NEW DELHI: As per ESPNcricinfo's report, Chennai Super Kings' key pacer
Mustafizur Rahman
has departed for Bangladesh and his availability for CSK's upcoming
IPL 2024
match against Sunrisers Hyderabad in Hyderabad on Friday remains uncertain.
Rahman, the left-arm seamer, has joined the rest of the touring group to facilitate visa acquisition for the upcoming
T20 World Cup
scheduled to be hosted by the West Indies and the United States.
The T20 World Cup is set to commence on June 1, just a few days following the IPL final on May 26 in Chennai.
Mustafizur's unique whippy cutters and enhanced pace proved to be a game-changer for CSK's bowling unit, as he made a remarkable impact by capturing a record seven wickets in just three games. His bowling average stood at an impressive 15.14, with an economy rate of 8.83.
The left-arm seamer showcased his prowess right from his CSK debut against Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the season opener on March 22 at Chepauk, where he claimed four wickets within the span of ten deliveries. Notably, Rahman stands out as the sole Bangladeshi player to receive a bid in the IPL 2024 auction.
In the absence of Mustafizur, CSK may bring back Sri Lanka's mystery spinner, Maheesh Theekshana, against the Sunrisers. Moeen Ali, an off-spin bowling all-rounder from England, is CSK's other overseas option. This might lead to CSK breaking up a good partnership between Mustafizur and Matheesha Pathirana, who also plays in T20 cricket.
"Having options all the way through your line-up is very important. One of the things is having a squad that gives you balance. You can make those sort of adjustments. If you can't make those adjustments, then you can't utilise the assets that you've got," CSK bowling consultant Eric Simons said, as quoted by ESPNcricinfo.
"But having the batting strength we have, having the all-rounders in the top order, that makes a big difference to our balance and what we can achieve. And the fact that they're so different...having a left-armer is important, some of the balls are kind of slow, but what he [Mustafizur] does, and then the uniqueness of Matheesha as well, that's a massive asset. No one likes to face him - our batsmen don't like to face him - so I'm sure the opposition doesn't either," Simons added.
If CSK wants to replace Mustafizur with a local player, a fit-again Mukesh Choudhary might have a chance. The Maharashtra left-arm seamer, however, has not played a competitive game since December 2022 due to a number of ailments. He sustained a rib fracture and a lower-back injury towards the end of the IPL 2022 season.
CSK is presently third in the points standings, having won two of their last three games, all of which came at home in Chepauk.
(With ANI inputs)
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