts slow. A strike rate of 110.82 in the powerplay thus far in his IPL career is a good indicator of the same and it is essential that CSK pair him up with a more flamboyant option to cash in on the field restrictions.

Devon Conway forged a good partnership with Gaikwad in the second half of IPL 2022, but he is a slow starter himself. Stokes' arrival offers the Super Kings the option of a pace-hitting dasher in the powerplay, something he has succeeded at for the Rajasthan Royals in the past.

His powerplay strike rate of 132.77 in the IPL isn't eye-catching per se, but it is believed that opening is his best position in T20s.

Assigning him the role of going all out in attack is something he should gleefully accept in lieu of the aggressive intent he has shown with the bat for England in Tests. CSK will do well to give him that role ahead of IPL 2023.

#3 A potential heir to MS Dhoni

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After last season's captaincy saga that saw Ravindra Jadeja hand it back to Dhoni, the former Indian skipper will lead CSK again in IPL 2023. It is widely believed that the upcoming season will be the veteran keeper-batter's last as a player and that he will pass the baton thereafter.

Stokes has received accolades aplenty for the brand of cricket that he has preached and followed at the helm of England's Test team. It is the sort of positive approach that a T20 setup ideally desires and his ability to think outside the box casts him as a captaincy option.

Mind you, appointing an overseas skipper is a big risk in case he runs out of form and blocks one of the four overseas slots in the XI. If CSK don't find another long-term Indian option to take over from Dhoni just yet, though, Stokes could be looked at for the role post-IPL 2023.

Did CSK get it right by going all out for Stokes at the IPL 2023 Auction? Let us know in the comments section below!

Also read: Top 5 six-hitters in Test cricket among active players