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Shane Watson

MS Dhoni (BCCI/IPL)
MS Dhoni (BCCI/IPL)
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Harbhajan Singh Picks MS Dhoni To Lead His All-Time T20 XI

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Harbhajan Singh, a veteran Indian spinner, has picked MS Dhoni as his all-time T20 XI skipper. The now 40-year-old MS Dhoni started his T20I career, guiding Team India to glory in the inaugural edition of the T20 World Cup in South Africa in 2007, a year before IPL started. Thereafter, he helped his IPL franchise Chennai Super Kings win the Indian Premier League four times and the Champions League T20 a couple of times as well.

As his openers, Harbhajan Singh picked India’s Rohit Sharma and West Indies’ Chris Gayle. Then, for the No.3 slot, the Turbanator went for England’s Jos Buttler. He said that Jos Buttler is reliable and has the ability to dictate terms after getting set.

Harbhajan Singh. (Twitter/KKRiders)
Harbhajan Singh. (Twitter/KKRiders)

Harbhajan Singh: Jos Buttler Is A Reliable Batsman

Jos Buttler has scored in excess of 250 every time since making his IPL debut in 2016. While he had to leave IPL 2019 midway to join the England team for the World Cup 2019 preparations, he made an impact during his eight-game stint, scoring 311 runs, following his 548-run season in IPL 2018.

The right-hander scored 328 runs in the IPL 2020 and 254 runs in 7 games in the India leg of IPL 2021 that included a ton-his career-best 124 before opting out of the UAE leg IPL 2021.

Rajasthan Royals wicketkeeper-batsman Jos Buttler in action in IPL 2019. - AFP
Rajasthan Royals wicketkeeper-batsman Jos Buttler in action in IPL 2019. – AFP

“He is a very reliable batsman and someone who can control the game once he gets set,” Harbhajan was quoted as saying.

At No.4, Harbhajan Singh picked Shane Watson, who retired from all forms of cricket in November 2020. Back in 2016, after the World T20 in India, Shane Watson bid adieu to international cricket. However, Harbhajan Singh said that Shane Watson had the potential to put in all-around performances and help his team win matches.

“Being an all-rounder, he has won many matches through his batting ability and has won games with the ball as well,” he stated.

In IPL 2020, held entirely in UAE, Shane Watson scored 299 runs from 11 matches averaging 29.9 at a strike rate of 121.05. CSK finished their campaign in seventh place with 12 points from 14 matches, and it was the first time they couldn’t reach the playoffs.

Harbhajan Singh: Kieron Pollard Can Be Moved Up And Down The Batting Order As Per Demands Of The Situation

Harbhajan Singh went for South Africa’s AB de Villiers, India’s MS Dhoni, West Indies’ Dwayne Bravo, and Kieron Pollard at No. 5, 6, 7, and 8 respectively. However, the veteran said that Kieron Pollard could also be slotted up the order if the situation demands so.

“The batting order can be altered and Pollard could be moved up and down the order depending on the needs of the side. Any T20 team is incomplete without Pollard,” Harbhajan added.

Kieron Pollard(Photo: Surjeet Yadav/IANS)
Kieron Pollard(Photo: Surjeet Yadav/IANS)

He also picked the wily Sunil Narine, who has plied his trade in numerous T20 leagues around the world. Next, Harbhajan Singh went for Lasith Malinga and Jasprit Bumrah as his two specialist fast bowlers. Lasith Malinga is the leading wicket-taker in the history of the IPL, having racked up 170 wickets at an economy rate of 7.14. Jasprit Bumrah, on the other hand, is the Indian pace spearhead across formats.

Indian skipper Virat Kohli and Pakistani batter Babar Azam, who doesn’t feature in IPL, were not picked by Harbhajan Singh in his all-time T20I playing XI. Another surprise exclusion is Afghanistan’s Rashid Khan, who has the best economic rate in IPL. Also, missing was the 2011 ODI World cup and 2007 T20I World cup hero Yuvraj Singh, who hit 6 maximums in an over against England’s Stuart Broad in the 2007 T20I World Cup.

Harbhajan Singh’s T20 XI 

Rohit Sharma, Chris Gayle, Jos Buttler, Shane Watson, AB de Villiers, MS Dhoni (c &wk), Dwayne Bravo, Kieron Pollard, Sunil Narine, Lasith Malinga, Jasprit Bumrah

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Chennai Super Kings
Chennai Super Kings. Image Credits: Twitter
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CSK’s Win In 2018 Was Very Emotional And Lot Of Hard Work Was Behind IPL 2021 Win: Stephen Fleming

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CSK-Chennai Super Kings redeemed itself after a dismal performance last year to clinch the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 title but head coach Stephen Fleming still rates the IPL 2018 final win as special and termed it “very emotional”. CSK had now 4 IPL titles besides its name coming in 2010, 2011, 2018, and 2021.

