IPL 2020 | CSK can employ Sam Curran at No.3, feels L Sivaramakrishnan
In the absence of Suresh Raina, L Sivaramakrishnan feels that CSK can employ either of Sam Curran or Ruturaj Gaikwad at No.3 in their setup for the 2020 edition. The former leggie also praised Curranās bowling ability, which he feels would give the franchise the edge in the bowling department.
CSKās love story with Suresh Raina came to an abrupt end when the southpaw pulled himself out of the 2020 edition of the tournament. The southpaw, who has never missed a single game for the franchise, pulled out owing to personal reasons. Naturally, India A talent Ruturaj Gaikwad is in the wings, with most critics believing that the Maharashtra man can create an immediate impact for the franchise.Ā
Echoing in on these thoughts, former Indian leg-spinner Laxman Sivaramakrishnan admitted that the franchise could utilise either of Sam Curran or Ruturaj Gaikwad in place of departed Raina. Further, he added that having the English all-rounder in the setup would be crucial for MS Dhoni and co, as he gives them the extra dimension with the ball. In the past, CSKās tale with left-arm seamers has been well-recorded, with the success of Australiaās Doug Bollinger in the past.Ā
"In T20s, most teams employ leg-spinners to trouble the right-handers. But then, a left-hander could negotiate with leggies easily. So the loss of such an established batsman like Raina would hurt CSK. But they have a utility player in Curran and could send the southpaw up the order. He can bat at No. 3 and give CSK those useful runs. Over the years, we have also seen Dhoni preferring left-arm pacers. Curran can come in handy since he can swing the ball in the air and is a very enthusiastic fielder," Siva told TOI on Sunday.
"They have Faf du Plessis too who can play at any position in the top 4. CSK don't need to panic at all with so much experience on their side. All they need is to fine tune their mental makeup," Siva added.Ā
On the other hand, former Indian wicketkeeper Deep Dasgupta too hopped on in the conversation, adding that the franchise has enough seasoned campaigners in the outfit to share the burden.Ā
"There is no substitute for experience and CSK have loads of it. So even though Raina's loss is huge, they will have seasoned campaigners who can share the burden. Players like Jadhav and Rayudu could step up and show that they still have it in them to make a comeback into the Indian side. Curran will always add value to any side," said Dasgupta, reported TOI.Ā