After spending almost a season on the bench, the forgotten legend of the game- Imran Tahir is hopeful that the upcoming season of the Indian Premier League with Chennai Super Kings (CSK) will be fruitful for him.
The previous season saw the 42-year-old feature for Chennai Super Kings in just three matches, where he could only manage to take a single wicket. The pitch conditions in UAE favoured the seamers, and therefore, spinners including Tahir had to be compromised. However, their change in the game plan was anything but effective as they ended up finishing seventh in the table, missing out on playoffs for the first time in their IPL history.
Now with the venues shifted back to India (but not their home ground), it will be interesting to see if Tahir will be given another shot, given the rise in competition amongst young players as well as the veteran being the oldest player in IPL. However, despite his age, the South African has remained one of the top bowlers for the CSK side, who also happened to win the purple cap in 2019.
In an interview by The National, the spinner conveyed his knowledge regarding the chances of him not being included in the CSK playing XI. However, he is optimistic that he is ready if he is being called.
“I always look for my opportunity, and for me, I need to be prepared for that. If I get the opportunity, I need to make sure I justify it.”
The Pakistan-born player has played 58 IPL matches so far and picked up 80 wickets. The former world number 1 T20 format player had a breakthrough performance in 2019 when he ended up picking 26 wickets and winning the purple cap. CSK fans will be hoping to see the famous running celebration from Tahir this season.