CSK, also known as ‘Dad’s Army’, lifted their fourth IPL title on Friday after defeating Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in the final by 27 runs. Stephen Fleming said he is very proud to have won the IPL 2021 final since many pundits had written off CSK due to the absence of young blood in the side.

Chennai Super Kings (Image Credit: Twitter)
Chennai Super Kings (Image Credit: Twitter)

CSK’s Win In 2018 Was Very Emotional: Stephen Fleming

The likes of Shane Watson (555 runs), Ambati Rayudu (602 runs), Suresh Raina (440 runs), MS Dhoni (455 runs) were unstoppable as CSK won the IPL 2018 after a gap of 7 years. Dwayne Bravo (14 scalps), Shardul Thakur (16 scalps), Lungi Ngidi and Ravindra Jadeja (11 scalps each), and Harbhajan Singh (7 scalps ) did well with the ball in IPL 2018.

“It’s very hard to rate them, they (IPL wins) all are specials as they are results of our hard work. I think the one coming back in 2018 was very emotional but there is a lot of hard work in this one too,” Fleming said during the post-match press conference.

Shane Watson, Dwayne Bravo, CSK, Image Source: The Cricket Times
Shane Watson, Dwayne Bravo, CSK, Image Source: The Cricket Times

“If you look back when we were called Dad’s Army in the first year (2018), I think a lot of people had no hope from us to maintain the competitiveness during this cycle.There is a satisfaction around and a lot of pride over what players have achieved. There was a challenge with the aging side and I am very proud of what CSK have done and how they have played,” he added.

The likes of Imran Tahir(42 years), MS Dhoni (40 years), Dwayne Bravo(38 years), Faf du Plessis (37 years), Ambati Rayudu (36 years), Robin Uthappa (35 years), Suresh Raina, and Moeen Ali (34 years) are in their fag end of careers and some of them have even quit international cricket.
The four-time champions’ 2020 campaign was disastrous as they could not reach the playoffs for the first time in IPL history. They finished seventh in the rankings and MS Dhoni’s captaincy reign came under question.

CSK’s Head Coach Stephen Fleming Don’t Know Whether It Was An End Of An Era

For IPL 2022, two new teams are set to come in, and it needs to be seen how many players a franchise is allowed to retain before the mega auction. Stephen Fleming knows it will be difficult to retain most CSK players and he is looking forward to seeing how things pan out ahead of the IPL 2022.

“We don’t know (on being asked if this was an end of an era). But we know that whenever we get to the end of the cycle we know that we cannot get some players back,” said Fleming.

Stephen Fleming Image Source : IPLT20.COM
Stephen Fleming Image Source: IPLT20.COM

“CSK always had a system where we maintain players and keep them with you for a long period of time and get the best out of them. It will be interesting to see how things pan out in the next few months. Most teams will have a change in them and we will be one of them,” he added. 

In the IPL 2021, the likes of CSK openers Ruturaj Gaikwad (635 runs) and Faf du Plessis (633 runs) stood apart from the rest of CSK’s batsmen and delivered when it was needed. They finished as leading run-getters in IPL 2021. Moeen Ali (357 runs), Ambati Rayudu (257 runs) also delivered in crunch situations. Dwayne Bravo (14), Deepak Chahar(14), Ravindra Jadeja(13), Josh Hazlewood(11), and Shardul Thakur(21) were amongst the wickets.

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Babar Azam
Babar Azam (Photo by Aamir QURESHI / AFP via Getty Images)
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Babar Azam Becomes Fastest Batsman To Complete 7000 T20 Runs

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Babar Azam, Pakistan captain, has become the fastest batsman to complete 7,000 runs in T20 cricket. Babar Azam has managed to surpass destructive Windies opening batsman Chris Gayle and talismanic Indian skipper Virat Kohli on the elite list.

The Pakistan captain added another feather to his illustrious cap as he further cemented his status as one of the best batsmen in cricket’s modern era. Touted as the next big thing in world cricket, the Pakistan skipper became the fastest batsman to complete 7,000 runs in the shortest format of the game. The Pakistan skipper achieved the massive feat in the action-packed National T20 Cup on Sunday.

Pakistan captain Babar Azam has become the fastest batsman to complete 7,000 runs | Photo Credit: AP
Pakistan captain Babar Azam has become the fastest batsman to complete 7,000 runs | Photo Credit: AP

Babar Azam Surpasses Chris Gayle And Virat Kohli To Become Fastest To Score 7000 T20 Runs

In contention, several marquee players from Pakistan’s white-ball squad selected in the T20I World Cup squad and in contention are plying their trade in the fiercely contested domestic tournament. After the postponement of the bilateral series with New Zealand and England, the National T20 provides an opportunity for Pakistani players to fine-tune their skills ahead of the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup 2021.

