Defending Indian Premier League (IPL) champions Chennai Super Kings (CSK) have received a massive blow ahead of the 2019 season following an injury to Lungi Ngidi that has ruled him out of the tournament. Meanwhile, the young pacer who impressed during the debut IPL was pitted to be one of the crucial members for the Super Kings. However, an untimely injury during the fifth ODI against Sri Lanka is the reason for his ouster.
The Proteas fast bowler will need four weeks to recover followed by a rehabilitation program as he runs short of time ahead of the ICC World Cup. English bowling allrounder David Willey is the overseas backup seamer Super Kings have at the moment. The Indian bowling attack includes Shardul Thakur, Mohit Sharma, Deepak Chahar and KM Asif.
Three possible replacements of Lungi Ngidi:
DOUG BRACEWELL
The 28-year old has been in good form and proved that with an outstanding performance against Sri Lanka in the one-off T20I. Doug Bracewell scored a quick-fire 44 and also picked up a wicket, establishing his credentials with both, bat and ball. He has played a solitary game for the Delhi Capitals and scored 12 runs in nine deliveries. With the ball, he ended the game with figures of 3/32, showing he has talent.
He has a strike rate of 142.42 with the bat and has picked up 62 wickets in 55 innings at an average of 22.33. Also, he has a terrific economy rate of 8.62. He is also good at the death overs, something that haunted CSK last season.
Hailing from New Zealand, Bracewell will be available for the whole season which will be a massive benefit for the Chennai Super Kings.
MORNE MORKEL
The addition of Morne Morkel can prove to be a massive advantage for the MS Dhoni-led side. Having retired from international cricket, the tall and lanky will be available for the full season. At a time, when few players will leave to join their respective national sides, the presence of Morkel can be pivotal for Chennai Super Kings.
Besides, Morkel boasts a heavy CV representing South Africa at the highest format for several years. The former Proteas pacer has also played in the Indian Premier League and know what it takes to be a champion bowler. He has played 70 games in the IPL and has 77 wickets featuring for various franchises like Rajasthan Royals, Kolkata Knight Riders, and Delhi Capitals.
With his express pace and bounce, Morkel will be a more than handy customer for the CSK management.
KANE RICHARDSON
The speedster from Australia can be a perfect replacement for Lungi Ngidi. Kane Richardson is currently in a good space having finished as the top wicket-taker in the recently concluded Big Bash League. His tally of 24 wickets helped Melbourne Renegades clinch their maiden BBL title.
Meanwhile, Richardson has a fair experience playing in the IPL representing three different franchises. However, he last played in IPL in 2016 and has bagged 18 wickets from 14 IPL games. With an excellent control over line and length, Richardson can prove to be tricky for the defending champions.