3 reasons why CSK need not worry if Mustafizur Rahman is unavailable for SRH game in IPL 2024

Defending champions Chennai Super Kings (CSK) are set to face SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) in the 18th match of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad on Friday, April 5.

CSK lost their previous game against the Delhi Capitals (DC) and will be looking to get back on track. However, Mustafizur Rahman, who is the highest wicket-taker for CSK this season, and currently second in the Purple Cap race with seven wickets, is likely to miss the match.

According to reports, Mustafizur Rahman flew back to Bangladesh to complete his US visa process. It should be noted that the upcoming T20 World Cup will be held in the West Indies and the USA.

Nonetheless, it will not be much of a concern for either the team or their fans, as CSK have a strong arsenal to replace the Bangladeshi pacer. Having said that, in this article, we will discuss three reasons why CSK shouldn't be worried about Mustafizur's absence from the SRH match.

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#1 CSK already have the likes of Deepak Chahar and Matheesha Pathirana in their playing 11

Even without Mustafizur Rahman, CSK have a decent seam attack as Deepak Chahar, Tushar Deshpande, and Matheesha Pathirana have been doing a good job for their team.

Indian pacer Deepak Chahar has picked up three wickets in three matches and has been handling the new ball well. Meanwhile, Deshpande was one of the leading pacers for the franchise in IPL 2023 and has bowled at a decent economy of 7.6 this season.

Last but not least, Sri Lankan pacer Matheesha Pathirana has been in amazing form for the CSK. He bowled two brilliant yorkers in the last game to dismiss Mitchell Marsh and Tristan Stubbs. CSK boasts a pace-heavy bowling attack and will be looking to put up a great show even in the absence of Rahman.

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#2 CSK can bring in seasoned pacer Shardul Thakur

CSK might be looking to bring in Shardul Thakur, who, till now, hasn’t played this season. Given his skill set of picking important wickets and scoring runs down the order, CSK might be forced to bring Thakur into the scheme of things.

Not only that, the Indian player has a good record against SRH batters Abhishek Sharma and Heinrich Klassen at the IPL, having dismissed both batters twice in his career.

Additionally, Shardul Thakur's experience might come in handy at the Hyderabad stadium, the venue where SRH recently registered the highest-ever total in the tournament's history. It seems likely that CSK will finally give “Lord” Thakur his first outing in IPL 2024.

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#3 Like-for-like replacement in the form of Mukesh Choudhary

Mukesh Choudhary can be a like-for-like replacement for the Bangladeshi pacer. The left-arm Indian pacer can swing the ball both ways and has shown his capabilities in the past against the Mumbai Indians in the IPL 2022, where he picked up three wickets in three overs.

Though Mukesh hasn’t played a single match this season, he can replace Mustafizur if CSK want a left-arm pacer in their starting 11. Meanwhile, talking about numbers, Muskesh has 16 wickets to his name in 13 IPL matches and will be looking to showcase his skills if he gets an opportunity against SRH.