Leading Central Punjab from the front in the National T20 Cup, Babar Azam showcased his batting exploits and slammed a quick-fire half-century to help his side get over the finish line.

Virat Kohli is seen taking Chris Gayle's interview after an IPL match© Facebook
Virat Kohli is seen taking Chris Gayle’s interview after an IPL match© on Facebook.

Playing a gritty knock against Southern Punjab in his 187th innings, Babar Azam completed 7,000 runs in the game’s shortest format. Babar Azam’s unbeaten 59-run knock ensured Southern Punjab registered their sixth straight loss in the T20 tournament.

The premier batsman of the Green Army has managed to surpass West Indies batsman Chris Gayle and Indian batsman Virat Kohli by becoming the fastest player to score 7000 runs in T20 cricket. Chris Gayle and Virat Kohli have played together for Royal Challengers Bangalore in the Indian Premier League.

Babar Azam Joined Rohit Sharma And Shane Watson As He Recorded His 6th T20 Century In Pakistan National T20 Cup

Windies legend Chris Gayle had achieved the same feat in 192 innings. Babar Azam, who is also the leading run-scorer in the National T20 Cup, had earlier smashed his 6th T20 hundred to overtake Indian skipper Virat Kohli in an elite list. Babar Azam had joined Rohit Sharma and Shane Watson in the list of batters with the most number of centuries in T20 cricket.

Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma
Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma- Twitter

Indian skipper Virat Kohli has 5 centuries to his name, while Babar Azam, Rohit Sharma, and Shane Watson have all smashed six centuries in their respective T20 careers. The talismanic batsman of the Green Army will lead former champions Pakistan in T20 World Cup. Babar Azam-led Pakistan will open their World Cup campaign against Virat Kohli’s Team India on October 24.

In the Pakistan National T20 match between Southern Punjab and Central Punjab in Rawalpindi, Babar Azam reached the 7,000-run mark when he crossed 25 runs during Central Punjab’s chase of 120. In the process, he broke Chris Gayle’s record of reaching 7,000 runs in T20 cricket in 192 innings. Indian captain Virat Kohli reached the milestone in his 212th innings. Babar Azam took 187 innings to reach the milestone.

Of these 7,000 runs, Babar Azam has scored 2,204 runs in international T20I cricket in 61 matches at an average of 46.89 with one century and 20 half-centuries. Apart from this, he has scored 3,058 runs in franchise cricket — in 84 matches across Pakistan Super League, Caribbean Premier League, Bangladesh Premier League, and England’s Vitality Blast.

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Sohail Tanveer. (Photo credit should read CHRIS RATCLIFFE/AFP via Getty Images)
Sohail Tanveer. (Photo credit should read CHRIS RATCLIFFE/AFP via Getty Images)
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Sohail Tanvir Maintains He Initially Had No Idea What IPL Was

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Sohail Tanvir, a former Pakistan seamer was one among a handful of Pakistan players who received a chance to feature in the Indian Premier League (IPL). Sohail Tanvir represented Rajasthan Royals (RR) in the inaugural edition of the T20 Championship and scripted history by claiming the Purple Cap.

Rajasthan Royals was on a roll during IPL 2008 as they became the first franchise to lift the elite Trophy. Sohail Tanvir played a major role in Rajasthan’s success as he picked 22 wickets in 11 matches including a best of 6 for 14, which stood as an IPL record for many years.

Sohail Tanvir IPL
Sohail Tanvir IPL. (Photo Source: Twitter)

Sohail Tanvir Was Young And Inexperienced When He Played IPL In Its Inaugural Edition In 2008

The veteran opened up on his stint in the Indian Premier League saying that it was an enriching experience and gave him a platform to play against some of the best players. Sohail Tanvir admitted that initially, he had no idea regarding what the IPL was.

In an interaction on the YouTube channel My Master Cricket Coach, the 36-year-old said, “When I played IPL back in the first edition in 2008, I was young and inexperienced as I had not played too many international games.”

“That time, I think we were playing a series against South Africa and league cricket hardly used to be played, so I had no idea what the IPL was. The cricket board told me that we have got you a contract and you have to go to play IPL in March-April,” he said

“And, when I went to play in the IPL, there were so many big stars. I had never thought about something like that. The best bowlers from all over the world were there. So, to go there and perform so well…” Tanvir added.

