The three-time title winners, the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) have roped in the Australian left-arm fast bowler, Jason Behrendorff as a replacement of Josh Hazlewood for IPL 2021. The latter had decided not to take part in the 14th edition of the cash-rich league due to health concerns amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Behrendorff has featured in 11 ODIs and seven T20Is in his international career so far. This is Behrendorff’s second IPL franchise as he earlier played for the Mumbai Indians (MI) in 2019, picking up five wickets in as many matches. He has taken 90 wickets in the 79 matches he has played in his T20 career, with a best of 4 for 21 and an economy rate of 7.20.
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Behrendorff was recently seen plying his trade for Western Australia in a List A contest against Tasmania, on April 8. He took 3 for 33 and scored an unbeaten 35 to be the player of the match. In the Big Bash League earlier this year, the southpaw pacer scalped as many as 16 wickets in as many games for Perth Scorchers, at an average of 23.31 and an economy rate of 7.03.
NEWS: @ChennaiIPL sign Jason Behrendorff as replacement for Josh Hazlewood. @Vivo_India #VIVOIPL
More details 👉 https://t.co/XIZSzQZqSb pic.twitter.com/8lRptsIv5c
— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) April 9, 2021
Hazlewood featured in CSK’s playing XI just in three games during IPL 2020 and this year, he would have been competing with Moeen Ali, Sam Curran, Lungi Ngidi, and Dwayne Bravo for a spot in the playing XI. Dhoni has led CSK to the IPL title thrice (2010, 2011, and 2018), but in the last season, they finished at the seventh spot and it was the first time, that the side failed to qualify for the playoffs.
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Chennai Super Kings’ first match this season will be against Delhi Capitals (DC) on April 10 at the Wankhede Stadium. IPL 2021 is slated to commence on April 9 with Mumbai Indians locking horns with the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in the tournament opener ay the MA Chidambaram stadium in Chennai.
