Ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023, former Chennai Super Kings (CSK) batsman Matthew Hayden spoke highly of the team’s newest acquisition, England all-rounder Ben Stokes. CSK had paid INR 16.25 crore for Stokes at the mini-auction in December, hoping that he would bring balance to the starting XI and help the team recover from a forgettable 2022 campaign.
Hayden, however, claimed that Stokes had never lived up to his potential in the IPL. Nevertheless, he predicted that the all-rounder would become the “X factor” for CSK under the team’s regime in 2023. Hayden passed over both Stokes and captain MS Dhoni, calling Ravindra Jadeja the “player to watch out for.” He believed that with Jadeja performing at the top of his game, CSK would benefit greatly.
Stokes had withdrawn from IPL 2022 to focus on Test cricket after England’s Ashes failure. He was also injured during the first leg of the 2021 season and did not return for the UAE leg due to a mental health hiatus from the sport. His last full season of IPL came in 2018, which was only his second appearance in the league after making his debut in 2017 with the Rising Pune Supergiants.
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In 43 IPL games, Stokes had scored 920 runs at 25.55, including two centuries and two half-centuries. He had also taken 28 wickets at an economy rate of 8.55.
The IPL 2023 season’s opening match is scheduled to take place on March 31, 2023, between Gujarat Titans and CSK at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.
Hayden’s comments highlight the expectations surrounding Stokes as CSK looks to bounce back from their poor showing in the previous season. With his ability to contribute with both bat and ball, Stokes could prove to be the game-changer that CSK needs. However, Jadeja’s consistent performances over the years have made him a crucial player for the team. Ultimately, it will be up to both players to live up to their potential and help CSK achieve success in the upcoming season.