The Rajasthan Royals (RR) is a franchise cricket team based in Jaipur, India, which plays in the Indian Premier League (IPL). They were one of the eight teams that competed in the 2008 Indian Premier League. They were captained by Shane Warne. The all-rounder Shane Watson won the man of the tournament award for scoring as many as 472 runs and picking 17 wickets.

Shane Watson With Rahul Dravid (PTI)
Shane Watson With Rahul Dravid (PTI)

Rajasthan Royals finished winners in the IPL and qualified for the champions league T20. The team won the inaugural edition of the IPL under the captaincy of Shane Warne, despite being written off as a title contender by the media and fans. The Royals were also the runners-up of the 2013 Champions League Twenty20 under Rahul Dravid’s captaincy.

On 14 July 2015, Rajasthan Royals and Chennai Super Kings were suspended for two years over a 2013 betting scandal, meaning they could not participate in both the 2016 and 2017 IPL tournaments. They returned to the competition for the 2018 season.

Sohail Tanvir: Everyone Knows About The Fan Following Of Pakistan Players In India And If Pakistan Players Are Allowed To Play In IPL, It Will Be Beneficial For Both Players And League

2008 was the last season when the Pakistan players played in the Indian Premier League. Due to the political tension between the two neighbouring nations, India and Pakistan face each other on the cricket field only during the ICC events. However, the veteran seamer is hopeful that relations between India and Pakistan will improve soon and the Pakistani players will be allowed to feature in the tournament as it will benefit both the players and the league.

“If Pakistani players are allowed to play in the IPL, it will be beneficial for both the players and the league. Players from all over the world except Pakistan play in the IPL. Everybody knows about the fan-following of Pakistan players in India. I have witnessed that while playing for Pakistan and also in the IPL.”

Shoaib Akhtar, Shah Rukh Khan Photo Credit: PTI
Shoaib Akhtar, Shah Rukh Khan Photo Credit: PTI

“When I played IPL, I learned a lot. Since I did well, it played a major role in me gaining confidence going ahead. So it would be great if our players get to play in the league. But, these things are not in our control. There are many other factors at work. Hope it happens sooner or later,” Sohail Tanvir signed off.

Apart from Pakistan’s Sohail Tanvir, other Pakistan cricketers like Shahid Afridi (Deccan Chargers), Shoaib Malik (Delhi Daredevils), Shoaib Akhtar (Kolkata Knight Riders), Misbah-ul-Haq (Royal Challengers Bangalore), Mohammad Asif (Delhi Daredevils), Kamran Akmal (Rajasthan Royals), Salman Butt (Kolkata Knight Riders), Umar Gul (Kolkata Knight Riders), Younis Khan (Rajasthan Royals), Mohammad Hafeez (Kolkata Knight Riders) participated in IPL 2008.

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Suresh Raina (Image Credit: IPL)
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Suresh Raina Will Hold Key If CSK Want To Turn Things Around In IPL 2021: Parthiv Patel

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Suresh Raina who is one of IPL’s most successful batsmen will make his comeback in IPL 2021 for Chennai Super Kings (CSK).

Suresh Raina’s decision to opt-out of IPL 2020 even before the start of the tournament last year in UAE was one of the biggest talking points of the Indian Premier League held in UAE.

Suresh Raina
Suresh Raina (Image Credit: Twitter)

Suresh Raina Holds The Key In The CSK Line-up: Parthiv Patel

“And now with Suresh Raina coming in the squad. I think he holds the key in the CSK line-up and we have seen what he has done throughout the years of IPL. With him coming back and Ruturaj Gaikwad doing well in domestic cricket and plus MS Dhoni, they’re great players and you can’t count them out for too long,” Parthiv said in Star Sports show Cricket Connected.
Parthiv Patel, Mumbai Indians
Parthiv Patel (Source: PTI)

On 9th December, the 35-year-old Parthiv Patel announced retirement from all forms of professional cricket, which he served for around two decades. Just after his retirement from the game, Parthiv Patel was appointed for the Talent Scout role of the record five-time IPL champions Mumbai Indians, who won the last two IPL trophies.

Parthiv Patel, who served for six different teams in his 13 years of IPL career, played for Mumbai Indians between 2015 and 2017. He was also a member of IPL winning side Mumbai Indians in the 2015 and 2017 seasons.

Parthiv Patel: MS Dhoni Determined To Get CSK’s Campaign In IPL 2021 Off To A Promising Start

CSK has also roped in the services of spinners Moeen Ali and Krishnappa Gowtham to strengthen their spin-bowling and lower order.

