Chennai Super Kings have been dealt with a major blow, days ahead of the start of the 14th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL). Star fast bowler from Australia – Josh Hazlewood has pulled out of IPL 2021 to give himself “the best chance to be mentally and physically ready” as Australia gear up for a power-packed schedule in the next 12 months.
Incidentally, Hazlewood has been a part of different bio-secure bubbles from August 2020 to January this year and has decided to rest and spend some time with the family. He e is the third Australian cricketer after Josh Phillipe and Mitchell Marsh to pull out of IPL 2021.
“It’s been a long 10 months in bubbles and quarantine at different times, so I decided to have a rest from cricket and spend some time at home and in Australia in the next two months,” Hazlewood said to cricket.com.au.
On that note, let us take a look at 3 cricketers who can replace Josh Hazlewood in the Chennai Super Kings line-up for IPL 2021:
#3 Billy Stanlake
The tall and lanky fast bowler from Australia is known for his express pace and bounce. With his prior experience of playing in IPL, Billy Stanlake can be an ideal replacement for Josh Hazlewood in the Chennai Super Kings ranks. Stanlake has been in decent form in the recently concluded Big Bash League where he turned up for Melbourne Stars and in the domestic List A tournament playing for Queensland.
Talking about IPL, Stanlake has plied his trade for Sunrisers Hyderabad in the 2017 and 2018 seasons. While he has been a tad expensive going over 8 runs in an over, but his pace and bounce can be a perfect foil for the MS Dhoni-led side who looks to bounce back after a poor IPL 2020.
