IPL 2018: Unknown Players of the Chennai Super Kings

After serving a two-year ban, the Chennai Super Kings franchise will be returning to the fray in the upcoming edition of the IPL. And they announced their return with a bang, going all guns blazing at the auction to bolster their squad. The two-time champions will once again be skippered by MS Dhoni as they aim to restore their past fortunes.

Arguably one of the most consistent sides in the IPL, the southpaws have made some smart buys over the course of the auction process. They roped in a lot of overseas big names and domestic stars and will look to continue their supreme form in the new season. The yellow army has managed to feature in the playoffs of each and every edition of the tournament that they have played in thus far.

Unlike most other teams, Chennai Super Kings were firm in their decision about the players they wished to retain for IPL 2018. They retained three Indian capped players and shelled out a big amount to do so. Subsequently, the franchise was also keen on giving a platform to the young colts and provide them with international exposure.

Here are the unknown stars of the Chennai Super Kings

Asif KM

The 24-year-old Kerala pacer KM Asif made his debut in the recent Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 tournament where he played two matches for figures of 3/25 and 2/34. The pacer has the ability to touch high speeds which he showed in the two games in which he touched 140 Kmph regularly with a maximum of 145.

First spotted by Australian pacer Jeff Thompson four years ago in a camp in Kerala, Asif had initially dreamt of becoming a footballer. And it has indeed been a rag to riches story for the 24-year-old from Edavanna, a village in Malappuram district after bagging an INR 40 lakh contract with CSK.

Monu Kumar

Similar to Asif, Jharkhand’s pacer Monu Kumar also has the ability to deliver at near 140 kmph speed and has represented India U19 in the past. The Ranchi cricketer made his T20 debut in SMA Trophy and has been a revelation, courtesy his impressive performance. The 23-year-old will aim to leave his mark in the upcoming edition of IPL and garner the interest of national selectors.

He played a total of 13 T20s so far and picked 15 wickets at an average of 21.06. His best bowling figures read 4/14. He could be a handy bowler for the comeback side Chennai Super Kings if he gets a chance in the XI. In the recent SMAT20, he picked 12 wickets in 8 games.

Narayan Jagadeesan

N Jagadeesan piled 397 runs in the inaugural TNPL edition that earned him a place in the state team. The wicketkeeper-batsman Narayan Jagadeesan is a huge admirer of MS Dhoni and was over the moon after being picked by Chennai Super Kings (CSK) at the IPL auction.

He could be a trustable gloveman as he kept wickets in the Domestic games and was even given preference over senior player Dinesh Karthik. Although the 22-year-old will get limited opportunities with Dhoni in the fray, he will have to ensure that he makes every little chance count.

Kanishk Seth

Kanishk Seth featured in six games in the Domestic T20 this year taking nine wickets and has the ability to cause troubles with his left-arm over the wicket angle. Seth can be a useful middle and low down the order and provide some crucial runs. The Bengal cricketer has been a regular in his state team and his stint with CSK will provide the 20-year-old with a great learning curve.

Dhruv Shorey

The right-hander from Delhi, Dhruv Shorey is reliable middle order batsman who can play an anchor role and also change the gears when needed. In the 2018 Mushtaq Ali tournament, Shorey aggregated 303 runs in seven innings with three fifties.

Prior to that, Shorey was an integral part of Delhi’s squad that made the finals of the Ranji Trophy. He scored a century in the first innings, batting for Delhi against Vidarbha in the summit clash. Coming on the back of some scintillating performances, a lot of pundits will be following the cricketer closely.

Chaitanya Bishnoi

23-year-old Chaitanya Bishnoi is an all-rounder from Haryana who has turned out to be an integral member of his stateside in the recent past. Chaitanya is a left-arm spinner and a left-arm batsman. The Delhi-born cricketer can come in handy with his batting cameos lower down the order and can pile on the total while setting a target.

Kshitiz Sharma

Much like every other uncapped cricketer in the fray, Delhi all-rounder Kshitiz Sharma also made his T20 debut in the recently concluded SMA Trophy. Sharma, who made his debut in 2013 has played only 11 T20s so far. A middle-order batsman and someone who can chip in a couple of overs with his medium pace, Sharma can come in handy if he succeeds to deliver on a consistent basis.

Here’s the full CSK squad for IPL 2018 season