Reigning champ CSG picks balanced squad

At the Player Draft here on Thursday, the Chepauk side pocketed wicketkeeper-batsman Narayan Jagadeesan, former captain Rajagopal Sathish and left-arm spinner Manimaran Siddharth in its effort to go for a third title. CSG owner Sivanthi Adityan was pleased with how things panned out during the draft, in which the side added 17 players to its existing roster of three.

“I am extremely happy with the squad (we have at our disposal),” Sivanthi said. “I did not come in thinking I will get as strong a line-up as I did. So, I have got more than what I asked for. I am looking forward to working with everyone,” added Sivanthi. In the off-season, Super Gillies had retained a capped player (Kaushik Gandhi) and two uncapped players (Uthirasamy Sasidev and Ramadoss Alexandar). So, going by the TNPL Player Draft rules, the two-time title-winner had to pick an uncapped player in the first round. And, it had no hesitation in snapping up D Rahul, who performed admirably in the previous edition. “We had a clear strategy of going for a pace bowler. Rahul has done well for us in the past and we were very comfortable with him. He is someone who would go straight into the playing eleven,” said Sivanthi.

Although Hemang Badani-coached CSG missed out on India international Vijay Shankar and the slinging G Periyasamy – both of whom will don the Salem Spartans (the then Tuti Patriots) colours in TNPL Season 5 – it managed to get hold of a big fish in the second round in Jagadeesan, who has been a run machine at the topof the order.

“Vijay Shankar getting picked by Salem was obviously upsetting for us. He played well for Super Gillies. But we are very excited to work with Jagadeesan. I rate him highly. I have always looked at him as the danger man in TNPL. I never expected him to be in the draft itself,” said Sivanthi.

Kaushik Gandhi

Uncapped players: Ramadoss Alexandar and Uthirasamy Sasidev

Capped players: NarayanJagadeesan, Rajagopal Sathish, M Siddharth, RS Jaganath Sinivas and V Arun Kumar

Uncapped players: D Rahul, S Harish Kumar, S Sujay, H Prashid Akash, B Arun, R Ram Aravind, B Rahul, B Sai Prakash, S Vijayakumar, V SanthanaSekar, R Ajith Kumar and Vikram Jangid