Chennai Super Kings had a disappointing season in the last edition of the fray as they finished in the bottom half and the CSK fans were left devastated at this woeful showdown from one of the most successful sides of the tournament.
There were countless reasons which were pointed out as the factors of failure for the Yellow Army. Unfortunately, the players who were expected to fire on all cylinders whittled down to mere ordinary outings and a lackluster showdown.
Chennai will be raring to set feet back to winning ways and they will eye the mini-auction which is all set to be conducted on 18th February to rope in a few valuable players in order to anchor a major overhaul to their new season. We will be looking at five players for whom Chennai Super Kings will set sail in the imminent auction.
Alex Hales
Chennai had a major problem with their opening pair. They were not really able to sort out this conundrum that led to the team being pushed to the very brink of elimination from the tournament. The introduction of this English superstar to the team will mean the inclusion of a good hitter in the squad. Hales can be an absolute scare with the willow in the hand and his scoring rate is extremely impressive. The English international has played 60 T20 international games from which he has managed to garner 1644 runs at a decent average of 31.01 and at a breezy strike rate of 136.65. He is also a decent wicket-keeper and in case if Dhoni tends to rest himself from being a keeper, they will have the option of Hales chiming in. He had an exceptional outing in the recently concluded KFC Big Bash where he managed to amass an unbeaten 63 against Adelaide Strikers, a blistering 110 against Sydney Sixers, a decent 29 against Hobart Hurricanes, a fabulous 54 against Sixers, 46 against Heat and a sublime 45 against Renegades. These shows from the English star will inspire a lot of hopes when he goes under the hammer and CSK must make war if need be.
Corey Anderson
This burly Kiwi striker can be a big name if you are looking for some quick runs in the powerplay that sets your tone for the upcoming overs. Despite a woeful showdown in the CPL 2020 that happened mid-year, Anderson is capable of unleashing an onslaught upon the bowlers. Also, given the fact that he has nothing more to prove in the international circuit, he will be able to perform without any cosh at all. Though his numbers aren’t impressive when it comes to T20 cricket, his batting prowess is underlined by the tempestuous strike rate of 138.17. Also, the flat surfaces of India will provide Corey Anderson the impetus to strike the ball as hard as he wants to. Anderson can also play the bridging role in the middle-order which Marcus Stoinis played for Delhi Capitals in the last season.
Rassie Van Der Dussen
He is a desert storm from the heart of Rainbow Nation and his recent resounding performances against Pakistan and England will be the reason why CSK must be fascinated by this big-hitting batsman. His unbeaten scores of 25 and 74 against England are the highlights of his dominating display in the shortest version of the game. He also had blazing displays against Sri Lanka and South Africa. He is also an experienced campaigner and his chemistry with CSK’s primary batsman, Faf Du Plessis can also be a massive factor for the Yellow Army. If the duo gets going in the middle, the scores can very well blow through the roof and the oppositions will be left scratching their heads.
Ben Dwarshuis
This New Zealand bowler has been creating significant ripples in the domestic tournaments that he has been recently a part of. From 69 games, he has managed to pick up 85 scalps at a decent strike rate of 8.05. Chennai had a major problem in working out their bowling combination despite bragging about several players in their squad who could have worked wonders. Now that the party arrives in India and the pitches in the sub-continent being extremely conducive for the batters, CSK will very well need a sensation who is new and can produce some quality swing. Dwarshuis has been grabbing the limelight due to the swing that he has been generating. In the recently concluded KFC Big Bash, he was extremely impressive for the Sydney Sixers where wickets came to him in a flurry. If Chennai can go for this budding sensation, he can very well bridge the gap in the middle overs.
Josh Inglis
This wicket-keeping batsman hailing all the way from Australia can be a priceless asset to the Yellow Army, especially given his blistering form in the Big Bash. The showdowns in the Australian domestic extravaganza will act as a salient prelude to the upcoming auction and his performances’ of 69, 26, 58, and 25 will inspire CSK to bid for this man. He boasts of a staggering strike rate of 143.44 in T20 cricket which is almost close to Andre Russell, Kieron Pollard, and other greats of the shortest format of the game.
