The former Australian opener Matthew Hayden who was once an opening batter for the Chennai Super Kings as well has given a strong statement on the English all-rounder Ben Stokes. CSK bought this star player last year in December during the mini-auction for IPL 2023.CSK acquired Ben Stokes for a whopping INR 16.25 crore which is the highest amount ever paid by this franchise in the tournament’s history.
His addition to the team is expected to provide a significant boost as the star West Indian all-rounder Dwayne Bravo is no longer part of the team. Bravo announced his retirement from the IPL and now serves as the bowling coach for the CSK.”Stokes will be the X factor for CSK, who has never realized his potential in the IPL and he is one of those players and we see him play all over the world.
Now, under a CSK regime where it’s all about cricket I think that he’s got a big chance to be the X factor this season,” Hayden said to Star Sports.Hayden also picked the ‘Trump Card’ for Chennai Super Kings this season. The Australian legend feels that Jadeja’s performance will be the key factor for the Chennai-based franchise this season. Last year, Chennai Super Kings struggled a lot with their combination and they finished in 9th position in the points table.Talking about Jadeja, the former Australian opener said, “For me, the player to watch out for is always Jadeja. He is a quality all-rounder. CSK have got some world-class all-rounders, including who they’ve signed now – Ben Stokes. But with Jaddu at the best of his best, he can really drive a great outcome for CSK, this season.”This year Chennai will play their first match at the famous Narendra Modi Stadium on 31st March against the defending champions Gujarat Titans.
