Dwayne Bravo has been one of the fine servants of the Chennai Super Kings. Picked up in IPL 2011 auctions, the West Indian has been with the franchise since then, barring the two years in 2016 and 2017 when he turned up for Gujarat Lions. For CSK, Bravo is the highest wicket-taker with 127 wickets in 113 games and is one of the Top 10 highest run-scorers. The all-rounder has also won the Purple Cap twice for the franchise. However, in recent seasons, the 37-year-old has struggled with form and fitness. Hence, on that note, here are five players CSK should target in IPL 2022 auction to replace Dwayne Bravo.
1) Chris Jordan
Initially drafted in as a bowling all-rounder in Tests and ODI’s, with an effective yorker and variations developed in his armoury, Chris Jordan is now a death bowling specialist for England. He is a useful batsman in the tail and a terrific fielder, as well.
From all perspectives, Jordan will be the right fit to replace Bravo. He will bowl mostly during the death and gets a chance to bat very rarely, something that’s similar with Bravo. In terms of fielding, Jordan is a better bet than the West Indian. Hence, he is one of the players CSK should target in IPL 2022 mega auctions if they release Dwayne Bravo.
2) David Willey
In 32 T20I games, so far, the English bowling all-rounder has collected 38 wickets at a strike rate of 16.87 Although he has is not earmarked as a T20 candidate for England, Willey possesses a few attributes that would fit well in CSK.
While he is a top performer while bowling in the power-play, the Englishman has also improved his death bowling abilities. With the highest ODI score of 51 in ODIs, Willey is no muck with the bat. Willey also has decent international experience to fill in the vacancy of a veteran like Bravo.
3) Jason Holder
The No.1 Test all-rounder right now, Jason Holder has been gradually improving his popularity in the T20 format. For Sunrisers Hyderabad in IPL 2020, the West Indian skipper performed both with the bat and the ball. This was crucial as SRH reached the playoffs of that campaign.
In terms of what they bring to the table, Holder and Bravo are almost similar. Yes, Holder might have played just 20 T20I’s so far but he is still under 30 and has many years ahead of him. Fitness-wise, too, Holder is placed better than Dwayne Bravo.
4) Lockie Ferguson
The Kiwi pacer bowled only 19.5 overs in IPL 2020 but collected six wickets at an economy of only 7.46. He turned the games that he played for KKR last season. Despite this, the pacer is yet to get his chance in IPL 2021.
The second-highest wicket-taker at the 2019 World Cup, Lockie is known for his raw pace and intelligent variations. In 13 T20I’s so far, Lockie has got 24 wickets at an average of 13.16 and an economy of 6.86. He might not be a great hand with the bat if there is a player who can completely replace ‘Bravo the bowler’, it is Lockie Ferguson.
5) James Neesham
James Neesham is one of the players CSK should target in IPL 2022 mega auctions if they decide to release Dwayne Bravo. Although it would not be a like-to-like replacement, Neesham will offer more solidity in the lower middle-order and a promise of developing into a T20 specialist bowler.
The Kiwi’s T20 stats speak highly of his ability to be an aggressor in the lower order. So far, he has played 29 games and has scored 348 runs at an average of 21.60. However, his strike rate is 157.28. This is exactly what is expected of a No.7 batsman. He has also taken 18 wickets in this tenure, which adds to his resume of being a multi-utility cricketer.
