IPL 2020: 3 players the Chennai Super Kings could target in the auction

Since the start of the IPL in 2008, there have been very few teams who have had the kind of success that Chennai Super Kings have enjoyed.

They have made the playoffs every time they have contested, and have won the tournament three times. They are only behind Mumbai Indians in that regard, who have taken home the title on four occasions.

CSK came close again last year, losing to Mumbai by just one run. Chasing just 150 to win, the Super Kings looked well on course for victory with Shane Watson going well, but late wickets saw them collapse. And when Lasith Malinga had Shardul Thakur dismissed LBW last ball, they were just a run short.

There will be some changes to the CSK squad this season, with Sam Billings, David Willey and Mohit Sharma among the players released from the squad.

What the Super Kings do have, however, is one of the IPL’s most consistent squads. The likes of MS Dhoni, Ravindra Jadeja and Shane Watson have been part of the CSK squad for a number of years over the last decade, and that means they have one of the tournament’s most experienced squads.

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But they will need to make some improvements this year. With that in mind, here are three players the Super Kings may target in this week’s auction.

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1. Barinder Sran

Sran has appeared six times for India in white-ball cricket

By releasing Mohit Sharma, the Chennai Super Kings may have left themselves slightly short in terms of Indian seamers. There is no doubt that they have a fine spin attack, with the likes of Harbhajan Singh, Ravindra Jadeja, Imran Tahir and Mitchell Santner all on the books. However, if they find themselves on a pitch that doesn’t really spin, they may be lacking pace options.

One man who could help solve that problem is Barinder Sran. The 27-year-old has some experience of IPL cricket, and he spent last season with the champions, the Mumbai Indians. He wasn’t able to hold down a place in the side though, and appeared just twice all season.

Sran is a very talented bowler; he has appeared twice in T20Is, taking six wickets, and also played six ODIs. He offers the added variation of being a left-armer, and could prove a crucial addition to the CSK squad.

2. Deepak Hooda

Hooda has struggled for form in the IPL in recent years

One thing that the Super Kings may be looking to add is some depth in the batting order. Suresh Raina, Faf de Plessis and Kedar Jadhav are all fine players, but if one of those were to get injured, CSK would find themselves in a little bit of bother.

The management would want to bring in an Indian batsman for this area. They are unlikely to want to use an overseas spot for a player who wouldn't be a first-choice selection on most occasions.

One player they could target to fill that gap is Deepak Hooda, who has spent the last four seasons with the Sunrisers Hyderabad. The 24-year-old has struggled for runs in recent years, and in fact he hasn’t made it to 100 runs in any of the last three seasons.

However, he is still a very fine player, and has an awful lot to offer whatever team picks him up.

3. Pat Cummins

Cummins is the number one ranked Test bowler in the world

Although Deepak Chahar and Shardul Thakur are both fine medium pacers, the Super Kings may be lacking that one star bowler.

The Rajasthan Royals have Jofra Archer, the Mumbai Indians have Jasprit Bumrah, and the Sunrisers Hyderabad have Rashid Khan. Most teams have a world-class bowler they can turn to in any situation, and that may be what Chennai would be looking to add to their squad.

There are a number of top bowlers up for grabs in the auction, but very few better than Pat Cummins, the number one Test bowler in world cricket. The 26-year-old has only played 16 IPL matches due to injuries he has suffered in the past, but he is now one of the finest seam bowlers in all forms of cricket.

Cummins would be a fine addition to this CSK squad, but he will be in demand at the auction, and is likely to cost an awful lot of money.