“See, obviously they must be slightly disappointed that they have to get out of Chennai because they have got Moeen Ali in their squad, they have got K Gowtham in their squad. Last year, what went wrong for CSK was, that they were not getting enough runs on the board. Then, in the latter half of the tournament, you saw the emergence of Ruturaj Gaikwad,” said Parthiv.

Commenting about CSK veteran skipper MS Dhoni, Parthiv Patel said the former India captain will be determined to get CSK’s ball rolling from the initial matches.

“He (MS Dhoni) had an indifferent season last year but as we saw how keen he is (spoke to him few times) and he is very determined to get CSK’s ball rolling to start with,” Parthiv added.

MS Dhoni
MS Dhoni (Image Credit: Twitter)

“These are the teams who have done well and they know that once they win the first game or the second game — they can start believing again. So, it won’t take much of time for CSK to start the tournament in a positive manner,” said Parthiv.

Chennai Super Kings (CSK) had a forgettable campaign in Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020, but by the end of the tournament, after finishing 7th in the points table, they had found a new star in young Ruturaj Gaikwad who produced a commendable fightback after initially struggling in the first three matches.

Ruturaj Gaikwad smashed a hat-trick of half-centuries in the last three games to amass 204 runs averaging 51 in 6 games after scoring 5 runs in the first 3 outings. He scored unbeaten 65, 72, and unbeaten 62 as CSK won the last 3 games but finished 7th. The franchise released Kedar Jadhav, Murali Vijay, Harbhajan Singh, Piyush Chawla, Monu Singh, Shane Watson(retired) before IPL 2021 Auctions.

CSK spent big on acquiring services of England’s spinner Moeen Ali on the board while off-spinner Krishnappa Gowtham got a big contract from MS Dhoni’s 3-time champions. Another notable player that was acquired was Test specialist batsman Cheteshwar Pujara who announced his desire to play limited-overs T20 cricket again.

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CSK Need To Replace Retired Shane Watson: Gautam Gambhir

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Gautam Gambhir, former Indian opener and IPL winning skipper of Kolkata Knight Riders believes that Chennai Super Kings need to find a replacement for the now-retired Shane Watson and an ageing Dwayne Bravo during the upcoming IPL auction for the 2021 season.

In IPL 2020, Shane Watson scored 299 runs from 11 matches averaging 29.9 at a strike rate of 121.05. CSK finished their campaign in seventh place with 12 points from 14 matches and it was the first time they couldn’t reach the playoffs. West Indian Dwayne Bravo played only 6 IPL games scoring 7 runs and picking 6 scalps as he was injured and couldn’t most matches in IPL 2020 held at UAE.

Shane Watson, Dwayne Bravo, CSK, Image Source: The Cricket Times
Shane Watson, Dwayne Bravo, CSK, Image Source: The Cricket Times

Gautam Gambhir: Need To Have A Replacement For Shane Watson

The Australian all-rounder has since announced his retirement from all forms of the game after the conclusion of IPL 2020. Retained players like Imran Tahir, MS Dhoni, Faf Du Plessis, Ambati Rayudu, and Dwayne Bravo are also above 35 years of age.

“They need to have a replacement straightaway for Shane Watson because obviously, that is one area. Plus, they didn’t have Suresh Raina last time around. So, Suresh Raina will be available,” Gautam Gambhir said while speaking on Star Sports’ show ‘Cricket Connected’.

The IPL auction is scheduled for Thursday 18th February in Chennai. Since the IPL will be back in India in familiar conditions, Gautam Gambhir felt skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni may bring in a few more changes.

“……that’s Chepauk where it’s going to start spinning and gripping. That’s how MS plays his cricket over such a long period of time whenever he has captained CSK. So he might look at an off-spinner because Harbhajan has been released, Shane Watson and probably another all-rounder or a backup for someone like Dwayne Bravo, because probably age is catching up on him as well.”

Gautam Gambhir CRICKET-SRI-IND | Lakruuwan Wanniarachchi/AFP
Gautam Gambhir CRICKET-SRI-IND | Lakruuwan Wanniarachchi/AFP

“He’s (Dwayne) not the same what he used to be. So, probably there could be an all-rounder and plus an overseas batter because there are two overseas batters normally who open for CSK. There’s not going to be too many changes to be honest.”

Shane Watson amassed 1490 runs in 140 IPL games averaging 22.57 and took 153 scalps averaging 24.81. Chennai Super Kings (CSK) has released six players, including one overseas cricketer, ahead of IPL 2021 players’ auction.

Shane Watson’s retirement has also opened up a spot in the CSK team. Deepak Chahar, Faf du Plessis, Sam Curran, Ravindra Jadeja are some of the others from the core of the team who have been retained. Robin Uthappa was inconsistent after which he was traded by the Rajasthan Royals to CSK ahead of IPL 2021.

