The defending champions Chennai Super Kings have been dealt a massive blow as pacer Deepak Chahar will miss the majority of the IPL 2022, if not the entire tournament. Chahar suffered a quadriceps tear in the third T20I against West Indies last month in Kolkata.
The seam-bowling all-rounder who was purchased for 14 crores by the 4-time champions at the IPL 2022 mega-auction will miss several weeks; he is currently recovering at the NCA in Bangalore.
Deepak Chahar has been CSK’s leading wicket-taker since he was bought by the franchise in 2014; more than half of his wickets have came in the powerplay and his batting has also shown tremendous improvement over the past year. The 29-year-old has made it into India’s ODI and T20I elevens on his all-round show.
This injury to their costliest pick at the mega-auction has got the franchise thinking about possible replacements should Chahar later be ruled out of the entire tournament. To note is that unless and until a player is completely ruled out of a season – due to unavailability or injury – only then can a franchise seek a replacement from the unsold players in the auction.
Here are 5 replacement options for CSK if Deepak Chahar is ruled out of IPL 2022:
Ishant Sharma
The senior workhorse Ishant Sharma went unsold at the IPL 2022 mega-auction as franchises looked for fitter and younger pacers. However, there is no substitute for experience.
After being dropped from the Test side, Ishant would be raring to go on any given opportunity. CSK skipper MS Dhoni also knows Ishant closely having played together for a long time. Ishant, the former Delhi Capitals pacer, could well have the gas for another IPL season.
Suresh Raina
It came as a big shock that CSK didn’t bid for Suresh Raina, the IPL stalwart, Mr. IPL, at the mega-auction. Although Raina’s form last season – average of 17 in 12 matches – and fitness would have been an issue, he would enjoy the surfaces in Mumbai and Pune – the two cities where the IPL is going to be played – if he’s called in as Chahar’s replacement.
Does Raina still has one season of exciting batting left in him? Well, CSK could get him as a replacement player and let his bat answer that.
Dhawal Kulkarni
Dhawal Kulkarni has featured in just 2 matches over the last two seasons for Mumbai Indians and went wicketless in both those games.
However, Kulkarni would seem to be a really similar replacement for Deepak Chahar as the Mumbai pacer is also known for his new-ball bowling where he troubles batters with swing and seam movement.
Arzan Nagwaswalla
It was a slight surprise that Arzan Nagwaswalla, a 24-year-old left-arm pacer from Gujarat who last year hogged the limelight when he was called up to India’s Test squad as a standby player, was unsold at the mega-auction, given his age and the left-arm pace-bowling angle.
Nagwaswalla has 76 wickets in 20 first-class matches, 39 wickets in 20 List-A games, and 28 wickets in 20 T20s. He is an in-form bowler and could well receive a call-up from CSK.
Piyush Chawla
Veteran India leg-spinner Piyush Chawla was with CSK for IPL 2020 when he played half of the team’s games then, before Mumbai bought him last season. He went unsold at the mega-auction but Dhoni and CSK may look at him again as Chahar’s replacement given his immense experience in Indian conditions and in the IPL.
