IPL: 5 players who are dark horses for Chennai Super Kings this season

Over the course of IPL so far, each and every team have concentrated on creating a strong domestic base for themselves which has been very beneficial for the upcoming Indian talent. It all started from the very first season of IPL which saw Rajasthan Royals lift the trophy without having a lot of big names in the squad. Over the years, the uncapped players in each squad have proven to be extremely effective.

The IPL 2018 auction presented several surprises that created a lot of buzz in the world of cricket. A lot of Indian domestic cricketers made it to the tournament and went for a much higher bid than expected.

Over the past years, CSK have done a great job by including capable but not-so-known players in their side and created stars like Murali Vijay and Shadab Jakati. CSK have invested quite a bit in uncapped players this season by doing a lot of research prior to the auction. Let's take a look at five such able players who might turn out to be the dark horses for CSK:

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#1 Karn Sharma

Karn Sharma has played 1 Test, 2 ODI and I T20 matches for India

The leg-spinner has been impressive in his IPL career so far. Not so long ago, Karn was touted as one of the most promising spin talents of the country. In 2014, he even made it to the Indian team and played in all the three formats by performing quite well in the IPL that year. But then, things fizzled out and Karn soon lost the plot.

A capable spin bowler with variations and precision, his bonus asset is his clean striking with the bat down the order. He has played some crucial cameos for SRH from 2013-16. In fact, Karn was actually a specialist batsman when he started his career in First-class cricket back in 2007. Later, he realized that his major skills were in the spin bowling department. Over the years, Karn has been a regular in the IPL. He was the highest paid uncapped Indian player in IPL 2014. Last year, playing for Mumbai Indians, he got the nod ahead of veteran spinner Harbhajan Singh. He played 9 matches and notched up 13 wickets with an economy rate of about 7 and repaid the trust of the management as he was a key player in the latter half of the tournament.

The 2017-18 season was an ordinary year for him. After switching from Railways to Vidharbha as a professional this season, Karn featured in only 4 matches, scalping 14 wickets. Vidharba won the Ranji Trophy 2017-18 season but Karn was side-lined on the bench for most of the matches.

There was a time when he was chosen over Ravichandran Ashwin to play for Indian Test team in Australia but he failed to keep that momentum going owing to injuries and other internal factors. Karn knows that to make a comeback to the national side will not be easy and he is looking forward to capitalizing on every single opportunity he gets in the playing XI for CSK.

#2 Lungi Ngidi

Ngidi picked up 7 wickets in his Test debut match against India.

The 22-year old-pacer from South Africa had a dream international debut in the 2nd Test match against India at Centurion in January 2018 as he ripped apart the Indian batting line-up with 6-39 in the second innings and won the Man-of-the-match award.

He journey has been very inspirational so far. He has made it so far by fighting poverty and overcoming odds with a beaming smile he plays the game with.

He was one of the best bowlers in Ram Slam T20 challenge, owing to which he made it to the senior squad. He has everything one can ask in a fast bowler- pace, bounce, consistency and the ability to bowl smartly as per the conditions.

This is the opportunity of a lifetime for him. CSK is a team consisting of some big names, which make him a dark horse this season. He is hungry to prove himself in this tournament and can work wonders for CSK when given a chance in the playing XI.

#3 Dhruv Shorey

Shorey scored a century for Delhi in the final match of the Ranji Trophy 2017-18

The 25-year old top-order batsman has been a reliable batsman for Delhi since his debut in the 2015-16 domestic season. Well-known for his sound batting technique and consistency, Dhruv has proven his ability to thrive under pressure. He has impressed the cricket gurus by delivering in both longer and shorter formats of the game by contributing with the bat as well as the ball with some effective off-break spin bowling.

His records are the indicators of his versatility across distinct formats. He has played 18 first-class matches and scored 1217 runs in 27 innings with a tremendous average of over 55. In the 16 T20 matches he has played so far, he has scored 379 runs in 14 innings with an average about 32. He has stayed for long in the first-class cricket with low strike rate as required in long format and on the other hand, he has scored quick runs with a strike rate of about 125. The 2017-18 tournament has been Shorey's best as he has shown his versatility across formats.

In the Ranji Trophy 2017-18, he scored a splendid and much-needed century under pressure in the final. He then continued his form in the 2018 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy where he scored runs quickly. With a contract with CSK this year, he has a great opportunity to shine and prove his worth in the big leagues.

#4 Mark Wood

Wood celebrating after taking a wicket

The right-arm fast bowler from England is known to bowl consistently at above 140kph speed with precision. His ability to put a batsman in discomfort with his pace and accurate length makes him a key factor. He played for Northumberland in early stages of his domestic career. He plays for Durham from 2011 to present. Wood's consistent performances in the First-class and List A cricket earned him a spot in the English Test side during the 2015 series against New Zealand. In his first four games, Wood scalped 14 wickets in the tournamnet and played two test matches in the Ashes series next.

Injuries have obstructed him a number of times during crucial stages of his career. He also played a couple of Test matches against South Africa in 2017 but didn't deliver well. Wood got plagued by injuries again that forced him to miss the Ashes series in 2017.

His records in international cricket so far aren't very impressive and do not justify his abilities to the full extent. He was expensive in his first IPL match against MI and he is looking forward to set things straight by delivering to the best of his potential.

#5 KM Asif

Asif is a speed sensation

The 24-year speed sensation from Kerela story embodies an inspirational journey to make it so far with determination and courage. Son of a daily-wage laborer, he has worked immensely hard a lot to live his dreams and support his family. Asif's ability to bowl at an impressive speed on a consistent basis with accurate length sets him apart.

His hard work at the MRF Pace Foundation paved his path to the domestic circuit and terrific performances caught the eyes of IPL's talent scouts. He made his T20 debut in the 2017-18 Zonal T20 League. He made people notice his pace and accuracy in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy where he picked up 5 wickets in 2 matches. He got trials for DD, RR, and MI where he bowled well and was eventually selected on the final day of the auctions by CSK.

With Chennai having a lot of big name-value players, it is unlikely that he would a lot of chance. He will have to capitalize on every single window of opportunity he gets to a make a name for himself and elevate his career. Under the leadership of MS Dhoni, he has an opportunity of a lifetime to make it big.

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