3 teams that might want to sign Chris Morris at the IPL 2021 auction
South African all-rounder Chris Morris was snapped up by the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in the IPL 2020 auction for a whopping INR 10 crores.
However, he couldn't contribute much with the bat, scoring just 34 runs in the entire campaign. But Chris Morris was one of RCB's better performers with the ball, snaring 11 wickets from nine matches at a brilliant economy rate of just 6.63. For that reason, RCB's decision to release the 33-year-old is baffling.
Three teams that could sign Chris Morris ahead of IPL 2021:
Chris Morris has picked up 80 wickets in 70 IPL games and also has a fabulous batting strike-rate of 157.87. That makes a quality all-rounder like him an asset for any IPL team.
On that note, let us have a look at three teams that could benefit by signing Chris Morris ahead of the 2021 edition of the IPL.
#1 Mumbai Indians (MI)
Defending champions Mumbai Indians (MI) are the most successful franchise in IPL history. The five-time IPL winners are renowned for identifying and backing young talent, producing match-winners like Jasprit Bumrah and Hardik Pandya.
However, they also possess some of the world's best overseas T20 players like Kieron Pollard and Quinton de Kock. MI have always been smart in picking their overseas players, and Chris Morris could be a potential target too.
Although they lost the bidding war for Chris Morris in last year's auction, they are likely to go for the South African all-rounder again this time.
Despite having world-class pacers like Bumrah and Trent Boult in their lineup, MI struggled last season to find a third fast bowler who could perform consistently and be an ideal foil for the duo. James Pattinson and Nathan Coulter-Nile couldn't quite create an impact and have subsequently been released by the franchise.
Chris Morris could not only be effective with the ball but also help the defending champions add more solidity to their already fearsome batting lineup.
MI have four overseas slots to fill and INR 15.35 crores in their kitty. It would be interesting to see if they go for Chris Morris in the IPL 2021 auction.
#2 Kings XI Punjab (KXIP)
KXIP had a topsy-turvy IPL 2020 season, with a new captain and team management.
After losing six of their first seven games, KL Rahul's men won five games on the bounce. However, they failed to qualify for the playoffs.
One of the main reasons for their underwhelming performance last season was the absence of an economical overseas fast bowler. The likes of Sheldon Cottrell and Chris Jordan were taken to the cleaners and struggled to pick wickets.
That would make Chris Morris an ideal player for KXIP. Moreover, his big-hitting ability would give KXIP the finisher they have been craving for.
KXIP have the biggest kitty (INR 53.20 crores) of all the franchises. With five overseas slots to fill, Chris Morris could perfectly fit the bill for the franchise.
#3 Chennai Super Kings (CSK)
Last season, Chennai Super Kings (CSK) finished out of the top four for the first time in their IPL history. One of the main reasons for their underwhelming performances was the ineffectiveness of their fast bowlers.
Barring Deepak Chahar and Sam Curran, CSK lacked an impact-player last season, with the likes of Josh Hazlewood and Lungi Ngidi enduring disappointing campaigns.
Chris Morris could be an asset for the three-time IPL champions; he could be effective with the ball and also be a finisher with the bat. The likes of Ravindra Jadeja could complement the efforts of the South African.
However, CSK only have one overseas slot they could fill and INR 22.90 crores in their kitty. Thus, it remains to be seen if CSK go for Morris in the auction.