Gautam Gambhir: Return Of Suresh Raina Will Be A Huge Boost For CSK

Gautam Gambhir also said that CSK should have a smaller squad because “this is only an auction for one season”.

“After this season, there’s going to be a bigger auction. So, I don’t think CSK will have an overall revamp.”

Gautam Gambhir said the return of Suresh Raina, who opted out of IPL 2021, will add strength to the CSK squad.

“This time around, Suresh Raina coming back will be a huge boost for CSK because he plays T20 cricket really well and he’s done a lot of good things for CSK”.

Suresh Raina and Harbhajan Singh. (Image Source: Twitter)
Suresh Raina and Harbhajan Singh. (Image Source: Twitter)

At the same time, they will have new players coming in, whether it’s a replacement for Shane Watson or probably an off-spinner or an all-rounder.

“So, when new players come in, obviously they will bring new ideas, they bring new energy as well. I am sure those are the areas CSK will be looking for,” Gautam Gambhir added.

Harbhajan Singh was joined by the likes of Kedar Jadhav, Piyush Chawla, and Murali Vijay who were also let go by the franchise.

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Shane Watson, Big Bash League
(Photo by Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images)
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BBL 10: Shane Watson Slammed New Rules Introduced In Big Bash

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Shane Watson, former Australian all-rounder who retired from all forms of cricket recently slammed the new rules introduced in Big Bash League (BBL 10), calling them a ploy and a deceived attempt to refresh the tournament.

BBL had introduced three new playing conditions including ‘Power Surge’ where additional two overs for powerplay can be taken, the ‘X Factor Player’ where a substitute can be taken and the ‘Bash Boost’ where teams get points if they are ahead midway- changing the Power Play and substitution rules.

Big Bash League
Big Bash League

Shane Watson: Big Bash League Introducing Gimmicks In Misguided Attempt Which Are Complexities

Shane Watson signed with BBL franchise Sydney Thunder in 2015. He was even the captain of the team. Shane Watson announced his retirement from the BBL on 26 April 2019.

“I read today that the BBL is introducing these new gimmicks, such as the ‘Power Surge’, the ‘X Factor Player’ and the ‘Bash Boost’ in a misguided attempt to reinvigorate the tournament. I just can’t seem to get my head around why there are people out there who are trying to reinvent the wheel when the wheel was not broken,” Shane Watson stated.

Shane Watson
Shane Watson. Photo Credit: IPL/BCCI.

“The complexities that these new ‘science experiments’ are going to create for the viewers, let alone the players and coaches, when none of these have been tried and tested at lower levels, have really taken the wind out of my sails.”

“The simple game plan in my mind is to get the world’s best cricketers playing on world-class pitches and guess what, you will get world-class cricket to watch for the cricket lovers out there and we will all be on the edge of our seats admiring the feats of these amazing cricketers.”

Shane Watson had announced retirement from all formats of the game after the conclusion of his IPL 2020 campaign where he played for Chennai Super Kings. He was one of the prominent players for Sydney Thunder till the 2019 season. Shane Watson featured in 59 tests,190 ODIs and 58 T20Is, the last of which came in 2016.

Usman Khawaja: Rule Changes Complicate An Already  Complicated Game Further

Australian batsman Usman Khawaja too had criticized the newly created rules which will be incorporated in the BBL 2020-21 edition. He had said that T20 is already complicated and new rules will complicate it further in his official Twitter handle. Usman Khawaja played 44 tests and 40 ODIs but wasn’t considered for selection after August 2019.

The first rule ‘Power Surge’, will consist of a two-over spell where the side fielding will be allowed to place two fielders outside the inner ring circle. However, to incorporate the rule the powerplay at the start of the innings has been reduced to four overs from the earlier six and the batting side can take the two overs from 11th over onwards.

Usman Khawaja
Usman Khawaja (Image Credit: Google)

‘X-factor Player’, which is the second new rule, gives the team to bring in a 12th or 13th player who isn’t part of starting playing XI into the game after the conclusion of 10th over of the first innings replacing the player who should not have batted or bowled more than one over.

The third rule ‘Bash Boost’ is a bonus point awarded midway in the second innings. The batting side will receive a bonus point if they are above or equivalent to a 10-over score of the opposition who have batted earlier. However, considering the opposite scenario, the fielding side will be awarded the bonus point.

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Mumbai Indians. Image Credit: IPL.
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Mumbai Indians Had The Strongest Team All The Way Through IPL 2020: Shane Watson

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Former Chennai Super Kings (CSK) batting mainstay Shane Watson has heaped praise on the reigning champions Mumbai Indians, stating they would be incredibly hard to beat for the coming editions if they come up with the same Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020 winning squad.

