Why it is illogical to laugh at CSK's approach to the IPL auction
The most awaited IPL auctions witnessed 187 players being sold out of 578 players available in the list.
Ben Stokes was the costliest player in the auctions for the second year running, while Jaydev Unadkat emerged as the highest paid Indian player in the bidding.
Among the bids made by the franchises, it was CSK's approach to the auction which ignited a debate on social media as the two-time winners preferred experience to youth and bought nine players aged above 30.
CSK's selections earned them the nickname Chennai SENIOR Kings, a term that soon started trending on Twitter.
Though young players are vital for any squad, the experience factor cannot be completely ruled out as it becomes a crucial aspect in this shorter version of the game.
Let us take a closer look at the players aged above 30 and try to understand whether it is fair to rate them purely based on age:
Faf du Plessis (Age: 33)
The South African skipper will once again play for Chennai Super Kings after the franchise used their first Right To Match card on him. The 33-year-old batsman has played 53 games for the Lions and has scored 1295 runs, maintaining a healthy average of 30.
Du Plessis has been in good touch with the bat and recently scored two crucial fifties in the Test series against India. Rs 1.6 crore is considered a bargain buy for CSK as the versatile batsman can open the innings to give a blistering start or can play as a sensible middle order batsman to keep the scorecard ticking.
Dwayne Bravo (Age: 34)
The West Indian all-rounder was the other player on whom the Right To Match card was used as the franchise matched the final price of Rs 6.4 crore set by KXIP. The former national captain has been the trump card for the Yellow Army in the past as he has scored 1262 runs and picked up 122 wickets in his 106 games in the IPL.
Bravo is the only overseas player to win the Purple cap twice - finishing as the top wicket taker in the sixth and eighth editions of the competition. The talented all-rounder is currently enjoying an excellent season in Big Bash, racking up 17 wickets in 10 games and leading the top wicket takers chart along with Rashid Khan.
Harbhajan Singh (Age: 37)
Harbhajan Singh was sold at his base price to Chennai Super Kings, which is regarded as one of the cheapest steals of the day. The Indian international has played 136 games in IPL - scoring 799 runs and picking up 127 crucial wickets. He has been a standout performer for his previous side Mumbai Indians and is one of the very few bowlers to have an economy below seven.
The off-spinner is currently in decent form with the ball for Punjab in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy - picking up eight wickets in nine games. Most importantly, he is maintaining an healthy economy around six.
Shane Watson (Age: 36)
The popular Australian all-rounder and captain was bought for Rs 4 crore, resulting in his switch from RCB to CSK. The former RCB and RR player has played 102 games in IPL - scoring 2622 runs and picking up 86 wickets.
Watson led the Sydney Thunders side in the Big Bash League and has been quite handy with both bat and ball. The Thunders' skipper is currently the third top scorer in the league, behind D'Arcy Short and Alex Carey.
Imran Tahir (Age: 38)
The South African spinner was surprisingly bought at his base price, which made him the oldest player in the current CSK squad. The former RPS player boasts of an impressive IPL record with the ball - picking up 47 wickets in 32 games and maintaining a remarkable strike rate of 15.
Imran Tahir is currently a part of the Dolphins squad in the Momentum One Day Cup and has been performing very well in the league. He has a haul of 13 wickets in just seven games, including a five-for against Warriors.
Kedar Jadhav (Age: 32)
The Indian batting all-rounder was bought for Rs 7.8 crore, making him one of the costliest all-rounders on Day 1 of the auction. The former DD player has played 64 matches and has scored around 900 runs, which is quite good considering his batting position in the line-up.
MS Dhoni is a fan of Kedar Jadhav's bowling and has used him pretty well in the past to break a few crucial partnerships.
Jadhav has been spending some time away from professional cricket; his last game came about three months back against New Zealand. He adds value to both the departments as he can fill the boots of a hard hitting finisher and can also prove to be a partnership breaker - which explains his expensive price tag.
Karn Sharma (Age: 30)
Karn Sharma was one of the surprise picks by CSK on Day 1 as the UP born spinner was bought for a hefty amount of Rs 5 crore. The bowling all-rounder has picked up 49 wickets and has scored 317 games in his 56 IPL appearances.
Sharma has played 5 games in the current Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy - scoring 70 runs and claiming 3 wickets in the process. He provides additional depth to the batting order of CSK while he can also prove to be an useful option on the spin friendly Indian pitches.
Ambati Rayudu (Age: 32)
Bought for Rs 2.2 crore, the AP born batsman became another former Mumbai Indians player to be a part of the current CSK squad. Known for his crucial knocks under pressure, Rayudu has played 114 games in the IPL - scoring 2416 runs with an average of 27.
Rayudu is currently playing for Hyderabad in Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy and has made three 40+ scores in his 5 innings. He possesses the ability to anchor the innings and can certainly provide the required balance in the CSK middle order.
Murali Vijay (Age: 33)
The unsold Indian opener was bought by CSK at his base price when he was called up for the second time in the auction. Vijay has featured in 100 IPL games and has scored over 2500 runs with an average of 26. He was a part of the winning side in 2010 and 2011 when CSK won consecutive titles under MS Dhoni's captaincy.
Despite looking shaky in the recently concluded test series against South Africa, Vijay will look to reproduce some of his finest performances at home and impress his home fans after spending some time at KXIP.
So as we can see, CSK's experienced buys are not exactly a bunch of old geezers who will struggle to remain standing. They all bring with them plenty of skill and expertise, and would be extremely handy to the team in Indian conditions.
After spending two years out of IPL, the two-time champions will be itching to return to the field in their iconic yellow jersey and entertain their mighty fan base spread across the country.