IPL 2022: Teamwise unsung hero of the tournament

10. Simarjeet Singh (CSK)

CSK were jolted by a massive setback even before they stepped on the field in IPL 2022 with an injury to Deepak Chahar. In his absence, they tried many bowlers like Tushar Deshpande, Adam Milne, and Chris Jordan but none were effective. Batters win games, but bowlers win championships, and it was no surprise that CSK found it difficult to defend its title this year.

While Mukesh Choudhary was the biggest positive with the ball, another young pacer showed character. He was brought into the side late in the tournament, particularly when their playoff hopes were gone. With an eye on the future, Dhoni decided to groom the young pacer and the Delhi pacer proved to be a quick learner.

Simarjeet was attacked in his first two outings by the batters and failed to pick any wickets. Dhoni decided to stick to him and he returned the favor, picking 2/27 in his four overs against DC. Defending just 97 against Mumbai, the skipper decided to bowl Simarjeet four overs on the trot and he picked up the big wicket of Rohit Sharma going for just 22 runs om his quota.

The young man continued with his positive performances with a spell of 1/18 in CSK’s last group game, dismissing the Orange Cap holder Jos Buttler. His ability to swing the ball is for everyone to see and a little bit of control can make him a quality bowler in the future.