Former India spin-bowling all-rounder Ravichandran Ashwin has lauded Chennai Super Kings’ (CSK) new recruit Akeal Hosein for his all-round show in Jo’burg Super Kings debut in SA20 2025-26. At SuperSport Park, Centurion, Hosein contributed with a cameo and then picked up a crucial wicket against Pretoria Capitals on December 27. Ashwin called him an ‘impact player in every sense’.
"Akeal Hosein doing it all," Ashwin wrote on X. “Solid contribution with the bat, economical spells with the ball, slotting in seamlessly for JSK and helping build something beautiful. Impact player in every sense.”
Hosein’s cameo in slog overs
Hosein walked out to bat in the 18th over when Super Kings were 138/6. He walked in to bat and hit Codi Yusuf for a boundary. In the penultimate over, Hosein hit Lungi Ngidi for two consecutive sixes. The Caribbean all-rounder remained unbeaten for 22 off 10 deliveries, helping Super Kings post 168/6.
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Hosein breaks opening partnership
In the run chase of 169, Pretoria Capitals were 64 for no loss after eight overs. Hosein in his third got the breakthrough. On the fifth delivery, he was hit for a four by Will Smeed. The left-arm spinner bowled one on leg stump and got ample drift as Smeed went for the pull shot but the inside edge crashed into the leg stump. Smeed departed for 34 off 30 deliveries. This was Hosein's third over. He did not bowl another over in the innings. From three overs, he conceded just 19 runs.
Later, Duan Jansen wreaked havoc with a four-fer. Pretoria Capitals managed to post 146/9 as Super Kings won the match by 22 runs.
Picked for base price, Hosein’s T20 numbers
Hosein was picked for his base price of Rs 2 crore in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 mini-auction. He is likely to play the role of Ravindra Jadeja, at least with the ball in the upcoming season.
The 32-year-old has played 254 T20s so far (domestic T20s, franchise T20s and T20Is). He has 239 wickets at an average of 25.08, including one fifer and five four-fers. With the bat, he is handy down the order. He has 1,118 runs at an average of 15.74.