Shane Watson, who retired from all forms of cricket soon after Chennai Super Kings (CSK)’s journey ended in IPL 2020, congratulated MI for lifting the fifth title in his YouTube channel. The left-hand batsman without any second thought mentioned them as the strongest team of the 13th edition of the tournament. He stated that as the tournament Rohit Sharma’s team evolved and became flawless.

“Congratulations Mumbai Indians for winning their 5th IPL title. There is no question that Mumbai Indians had the strongest team all the way through IPL 2020. As the IPL continued to evolve, it confirmed to me more and more that Mumbai Indians have no weaknesses. That’s internationally as well, let alone in the IPL. The more the Mumbai Indians played in the tournament, more and more, it felt they had no weaknesses,” Watson said.

Mumbai Indians incredibly hard to beat: Shane Watson

Mumbai Indians Had The Strongest Team All The Way Through IPL 2020: Shane Watson 1
Ishan Kishan and Rohit Sharma. Image Credit: IPL.

While having two solid openers in the form of Rohit Sharma and Quinton de Kock, Suryakumar Yadav, batting at number three, continued to remain consistent with demolishing any attack. The middle-order batsman Ishan Kishan, who also played as an opener in Rohit Sharma’s absence, showed his power-hitting skills as he accelerated the innings fearlessly.

“They had world-class opening batsmen, Rohit Sharma and Quinton de Kock. Suryakumar Yadav, he continues to bat so well, it’s not going to be too long before he plays for India. And he had a brilliant tournament. And then Ishan Kishan who came in and set the IPL alight as well. Whether he was batting in the middle-overs or opening in the absence of Rohit, he provided so much impetus,” Shane Watson said.

Batting as the finishers, Hardik Pandya and Kieron Pollard are nightmares for any bowlers if they get settled. Shane Watson has named as “two best finishers in world cricket at the moment right now.” He also noted the contribution of allrounder Krunal Pandya.

“And then two best finishers in world cricket at the moment right now… Hardik Pandya and Kieron Pollard, just for a bit of back-up there and also Krunal Pandya,” Shane Watson added.

Mumbai Indians Had The Strongest Team All The Way Through IPL 2020: Shane Watson 2
Image Credit: IPL

Further, the former Australian cricketer warns if MI enters with the same squad for the coming years, taking the IPL trophy away from them would be incredibly hard.

“In the end, they were too hard to beat, if they continue to put this team on the field over the next few years, they are going to be incredibly hard to beat,” he said.

Mumbai Indians became the only second team after Chennai Super Kings to defend their title.

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Chennai Super Kings' Predicted Playing XI
Photo Credit: BCCI/IPL.
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IPL 2020: Fortunate For Having Trust Of Captain And Coach Despite Poor Performances – Shane Watson

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Shane Watson, aged 39 has retired from all forms of cricket after his IPL team Chennai Super Kings were eliminated from 2020 edition in UAE. Most key players of CSK ages 35-40 under whom there were many expectations, but they failed to deliver and qualify for the playoffs for the first time in their 11-year old IPL history.

Doubts were hovering around the future of some of their star performers, but some of them have cleared doubts already by announcing their intentions. Chennai captain MS Dhoni and Faf Du Plessis have made it clear that they will be featuring in IPL 2021, while Australian Shane Watson called it time on his illustrious 18-year career.

Shane Watson, MS Dhoni
Shane Watson, MS Dhoni

Shane Watson: Captain And Coach Had Trust Despite Non Performance In 2019

Discussing his 3-year old stint with CSK, Shane Watson said that one thing he found different with the franchise was trust shown in him by team’s captain MS Dhoni and coach Stephen Fleming. In a conversation with presenter Rupha Ramani, Shane Watson said that despite failing time and again in 2019 season, he was not dropped from the playing XI. The Australian hailed the duo for putting their trust in him.

MS Dhoni, Stephen Fleming
MS Dhoni, Stephen Fleming (Photo Source: Twitter)

“That you go 10 games without scoring runs and still get picked (laughs). Last season, thank you MS Dhoni and Stephen Fleming for keeping the faith. That was phenomenal and made me feel that good to go, a bit a block would not stop me,” he said.

Shane Watson revealed that he came to know about MS Dhoni’s impact on cricket and people of India after watching a documentary on him while travelling in a flight besides adding that MS Dhoni’s ability to simplify complex situations is a characteristic that stands out.

“Sitting on a plain and there is a TV screen in front of me showing documentary on MS. I remember watching his documentary and I did not know the extent of the impact he has on Indian cricket and especially Indian public in general. When he has his long hair and then he cut it off, around about that time. The thing that stands out to me, after getting to know him in the last 3 years is how easily he simplifies a complex situation,” Shane Watson said.

