Mumbai: In a city where cinema breathes life, a cricketer’s walkout song creates an abiding fan memory as potent as a great innings with the bat. No wonder MS Dhoni’s walk to the crease at Chepauk to iconic Tamil numbers have led to the introduction of ‘shor meter’ during IPL’s television broadcast. They would do well to keep the trend going, as plenty of noise is expected from the Chennai Super Kings’ camp in the upcoming season.
There is palpable excitement in Chennai around the makeover of CSK. Thala may be on his last legs, but Chinna Thala is ready to step up. It didn’t quite work out last time when Suresh Raina was positioned that way, but in 31-year-old Sanju Samson, there is renewed optimism in the city, the franchise and their manic fanbase.
Head coach Stephen Fleming had hailed Ruturaj Gaikwad to be cut from the same cloth as Dhoni for his calming presence as captain. But Samson, the Kerala batting star who effortlessly delivers viral Rajni punch lines, holds greater potential to become the next big crowd puller.
Samson’s trade, last year, in exchange of the fading powers of Ravindra Jadeja was a coup, even though CSK had to let go of English all-rounder Sam Curran in the bargain. Some acquisitions in the IPL bazaar are measured beyond the limits of runs and wickets. Afterall, it’s only in IPL that an aging legend, thanks to his otherworldly popularity, continues to enthrall just with his cameos and fills giant sized stadiums, both home and away. With Samson holding a similar potential for enchanting the crowds, CSK pulled out all stops to execute the trade.
And Samson can bat too. His belated success in international cricket couldn’t have been better timed for CSK. The flamboyant right-hander’s hat-trick of match-winning efforts in the recent T20 World Cup not only helped India past the finish line in each knockout match but also settled the long-standing debate over his unrealized potential. Joining hands with Gaikwad, CSK’s new-look top order has all the makings of forcing its way to the chart-topping category.
Even before the Samson trade, CSK had undertaken a major mid-season course correction; their playing twelve at the backend of the tournament became vastly different from their starting line-up. Their dated early tournament strategy had pushed them considerably behind and they could never recover to avoid a wooden spoon finish. However, smart reinforcements in the form of Gujarat powerhitter Urvil Patel, the India U19 skipper Ayush Mhatre and South African batting hope Dewald Brevis helped add muscle and luster to the side.
It became all but obvious that once dubbed the Dad’s Army, CSK wanted to pivot towards a fresher, more aggressive outlook, going by their auction signings. Fleming led the strategy room at the auction table as the five-time winners broke the bank to rope in young blood Prashant Veer and Karthik Sharma. Veer earned his big payday through his power-packed batting and effective left-arm spin in the UPT20 league. CSK are punting on Veer to be able to fill the big shoes of Jadeja. Karthik, the Rajasthan recruit, also comes with a big six-hitting reputation.
With Mhatre, Karthik, Veer, and Brevis being 18, 19, 20 and 22 respectively – all expected to get an early look in – the average age of CSK’s playing twelve will see a transformational change this year.
In this high rush for batting power, adding to Shivam Dube’s unmatched bat swing, CSK look relatively light in the spin department. The second spinner’s slot to Noor Ahmed – they have Rahul Chahar, Shreyas Gopal and Akeal Hosein to pick from – is likely to be decided during the course of the season. If Chepauk pitches continue to take less spin than earlier, their pace attack led by Matt Henry and Khaleel Ahmed may have more work to do.
A full season for Dhoni?
All eyes, like each passing year, will be on the 44-year-old Thalaiva. Will this be the year MS Dhoni calls time? Will he play as an Impact Player? What will his entry point be at the crease? How removed will he be from decision making, now that Gaikwad is in charge? The answer to all these questions will be known on March 30 when CSK take on Rajasthan Royals – their first outing in their remodelled avatar.
And Samson won’t need an additional reason to be motivated. “I don’t let emotions rule me on the field. I left Rajasthan Royals because I felt my time in the team was over. Even if we come up against them now, I will play my best cricket,” he told reporters in Thiruvananthapuram.
CSK seemed to have done well with their succession planning through Samson – a fan favourite of a wicket-keeper batter for the original. Dhoni won’t take longer than necessary to step away from the limelight, if he is convinced Samson sparkles in bright yellow.
