Chennai Super Kings (CSK) broke the bank by paying Rs 8.5 crore for Uttar Pradesh (UP) batter Sameer Rizvi, 20, in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 auction in Dubai on Tuesday.
CSK, Gujarat Titans (GT), and Delhi Capitals (DC) were engaged in an intense tussle to secure the services of the young power hitter. Rizvi is likely to make his debut in the lucrative franchise T20 league in the coming season, on the back of a power-packed performance for the Kanpur Superstars in the UP T20 League recently.
His performances for UP has earned his comparisons with former India star and ex-CSK vice-captain Suresh Raina, who hails from the same state.
The batter smashed 455 runs on the back of two centuries in nine games, thus shooting into the limelight owing to his fantastic performances in the middle order. CSK were anyways in the lookout for a replacement for Ambati Rayudu in the batting order, and Rizvi seems to be a long-term investment from their end for the same.
He averages 49.2 at a strike rate of 134.7 with 295 runs to his name in 11 domestic T20 games. In List A cricket, Rizvi has hit 174 runs at an average of 29. Teams going great guns to get him in the auction speaks volumes of how strengthened the IPL scouting network has become over the years.
The inception of local T20 leagues has broadened the playing ground, enhancing opportunities for youngsters from every nook and corner of the country to make a mark and get under the radar of their favourite IPL teams.
It’s uncertain if the title-winning CSK unit will have enough space in their ranks to provide playing time to their latest star recruit. However, his acquisition suggests that the team has been gradually building towards the long-term, getting a host of young stars like Rajavardhan Hangargekar, Shaikh Rasheed, Matheesha Pathirana, Maheesh Theekshana, Shivam Dube, Rachin Ravindra, amongst others in their ranks lately.
First Published: Dec 19, 2023 9:30 PM IST