Shane Watson was awarded the Player of the Series in a number of tournaments, including the 2009 Champions Trophy, 2012 World T20, 2008 IPL and 2013 IPL. He is a right-handed batsman and a right-handed fast-medium swing bowler who played international cricket between 2002 and 2016 for Australia.

Shane Watson: Incredible To Be Part Of IPL Especially Chennai With Crowd Support

Fans of CSK have been hailed recently by the talismanic skipper MS Dhoni who said that fans of his team are “different” because they know their cricket. Shane Watson has also praised them now, saying it’s like a billion people live in Chennai because of stadiums being full with fans.

“It’s seems like there must be a billion people living in Chennai because there seems to be like billion CSK supporters. Even travelling in other parts of India was like half of the stadium was full of CSK fans, which is an incredible part to be part of. There are not many things where this happens at all.”

Shane Watson ended his IPL career with 3874 runs and 92 wickets. After starting his career with Rajasthan Royals, he won the inaugural edition of IPL with the team in 2008 which was Rajasthan’s only title. He had scored 472 runs and picked up 17 wickets in that season.

Shane Watson
Shane Watson. (Image Credit: Twitter)

Shane Watson spent seven successful years with the Rajasthan Royals before moving to Royal Challengers Bangalore where he didn’t find a lot of success before being picked up by CSK. He smashed 117 runs off 57 balls to help CSK clinch their 3rd IPL title in 2018.

In a rather forgettable IPL 2019 outing, with both bat and ball, he hit a valiant 80 with a bloodied knee, but his effort went in vain as CSK lost the final to Mumbai Indians by a whisker of 1 run. IPL 2020 saw him being the 3rd highest run-scorer of CSK by virtue of scoring 299 runs in 11 matches with 2 fifties.

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Chennai Super Kings' Predicted Playing XI
Photo Credit: BCCI/IPL.
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IPL 2020: Shane Watson Brings Curtains Down On His Wonderful Career

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Shane Watson, Chennai Super Kings opener has reportedly brought down curtains on his career. The former Australian allrounder who played from IPL’s inaugural year 2008 announced his decision to retire from all forms of cricket after CSK played their final game of the ongoing IPL 2020 season on Sunday against Kings XI Punjab.

CSK took on Kings XI Punjab in their last game and won the match eventually by nine wickets to leave the competition on a high note. The all-rounder was not a part of the playing eleven for the game. The veteran allrounder, who has been struggling with his form this season, last played for CSK against Kolkata Knight Riders on October 29.

Shane Watson and MS Dhoni.
Shane Watson and MS Dhoni. Photo Credit: BCCI/IPL.

Shane Watson Was Emotional While Announcing Decision To Retire

Shane Watson has scored 299 runs in 11 matches averaging 29.9 with 2 fifties this season. He joined CSK in 2018 after an intense battle between DD, CSK and RCB for Rs 4 Crore.

According to The Times of India, all-rounder Shane Watson told his CSK teammates about his decision right after the match was over. A source informed the news outlet that he was very emotional while revealing the decision to retire to the dressing room.

Shane Watson
Shane Watson. Photo Credit: BCCI

“Watson was very emotional when he told the CSK dressing room after the last game that he would retire. He said that it was a great privilege for him to play for the franchise,” the source was quoted as saying by TOI.

The allrounder, who joined the franchise in 2018, managed to bag a place in CSK’s cricket history by scoring a century in 2018 IPL final, which helped the side win their third title and first since 2011. He played from 2008 to 2015 for Rajasthan Royals before playing for Royal Challengers Bangalore in 2016 and 2017.

He was eventually signed by Chennai Super Kings. Shane Watson played 59 Tests, 190 ODIs and 58 T20Is for Australia before retiring in 2016 from international cricket after debuting in 2002.

Shane Watson Played 145 Matches For Rajasthan, Bangalore And Chennai

In 2019 too, he had scored a fighting fifty in the final against Mumbai Indians but CSK lost the thriller by one run. Before joining CSK, he had featured for Rajasthan Royals and Royal Challengers Bangalore. Overall, he played a total of 145 IPL games, of which 43 matches were for CSK. He had also picked 92 wickets besides scoring 3874 runs.

Shane Watson
Shane Watson. (Image Credit: Twitter)

He retired from IPL as one of its most decorated allrounders. He scored 3,874 runs at an average of 30.99 with the help of 4 centuries and 21 fifties. He is considered one of the best limited-overs all-rounders and was awarded the Player of the Series in a number of tournaments, including the 2009 Champions Trophy, 2012 World T20, 2008 IPL and 2013 IPL.

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