IPL 2020: Harsha Bhogle wants CSK to pick Ajinkya Rahane in mid-season transfer

Chennai Super Kings (CSK) have had a rough campaign thus far in the 2020 Indian Premier League (IPL), winning only two of their first seven matches. Ahead of their eighth game against the Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in Dubai, MS Dhoni and Co are virtually in a do-or-die scenario. The team will be going into the game on the back of a 46-run loss to the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB).

Their batting, especially in the middle-order has looked lacklustre. Suresh Raina’s departure has left a massive void and the Yellow Army haven’t found someone, who could fill his shoes. In the meantime, Harsha Bhogle, the renowned cricket journalist, reckons that the Super Kings should aim for Ajinkya Rahane in the mid-season transfer.

He took to Twitter and wrote, “How’s this for a mid-season transfer thought: #CSK desperately need a quality top order batsman. Ajinkya Rahane desperately needs a game. Ajinkya Rahane is not getting a game. #MidnightThoughts.”

Rahane has truckload of experience under his belt, but he hasn’t gotten much chances in the ongoing edition. Playing for the Delhi Capitals (DC), the right-hander has played only a solitary game against the Mumbai Indians (MI) on Sunday, October 11 at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi. He couldn’t make much of an impact, getting out on 15.

Here’s Bhogle’s tweet:

How's this for a mid-season transfer thought: #CSK desperately need a quality top order batsman. Ajinkya Rahane desperately needs a game. Ajinkya Rahane is not getting a game. #MidnightThoughts.

— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) October 10, 2020

CSK captain unhappy

As far as CSK are concerned, Dhoni, their skipper, wasn’t a happy man after his team lost to the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) by 10 runs in Abu Dhabi. It was game when CSK faltered in the second-half of their run-chase, especially after the dismissal of Shane Watson, who scored a half-century.

“In the middle overs there was a phase where they bowled two or three good overs and after that we lost three wickets. That was the phase we really lost it. If we batted better from that period on the result would have been different,” Dhoni was quoted as said after the match.

“(Sam) Curran was really good with the ball, and I think we did well in general with the ball. 160-odd runs is something we should have chased but I think we batsmen let down the bowlers today,” the 39-year-old added.