GT vs CSK: MS Dhoni's credit stolen as Simarjeet Singh credits these 2 people for his rise vs PBKS

Updated - 06 May 2024, 12:24 PM

Simarjeet Singh MS Dhoni CSK
Simarjeet Singh MS Dhoni CSK (Credits: Instagram)

Chennai Super Kings' uncapped Delhi-based seamer Simarjeet Singh has high regard for CSK bowling coach Dwayne Bravo and assistant coach Eric Summons. 

Simarjeet Singh, who played his first IPL 2024 match for CSK yesterday against Punjab Kings, hailed Bravo and Simmons as two "amazing coaches". His comments came after the Super Kings defeated the North-Indian outfit by 28 runs at the picturesque venue of HPCA stadium in Dharamshala. CSK moved to 3rd with the victory while Punjab remains 8th in the IPL 2024 points table. 

Simarjeet Singh shines on his IPL 2024 debut 

Last season, Simarjeet Singh played only 6 matches for the Chennai Super Kings, who eventually won the 2023 Indian Premier League trophy. The tall and strong right-arm seamer had impressed everyone in the CSK camp and also won the hearts of fans for his ability to 'hit the deck' and concede very less runs. 

Simarjeet Singh is not necessarily a serial wicket-taker but he is definitely someone who is capable of putting full stop to the flow of runs. It was exactly the case yesterday as well. Having arrived in the game as an Impact substitution in place of veteran opening batter Ajinkya Rahane, the seamer picked up from where he had left off last season. 

Although his requirement in the bowling attack came a little late Simarjeet Singh did make sure to produce an instant impact and execute the job he was sent for. In his very first over the spell, the Delhi-born pacer claimed the wicket of Punjab Kings wicket-keeper batsman Jitesh Sharma. 

In the 4th ball of his first over of IPL 2024, Simarjeet Singh bowled a hard length and bouncy delivery to Jitesh Sharma, who landed a thick edge while cutting it away. After sending back Jitesh for a golden duck, Simarjeet had almost got another wicket. 

He had bowled another shorter delivery which Ashutosh Sharma pulled but found Moeen Ali at the mid-wicket only for the Englishman to drop. But just a few overs later, Ravindra Jadeja was able to get Ashutosh's wicket for just 3 runs. 

In the second over of his spell, Simarjeet Singh was on target once again. After getting scooped for a six and late cutted for a four by Harshal Patel, the pacer bowled another hard-length delivery to get rid of Patel for 12 runs. The 26-year-old eventually finished with figures of 16/2 from 3 overs. His economy rate was just at 5.33 and he has definitely hinted that he can be very efficient. 

What did Simarjeet say about Bravo and Simmons?

After the match, Simarjeet Singh praised Dwayne Bravo and Eric Simmons for being exceptional coaches and for giving him the space to improve. He also labeled former India coach Simmons as the mastermind of the team's strategies. 

"Eric Simmons and Dwayne Bravo are amazing coaches. They give you the space to put forward your thinking. Our coach Erik is the mastermind." - Simarjeet said after the match. 

Following his appreciation from Simarjeet Singh, Eric Simmons, too, praised the former for a spell of 3 overs and labeled it as "magical". Simmons also stated that it's good for the CSK camp that players are ready for the opportunities opened up due to injuries and stressed that every player should have an attitude like Simarjeet. 

"To get the wickets that did was magical. So, it's important to make sure that the whole squad is ready because we never know when we are gonna call them (up)." - Eric Simmons told media reporters.