CSK will play their first match against Rajasthan Royals at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium in Guwahati on Monday. In this match, most eyes will be on who would get a chance in the playing eleven in place of Dhoni. The team definitely has some options, but choosing the right combination will not be easy.

Sanju Samson is at the forefront
Sanju Samson’s name is emerging as the strongest contender. Samson was included in CSK after being traded from Rajasthan Royals last season and he is also considered as Dhoni’s successor.

In such a situation, it is almost certain that he will handle the responsibility of wicketkeeping in this match and can also open.

Urvil Patel is also an option
Apart from this, Urvil Patel has also emerged as a big option. This 27-year-old wicketkeeper-batsman made his name in domestic cricket with his aggressive game. He has scored 1425 runs in 57 T20 matches and his strike rate is more than 179. The special thing is that he also holds the record of scoring the fastest (28 balls) and second fastest (31 balls) century in T20 for India. In such a situation, the team can use him as a finisher or in the middle order.

Kartik Sharma can also play the role of wicketkeeper
At the same time, 19 year old Karthik Sharma is also in the news. This young player has impressed the CSK management with his power hitting. This was the reason why the franchise bought him for Rs 14.20 crore. Karthik has so far scored 334 runs in 12 T20 matches and his strike rate is more than 162. However, lack of experience can be a challenge for them.

Another name which is being seen as an option is Sarfaraz Khan. He has scored 585 runs in 50 IPL matches and can play both the top order or finisher roles if needed.

However, he has not been very active in IPL for some time now.

This is a big test for CSK in the absence of Dhoni. The team will not only miss an excellent wicketkeeper, but will also miss his leadership and experience on the field. Now it will be interesting to see how CSK overcomes this challenge and which player proves to be the best in place of Dhoni.

CSK’s probable XI: Ruturaj Gaikwad (captain), Sanju Samson (wicketkeeper), Ayush Mhatre, Matt Short, Shivam Dubey, Karthik Sharma, Prashant Veer, Jamie Overton, Noor Ahmed, Matt Henry, 11 Khalil Ahmed, 12 Anshul Kamboj/Gurjapaneet Singh.