3 reasons why CSK must pick Richard Gleeson for IPL 2024 clash vs SRH
Chennai Super Kings will host Sunrisers Hyderabad in an exciting IPL 2024 match at Chepauk tonight. It is the reverse fixture between the two sides after they met in Hyderabad earlier this season, where the Orange Army beat the defending champions by six wickets.
CSK have struggled this season with only four wins from eight matches. They suffered two losses in their previous two encounters, both against the Lucknow Super Giants.
With only six league matches remaining, captain Ruturaj Gaikwad and the rest of the team management will have to find a way to get CSK's IPL 2024 campaign back on track.
Perhaps the Super Kings should make some changes to their match squad. They have some quality players sitting on the bench, including England pacer Richard Gleeson. The 36-year-old joined the franchise as a replacement for the injured Devon Conway.
Gleeson has never played an IPL match in his career before, but here are three reasons why CSK should hand him his debut cap for tonight's match against SRH.
#1 Richard Gleeson could share the new ball with Deepak Chahar in tonight's IPL 2024 match
In the previous two matches against Lucknow Super Giants, Tushar Deshpande opened the bowling with Deepak Chahar. In the away fixture, LSG's openers Quinton de Kock and KL Rahul built a record 134-run opening stand, while in the home game, Chahar dismissed De Kock for a duck.
Deshpande returned wicketless in both games. Perhaps, CSK can change the new ball combination by bringing Richard Gleeson into the team. Gleeson has a habit of picking up wickets in the powerplay. He destroyed India's top-order on his T20I debut for England two years ago.
Considering that SRH have an explosive top-order that shows no mercy to the bowlers, handing the new ball to Tushar Deshpande again could be a big mistake.
#2 It would allow CSK to bring Sameer Rizvi back into the side
Daryl Mitchell has not been able to justify his enormous price tag of ₹14 crore in IPL 2024. Even in the last match against LSG in Chennai, Mitchell scored just 11 runs off 10 balls. With a destructive player like Sameer Rizvi sitting on the bench, dropping Mitchell could allow CSK to bring the uncapped all-rounder back into the side.
Rizvi played some fantastic shots in his maiden IPL innings against the Gujarat Titans. Although he didn't impress in his next two outings, CSK should give him another chance because of his excellent performances in domestic cricket.
#3 Richard Gleeson would give Ruturaj Gaikwad another death-bowling option
CSK captain Ruturaj Gaikwad has relied on Matheesha Pathirana and Mustafizur Rahman as death bowlers in IPL 2024. While the duo has done a brilliant job, Rahman went for a lot of runs in the last match against LSG at MA Chidambaram Stadium.
If CSK select Gleeson in the playing XI, it would give the skipper another death-bowling option. Gleeson can nail full deliveries and yorkers in the death overs and his extra pace could greatly benefit CSK.