'Powerplay batting looked like a rehearsal for a Test match': Former Indian opener wants CSK to pick Prithvi Shaw as injured Ruturaj Gaikwad's replacement

'Powerplay batting looked like a rehearsal for a Test match': Former Indian opener wants CSK to pick Prithvi Shaw as injured Ruturaj Gaikwad's replacement
Delhi Capitals' Prithvi Shaw celebrates his fifty; CSK's MS Dhoni gestures during clash against KKR on April 11.

Story Highlights:

Prithvi Shaw went unsold in the IPL 2025 mega auction despite a base price of Rs 75 lakh.

Ruturaj Gaikwad has been ruled out of the IPL 2025 due to an injury.

MS Dhoni will lead CSK for the rest of the tournament.

Chennai Super Kings (CSK) on April 11 registered their lowest total at MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chepauk. CSK suffered a batting collapse of epic proportions and barely managed to get over the 100-run mark. Following the defeat, former Indian opener Kris Srikkanth lashed out at the way top-order approached the innings. Rachin Ravindra and Devon Conway struggled before throwing their wicket away. CSK were 18 for 2 after five overs. Srikkanth compared it to a rehearsal for a Test match. He also suggested that CSK pick someone from the unsold players pool to solve their powerplay problems while name-dropping Prithvi Shaw. 

“One of CSK's worst defeats ever. Powerplay batting looked like a rehearsal for a test match. Whole XI feels like it's running on nostalgia. Time to think out of the box, why not try some unsold players like Prithvi Shaw at this point? Would you try it? even chaos is a strategy?” Srikkanth wrote on X.

 

 

Shaw's IPL record

Srikkanth's replacement suggestion, Shaw was one of the notable unsold players in the mega auction. He had a base price of Rs 75 lakh. The 25-year-old recently played in the DY Patil T20 tournament which featured IPL players. 

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Shaw has played for Delhi Capitals (DC) for seven seasons. He has scored 1,892 runs from 79 innings at an average of 23.94, including 14 half-centuries. He is aggressive in the powerplay overs. The opener's IPL career strike rate is 147.46. His best IPL season with the bat came in 2021 edition. He scored 479 runs from 15 innings at an average of 31.93, including four fifties.

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Young player called for trials

Earlier, there were reports 17-year-old Mumbai opener Ayush Mhatre was called for mid-season trials. Mhatre is yet to make his T20 debut in domestic cricket. In List A (One-Day), he averages over 65 having scored 458 runs from seven innings, including two centuries and one fifty.

CSK's young blood

Meanwhile, CSK have a few promising uncapped players in the squad. Vansh Bedi and Andre Siddharth are waiting in the wings for a chance to make their respective debuts.