A few reports suggest that Shivam Dube could miss the season opener against RCB on March 22nd. It will be a big blow for CSK, especially after missing out on Devon Conway, as well. Shivam is an excellent player against spin and is also in decent touch right now. His absence could be hard for CSK to cope with. On that note, here, we take a look at two players who can replace Shivam Dube if he is not fit for the first game of IPL 2024 against RCB.
1) Sameer Rizvi
Ajinkya Rahane would be CSK’s main option for No.3, despite his poor form. Hence, if Shivam Dube was available, Sameer Rizvi would not have got a chance. That said, if Shivam is unfit, Sameer could play at No.4 for CSK in the first match.
He is good against spin and No.4 would be a safe spot for him to start. He would be surrounded by the experience of Ajinkya Rahane and Daryl Mitchell, which is needed for a youngster at this level. Plus, he can also offer some overs of spin, which could further benefit the franchise.
2) Nishant Sindhu
Nishant Sindhu is one of the players who can replace Shivam Dube if he is not fit for the first game of IPL 2024 against RCB. IPL 2024 could be the season in which Nishant makes his IPL debut. Seen as the replacement for Ravindra Jadeja in the future, Nishant could get a few games in IPL 2024.
However, Nishant might not play as high as No.4. He could come in at No.6 or No.7. This would push Daryl Mitchell to No.4 and Ravindra Jadeja to No.5. It will be interesting to see how Nishant operates with the ball. Even if he has a decent outing, he could get multiple chances in the season. This is because CSK’s third spin option Moeen Ali might not even get a spot in the playing XI due to the presence of Rachin Ravindra and Daryl Mitchell.
