3 reasons why CSK signing Richard Gleeson for IPL 2024 is the right move
Chennai Super Kings (CSK) opener and wicketkeeper-batter Devon Conway has been ruled out of the entire IPL 2024 season. He failed to recover from his left thumb injury that he sustained during Australia's tour to New Zealand in February.
While the franchise was hopeful of having Conway back for the second half of the competition, he is now expected to take longer to make a complete recovery. CSK have instead added England pacer Richard Gleeson to their roster for the remainder of the tournament. He will join the franchise for his base price of ₹50 lakh.
The defending champions have been untroubled despite Conway's absence, winning four out of their six outings. They currently find themselves well-placed in third position on the points table.
Although signing a bowler for Devon Conway leaves CSK with only two options, MS Dhoni and Aravelly Avanish, as wicketkeepers, Gleeson's addition could prove pivotal in the later stages of IPL 2024 despite the pacer not boasting prior experience in the lucrative league.
On that note, let us look at three reasons why CSK signing Richard Gleeson for the rest of IPL 2024 is the right move.
#1 Richard Gleeson will likely fill Mustafizur Rahman's void
CSK have so far been well-served by the sensational bowling form of Bangladesh left-arm pacer Mustafizur Rahman.
The 28-year-old is currently joint-second on the Purple Cap leaderboard with 10 wickets at an average of 18.30 in five games. Mustafizur's ability to pick up wickets at all stages of the innings and control the flow of runs in the death overs has been instrumental in CSK's strong start to IPL 2024.
However, with Bangladesh taking on Zimbabwe in a five T20I series at home from May 3, Mustafizur will leave the IPL after CSK's clash against PBKS on May 1.
The Yellow Army will have four more league-stage games after his departure with a possible 1-3 playoff matches. The inclusion of Richard Gleeson in the XI will potentially help CSK overcome Mustafizur's loss so that they can continue with their successful template of playing two overseas pacers, Matheesha Pathirana being the other.
#2 Gleeson adds a new dimension to CSK's pace attack
Renowned for his ability to generate extra bounce, Richard Gleeson will add a much-needed cutting edge to a fairly one-dimensional CSK pace attack.
The likes of Deepak Chahar, Shardul Thakur, Mukesh Choudhary, and Tushar Deshpande are bowlers who rely more on swing or slower deliveries, something which could occasionally get exposed on flat tracks in India. While Pathirana can bowl quick, he is another one whose stock length is full and has shown a preference to bowl only after the powerplay.
With Gleeson, CSK will have a pacer who can bowl at slightly higher speeds than the others but his main forte is the ability to trouble batters with his extra bounce and a touch of unpredictability with a mean yorker.
Indian fans will do well to remember the 36-year-old wrecking their top order by dismissing Rohit Sharma, Rishabh Pant, and Virat Kohli on his T20I debut in 2022. The trio were undone by Gleeson's awkward length and hustling pace as the pacer finished with figures of 3/15 in four overs.
His addition will add more juice to a CSK pace attack that is often only reliant on finesse.
#3 Gleeson is a proven T20 performer with tremendous versatility
CSK pacers have tended to leak runs on flat pitches during the powerplay and at the death in recent years, including this season. It will certainly help that Richard Gleeson is a proven T20 performer across various T20 leagues with the ability to deliver upfront and in the death overs.
Although he has played only 6 T20Is for England, the right-arm pacer has the experience of 90 T20 games under his belt.
With 101 wickets in his T20 career at an outstanding average of 24.32 and an economy of under 8.20, Gleeson has been miserly despite bowling difficult overs.
The 36-year-old averages an impressive 20.20 with an economy of under 9 from overs 15 to 20 with the ball in his T20 career. His powerplay numbers are equally impressive, with an average of 28 and an economy of only 7.68.
Gleeson has also performed his trade in some of the best T20 Leagues around the world, including the BBL, BPL, SA20, and Hundred, among others.
His vast experience and unique bowling skills could come in handy against local batters who prefer front-foot play as CSK looks to defend their title and triumph for a sixth time.