IPL 2020: CSK look for minor tweaks at the auctions

With the inspirational MS Dhoni at the helm, Chennai Super Kings will again have lofty ambitions for the 2020 edition of the IPL. They have a largely settled squad at their disposal and the aim will be to finetune it with a couple of additions to take them one step further. The finalists from 2019 don’t have a large budget at their disposal at the auction and will have to play it smart. But with their history and the acumen of the team management, who will back against CSK acing the upcoming event in Kolkata?

Here we take a look at the areas of their squad which they will likely reinforce during the auctions:

A backup for MS Dhoni

Having released Sam Billings, CSK are short on a keeper who can also bat effectively anywhere in the order. MS Dhoni at the age of 38 isn’t getting any younger and may require periodic rests during a long season. The likes of Mushfiqur Rahim and Shai Hope, experienced campaigners with an international pedigree will fit the bill perfectly. Both the names are also clever players of spin bowling, an important factor on the slow pitches of Chennai. Though Tom Banton is the a discussed by everyone, he may well prove to be out of budget for CSK.

A proven international fast bowler

CSK are well stocked in their spin bowling department. Ravindra Jadeja, Imran Tahir and Harbhajan Singh are all proven performers. Mitchell Santner will also be available again having recovered from his injury issues. Karn Sharma will also provide them with quality backup. It is the pace bowling department where they will have to improve though. Deepak Chahar and Shardul Thakur are the two Indian options at their disposal. Lungi Ngidi is also a key performer but question marks remain over his fitness. With this in mind, CSK could choose to bring in Dale Steyn to further bolster the experience in their camp. Josh Hazlewood can also be an option if the bidding war for him doesn’t go too high. CSK could also opt to bring back Mohit Sharma whom they recently released at a lower price.

Freshen up the squad with young talents

One constant criticism of CSK has always been the average age of their squad. Most of their current key performers are in the twilight of their careers. They are in desperate need of adding a couple of young exciting Indian talents to their repertoire in order to build for the future. Explosive batsman Yashasvi Jaiswal and Indian U-19 captain Priyam Garg could pique CSK’s interest.