Chennai Super Kings (CSK) legend Suresh Raina has said that the franchise could benefit by buying all-rounder Shardul Thakur in the upcoming IPL 2024 auction. The auction will happen on December 19 in Dubai.
Suresh Raina highlighted that Shardul Thakur can be a good addition to the Chennai Super Kings squad, saying that the all-rounder knows the management and the leadership well, having spent a couple of years with the MS Dhoni-led side in the past.
The India all-rounder was bought by Delhi Capitals for a whopping sum of Rs 10.75 crore in the IPL 2022 mega auction and he was traded to KKR a year later. KKR then released him ahead of the IPL 2024 auction on the day of the deadline.
Shardul picked up 15 wickets in 14 matches for Delhi Capitals but he conceded at close to 10 runs per over. However, in IPL 2023, Shardul managed just 7 wickets in 11 matches for KKR and conceded at 10.48 runs per over.
But Suresh Raina feels Shardul is very similar to Pat Cummins, a bowler who can also contribute with the bat lower down the order.
IPL 2024: Mallika Sagar set to become the first-ever female IPL auctioneer- Report
"He is very similar to Pat Cummins. He has done well in the bowling department as well as with the bat. KKR, I don't think used him in that manner. When he played for CSK, he has done really well. He brought a lot of quality with the older ball as well as the new ball. (Deepak) Chahar is a bit injury-prone, and (Matheesha) Pathirana also is. He is an all-rounder like Deepak Chahar," Suresh Raina said during Jio Cinema's mock auction on Monday.
Raina, representing CSK in the mock auction, was involved in a bidding war with former opener Abhinav Mukund, who was representing Punjab Kings. However, PBKS outbid CSK to buy Shardul for a whopping sum of Rs 14 crore in the mini-auction.
“Shardul understands the CSK administration, he understands the leadership. And MS astutely used him well. I think he is an important buy. I think, like Abhinav Mukund said, he is a very important Indian bowler. And his form will be crucial," Raina added.
Shardul Thakur played 4 IPL seasons under MS Dhoni's captaincy and he picked up 55 wickets, including 21 wickets in their victorious campaign in 2021.
