"Theekshana, save best performance on Wankhede for CSK vs MI" - Fans react as CSK spinner shines in 1st IND vs SL T20I
Sri Lanka spinner Maheesh Theekshana, who also plays for Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in the IPL, shone in the first T20I against India.
The leg-spinner finished with figures of 1/29, as Sri Lanka restricted India to 162/5 at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Tuesday, January 3. He took the prized scalp of Shubman Gill and then troubled India captain Hardik Pandya with his perfect yorkers.
Theekshana bowled the first three overs for only 12 runs, but proved costly in the 16th, giving away 17 runs.
CSK fans were excited to see the spinner nail perfect yorkers at Wankhede and expect him to fire in IPL 2023.
Here are some of the best reactions on Twitter:
Theekshana, save best performance on Wankhede for CSK vs MI.
Maheesh theekshana you beauty
A spinner bowling prefect yorker https://t.co/6ZVhHFikmp
. Theekshana is the only reliable bowler in our lineup who could bowl in all phases, spin pitch or belter, he should play all 16 games✍️I have seen some CSK fans tweet on Playing 11, dropping Theekshana away from home and added Pathirana🤣😭. Theekshana is the only reliable bowler in our lineup who could bowl in all phases, spin pitch or belter, he should play all 16 games✍️
, Apart from being best PP and Middle overs bowlerTheekshana flooring Pandya with an insane Yorker 🔥🔥🤩, He's the best death bowler we have in lineup as well👍, Apart from being best PP and Middle overs bowler
@review_retained Theekshana’s role in upcoming ipl https://t.co/CZ7I1r55K2
Nah, man. Theekshana is bowling yorkers now 😭😭
We need him to bowl in powerplay, middle overs and d3ath 😭😭
#Theekshana gonna be our main death bowler. Deepak+Mukesh in the PP, Moeen+Jaddu in the middle overs, Theekshana+Stokes at the death 🔥🔥
Theekshana . CSK blood . We looking good for IPL. Always said Ruturaj > Gill in T20s.
It is time to show levels to BCCI.
Let's go, Theekshana 👊 https://t.co/MYxu5ElYRG
@mufaddal_vohra Theekshana built pressure👏👏👏 CSK blood🔥 https://t.co/zYMJ0BBUZG
Theekshana in Chepauk 🤤
cricket. I'm exiting to see how he bowl at the chepauk this year IPL..#INDVSSL #MaheeshTheekshana
Maheesh Theekshana will be a future star of 🇱🇰 cricket. I'm exiting to see how he bowl at the chepauk this year IPL..
Maheesh Theekshana retained by CSK ahead of IPL 2023
Maheesh Theeshana was retained by MS Dhoni-led CSK for Rs 70 lakh ahead of IPL 2023. He picked up 12 wickets in nine IPL games at an economy of 7.46, including a four-wicket haul last season. So far, he has scalped 100 wickets in 90 T20s at a brilliant economy rate of 6.35.
The 22-year-old is expected to have a breakthrough season in the upcoming IPL edition, especially at home ground Chepauk, which favors spin bowling. Thus, he is likely to play all the home games this season.
CSK's IPL 2023 retentions: MS Dhoni (captain), Devon Conway, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Ambati Rayudu, Subhranshu Senapati, Moeen Ali, Shivam Dube, Rajvardhan Hangargekar, Dwaine Pretorius, Mitchell Santner, Ravindra Jadeja, Tushar Deshpande, Mukesh Chowdhary, Matheesha Pathirana, Simarjeet Singh, Deepak Chahar, Prashant Solanki and Maheesh Theekshana.
CSK's new buys: Ajinkya Rahane (INR 50 lakh), Ben Stokes (INR 16.25 crore), Shaik Rasheed (INR 20 lakh), Nishant Sindhu (INR 60 lakh), Kyle Jamieson (INR 1 crore), Ajay Mandal (INR 20 lakh), Bhagath Varma (INR 20 lakh).
CSK finished ninth with four wins in 14 games last season. After a breakthrough IPL auction, Dhoni and Co. will look to win their fifth IPL trophy.