IPL 2021: 3 players who can replace Moeen Ali in Chennai Super Kings squad

Moeen Ali has proved to be one of Chennai Super Kings' (CSK) best buys at IPL auctions in recent years. He was having a splendid season for the three-time champions before IPL 2021 had to be postponed due to the rise in COVID-19 cases inside the teams' bio-bubbles.

The Englishman has been a part of the biggest T20 league for quite some time, but he finally delivered his best under the leadership of MS Dhoni.

His promotion to No.3 in the batting order turned out to be a masterstroke as he was sensational in the six matches he featured in. He scored a total of 206 runs at an average of 34.33 and a strike-rate of 157.97.

"The qualities Mo has are worth every penny and it really is fantastic to see him go for that amount".Chennai Super Kings bought Moeen Ali for £700,000 at the IPL auction.

— BBC Sport (@BBCSport) February 18, 2021

On the bowling front, he chipped in with five wickets, while he was also a livewire on the field.

However, there is a chance that he might be unavailable for the Chennai Super Kings in the second phase of the IPL, which is due to start in the UAE in September.

England's Director of Cricket Ashley Giles recently stated that the team have an incredibly busy schedule just before the upcoming T20 World Cup and the Ashes.

England’s director of cricket Ashley Giles has stated players will not miss international matches to play in the rearranged Indian Premier League later this year. "If those tours to Bangladesh and Pakistan are going ahead I’d expect the players to be there" #Cricket

— Saj Sadiq (@Saj_PakPassion) May 10, 2021

England have series against Pakistan and Bangladesh, meaning several IPL teams will be affected due to the English players not being available.

On that note, let's look at the three players who could replace Moeen Ali at the Chennai Super Kings for the remainder of IPL 2021.

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#3 Marnus Labuschagne

Marnus Labuschage was in incredible form for Glamorgan in the Vitality T20 Blast

Marnus Labuschagne is yet to play an international T20 match for Australia. However, he has been a revelation when it comes to the shortest format. His performances as an all-rounder in T20s have been exceptional.

In the latest edition of the Big Bash League, he featured six times for Brisbane Heat, scoring 176 runs and picking up 10 wickets.

He has also been in fine form in the ongoing English T20 Blast. While turning out for Glamorgan, he has scored 294 runs, including three fifties, in six matches at an average of 58.8 for Glamorgan.

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#2 Devon Conway

Conway has been consistent with bat for New Zealand against Australia and Bangladesh

The latest sensation from New Zealand is not a like-for-like replacement for Moeen Ali in the Chennai Super Kings squad. However, he will be in high demand during the rescheduled IPL due to his consistency.

Conway has had a great start to his T20I career, scoring 473 runs at an average of 59.1 and a strike rate of 151.1 in just 14 games so far. He can open the innings and also bat at No.3, a flexibility not many batsmen offer.

He is truly a star in the making and it would be great to see him play for CSK under MS Dhoni.

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#1 Alex Hales

Hales has been in sublime form in T20s this year

Although Alex Hales went unsold at the IPL 2021 Auctions, his current form makes it difficult to ignore him. He has the potential to set the IPL on fire with his destructive hitting at the top of the order for any franchise.

Hales was the leading run scorer in the latest edition of the Big Bash League. He amassed 543 runs at an average of 38.8 and a strike rate of 161.60 for the Sydney Thunder. Hales also scored a hundred and three fifties.

In the ongoing English T20 Blast, he has scored 335 runs, including a century, in nine games at an average of 55.83 and a strike rate of 172.68 for Nottinghamshire. He has also scored an international T20 ton for England.