IPL 2021: Sanjay Manjrekar asks CSK to leave out Suresh Raina and play Jadeja as batsman

Former Indian cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar feels that Chennai Super Kings should drop Suresh Raina and play an extra spinner. The Super Kings have started the UAE leg on the grand note with two wins on the trot, but Manjrekar suggested a few changes keeping in mind the playing conditions. The veteran said that the Yellow Army, led by MS Dhoni, should rope in leg-spinner Karn Sharma and play Ravindra Jadeja as a specialist batter.

Manjrekar sounded a tad worried with Raina and Ambati Rayudu’s form but felt more concerned about the left-hander’s form. Although Imran Tahir could be a handful in Abu Dhabi, Manjrekar said that there’s no room for him among the four foreign players.

'I’d pick Rayudu ahead of Raina,' says Sanjay Manjrekar 

“I wonder whether Chennai would be looking to make one change in their batting because the worry that they have is the spin element and in Abu Dhabi, we’ve seen the ball coming slow. That’s where Imran Tahir or Karn Sharma could be looked at. But I doubt Tahir would be able to replace another foreign player,” Manjrekar was quoted as saying on his social media account in partnership with DafaNews India.

“So, what I would do is have somebody like Sharma coming into the team and play Jadeja as a specialist batter and then, leave out somebody like Suresh Raina. The worry for Chennai is both Rayudu and Raina have looked off-colour, Raina more than Rayudu.

“But if I have to look at somebody who’s a possible candidate for success going forward, I’d pick Rayudu ahead of Raina,” he added. In eight innings in IPL 2021, Raina has scored 144 runs at an average of 24 with a top score of 54. Manjrekar also lauded the Super Kings for their batting depth in the ongoing league. With Dwayne Bravo coming at the lower middle-order, the 56-year-old said that CSK’s batting looks stronger than ever. The Super Kings are currently placed second in the points table with 14 points from nine games and have a net run rate of 1.185. The Super Kings are currently in action against the Kolkata Knight Riders at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi.

(Image: PTI)