IPL 2019: Three ways Chennai Super Kings can line up after Ngidi's injury
The start of the 12th edition of the IPL is just hours away as defending champions, Chennai Super Kings lock horns with Royal Challengers Bangalore at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai.
The rivalry has been keenly contested over the years with several humdingers characterizing the explosive feud. However, in recent times, CSK has enjoyed the wood over Virat Kohli’s men with the latter unable to eke out a win against the former since 2014.
Yet, one would be extremely naïve to expect the match to be a one-sided affair. RCB boasts of numerous match-winners with AB De Villiers and Shimron Hetmyer supplementing Kohli’s mercurial talent.
Moreover, a spanner was thrown in CSK’s works as Lungi Ngidi was ruled out for the season. The pacer from South Africa had formed a vital part of their title-winning campaign last term as he bagged 11 wickets in 7 games. However, the Yellow Army would hope to offset the South African’s loss with the quality in their ranks.
Thus, through the course of this article, we would chalk out three options MS Dhoni’s charges could explore for the opener in Chennai.
#3 David Willey in place of Ngidi
The most straightforward alternative for CSK would be to bring David Willey in place of Ngidi. The Englishman is adroit at swinging the new ball and would provide penetration during the power-play.
The left-arm seamer was in decent form in the recently concluded T20 series in the Caribbean. He caused the marauding West Indies batsmen problems with his brand of swing bowling. To supplement these attributes, Willey would also add meat to the lower middle order while also allowing CSK the luxury of sending him in as a pinch hitter.
Yet, in the last season, the Englishman’s death bowling was a real concern with his inept display against Rajasthan Royals quickly springing to mind. Willey’s lack of pace meant that the batsmen were able to line him up and maneuver the field to their liking. Moreover, the sluggish nature of the Chennai pitch might not aid him in his endeavors. Hence, the inclusion of the left-arm fast bowler certainly comes with its drawbacks.
If CSK actually gives him the nod ahead of others is a question better left unanswered for now. Yet, it definitely is a course of action they won’t ignore come 8 pm on the 23rd of March.