Kedar Jadhav, Ambati Rayudu, Chennai Super Kings, Indian Premier League 2020
Ambati Rayudu. Credit: BCCI

The Chennai Super Kings [CSK] should promote Ambati Rayudu at the No.3 spot left vacated by Suresh Raina’s absence in the upcoming edition of the Indian Premier League, feels former New Zealand all-rounder Scott Styris.

CSK were dealt with a body blow when Suresh Raina pulled out of the tournament due to personal reasons. Raina, the highest-capped CSK player and the second-highest run-getter in the history of the competition, has been the bedrock of the Chennai Super Kings outfit since the inception of the IPL and his absence is something that will certainly affect the MS Dhoni-led unit, especially on the low and slow track of Abu Dhabi and Dubai.

CSK, Ambati Rayudu, Scott Styris, Suresh Raina
Suresh Raina (Credits: BCCI)

But, Styris feels that Ambati Rayudu is someone who can take Raina’s spot and play the role of anchor while batting at No.3.

“Personally, I’d put Rayudu in there to take that spot. A player of that class, a player who has been so good for so long. I know that the CSK squad is deep, they’ve got a lot of options at the top, but I also believe that as much as the pressure is now on to find that No.3, it’s just probably the most challenging time that I can look for any way for CSK,” Scott Styris said on Star Sports show ‘Cricket Connected’

Styris also reckoned that in the absence of senior players like Raina and Harbhajan Singh, the onus will be on MS Dhoni and Stephen Fleming to bring the group together in what he described as a ‘challenging time’ for CSK.

“And in particular, the leadership of this group? I think with (Mahendra Singh) Dhoni and Stephen Fleming? it’s up to them now to bring the group together, now that they have lost Raina and Harbhajan (Singh).” he added.

 

‘CSK have a lot more cover in the spin department’-  Ajit Agarkar on Harbhajan Singh’s absence

Harbhajan Singh, IPL 2019, Chennai Super Kings
Photo by: Prashant Bhoot /SPORTZPICS for BCCI

Apart from Suresh Raina, CSK will also miss the experience and quality of Harbhajan Singh, who also pulled out of the tournament due to ‘personal reasons’. Ajit Agarkar, former Indian pacer, echoed the same but he also added that CSK have enough options in the form of Imran Tahir, Piyush Chawla, Mitchell Santner, Karn Sharma, R Sai Kishore to make up for the absence of Bhajji.

He also added that CSK would be hoping to get tracks similar to what they get back home in Chennai.

“That kind of experience, the quality that you lose, it is going to be a loss, but I think CSK have a lot more cover in that department at least as far as spin is concerned. They have got Piyush Chawla as well that they have brought in. This year they have got (Imran) Tahir, (Mitchell) Santner, so they have got enough spin,” Agarkar said

“And they will be hoping that the conditions are in their favour what they get in Chennai, which is a little bit of turn, then those spinners come into play.” he added.

Also Read- CSK Rubbishes Report Of Identifying Dawid Malan As Suresh Raina Replacement