Last Update on: March 29th, 2023 at 10:38 am

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The four-time champion Chennai Super Kings bought England Test captain Ben Stokes for Rs 16.25 crore in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 mini-auction. Former Indian opener Aakash Chopra believes that Ben Stokes can perform up to his potential when he bats in the top order in T20 matches.

Chennai Super Kings had a poor campaign in the last season, as they failed to qualify for the playoffs for only the second time in the IPL. The MS Dhoni-led team finished ninth in the points table. The Super Kings will face the Gujarat Titans in the opening match of the IPL 2023 at the Narendra Modi Stadium on March 31.

Ben Stokes Likes Lo Take His Time – Aakash Chopra

In a video on his YouTube channel, Aakash Chopra has raised questions about Ben Stokes’ role in the CSK team. Chopra said the English all-rounder will take some time to accelerate his innings, pointing out that Ruturaj Gaikwad is the same kind of player in the team.

“As we saw in the World Cup as well, he likes to take his time in the middle. He plays better at no.3 as well, and in the IPL, his only century came when he batted up in the order. So, it’s hard to understand what’s happening there. Robin (Uthappa) isn’t there anymore, so were they searching for his replacement?” Chopra said.

Ben Stokes made his IPL debut for Raising Pune Super Giants in 2016. He scored 316 runs, including a century, and picked up 12 wickets in the season. He was named the season’s most valuable player for his outstanding performances with both bat and ball. The left-handed batter scored his second century in 2020 while batting in the top order for the Rajasthan Royals.

Ruturaj Gaikwad Starts Slowly And Picks Pace – Aakash Chopra

Chopra said that Ruturaj Gaikwad needs to be aggressive from the start of his innings, unlike in the previous season. The 45-year-old believes that the generation has changed and batters don’t need to start slowly to build an innings.

“It is possible that Ruturaj Gaikwad hits the ground up and running. Right now, he starts slowly and picks pace as he builds the innings. But the days of diesel engine are over, we have EVs now. Ruturaj has to become an electric vehicle,” Chopra said.

Ruturaj Gaikwad struggled against pacers in the powerplay (1-6 overs), as he scored 512 runs with a strike rate of 110.8 in his IPL career. However, he would attack the bowlers after building the innings. The right-handed batter scored 1207 runs in 36 IPL games with a strike rate of 130.35.

Also read: IPL 2023: CSK Identify Ben Stokes As Captain MS Dhoni’s Successor: Report

GT vs CSK: “He Plays Better At No.3..” – Aakash Chopra On Ben Stokes Role In Chennai Supers Kings Squad

Ben Stokes Likes Lo Take His Time – Aakash Chopra

Ruturaj Gaikwad Starts Slowly And Picks Pace – Aakash Chopra

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