The reigning IPL champions, Chennai Super Kings (CSK), have stated that ace all-rounder Ben Stokes would miss the 2024 season in order to manage his workload.
At the last auction, the England Test captain Ben Stokes proved to be the franchise’s most expensive signing in history, having been purchased for a record 16.25 crore. He returned from ODI retirement during the recently finished World Cup, playing as a pure hitter due to a niggling knee injury.
Ben Stokes is anticipated to undergo surgery at some stage, despite the fact that a five-match Test series in India is scheduled for the end of January 2024.
While it is unclear whether CSK would officially dismiss Ben Stokes from their roster with the retention deadline coming for Sunday, November 26, one would think it makes sense. The release of the all-rounder provides them with a substantial sum to spend at the player auction, which is due to take place in Dubai on December 19.
If they take that route, CSK would consider a variety of seam-bowling all-rounders to replace Ben Stokes in their team. Here are three players the Super Kings might sign in this regard:
1. Pat Cummins
Pat Cummins, who guided Australia to the World Cup championship, might put his name in the ring for the IPL 2024 auction. He skipped the 2023 edition to manage his workload, but having been a regular in the past, he may return with a T20 World Cup on the horizon.
Pat Cummins, who has the equal second-fastest fifty in IPL history, appears to be a good match for CSK in many ways. The team has publicly stated its desire for seasoned and multi-dimensional players in the past, and the Australian captain checks both criteria.
An IPL economy rate of 8.54 confirms the assumption that there are better T20 bowlers out there. However, the manner Cummins bowled on a slow surface in the World Cup final against India may have played a role in the CSK think-tank’s decision. After all, they play their home games in the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on comparable turf.
Cummins isn’t a like-for-like substitute for Ben Stokes, who isn’t available for IPL 2024. But you’d think the Super Kings would be eager to sign a fast bowler with experience and the ability to strike the ball a long far.
2. Gerald Coetzee
Gerald Coetzee has had quite a run in 2023, having earned a name for himself in the SA20 before making his debut for South Africa across forms. A breakthrough World Cup performance saw him take 20 wickets at an average of 19.80, striking once every 19.05 deliveries despite a high economy rate.
The 23-year-old speedster’s talents are in cranking up some genuine pace as an enforcer in the middle-overs, but he also has a deceiving slower one. CSK lacks that tearaway quickness, which should put Coetzee in the mix, particularly as a long-term option.
He can also bat down the order and frequently stayed in there when South Africa needed him to at the World Cup, such as in the quarterfinal against Australia when David Miller needed some help.
The most important point, however, is that he has already played for CSK’s sister teams, Joburg and Texas Super Kings, in the SA20 and Major League Cricket, respectively. The athlete and the franchise have already developed a bond, and the idea of his joining a third Super Kings organization cannot be ruled out.
At the IPL 2024 auction, Coetzee is projected to be in high demand. However, if Ben Stokes is released, CSK will have a substantial buffer of money to break the bank if necessary.
3. Azmatullah Omarzai
Azmatullah Omarzai’s stock has increased as a result of Afghanistan’s fantastic World Cup performance, and it shouldn’t surprise anyone if he earns an IPL contract.
Azmatullah Omarzai captained Afghanistan’s spectacular campaign, scoring 353 runs at an average of 70.60 and taking seven wickets in nine matches. Sachin Tendulkar even compared his wrists to Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Praveen Kumar, predicting that he will be handy with the new ball.
The seam-bowling all-rounder, who frequently bats at No. 5, can strike a long ball, as he demonstrated against India when facing spin. That would undoubtedly entice CSK, considering that they will require someone to not only replace Ben Stokes, but also to fill the vacancy left by the departed Ambati Rayudu.
Omarzai’s T20 statistics aren’t particularly eye-catching, but at 23, his future seems promising. A long-term signing who is only going to become better, he won’t be a bad gamble even if CSK sees him as a backup to develop before thrusting him into their starting XI in the future.
Should they pursue that path in Ben Stokes’ absence, signing Omarzai might prove to be wise business.
