Narayan Jagadeesan, the 26-year-old Tamil Nadu wicketkeeper, is coming off a fantastic run in the recently concluded Vijay Hazare tournament. He finished the event as the tournament’s highest run-getter while also breaking a slew of records. He amassed a massive 830 runs in 8 innings, averaging nearly 140, and scored five centuries, including a double century against Arunachal Pradesh.
The Chennai Super Kings first signed him in the 2018 IPL auction, but he had to wait almost two years for an opportunity. His first appearance on the biggest stage came during a disastrous season for the franchise. In 2020, he made his IPL debut against the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB).
He stayed with the team for two more seasons but failed to make the most of the limited opportunities he was given. Moreover, his stats of 33 runs in 5 matches are not impressive by any means. As he looked up, the door slammed behind him, and CSK moved on, having made their list of released players public a few weeks before.
Given that the 2023 IPL mini-auction is just days away, let’s take a look at the teams that might be a perfect fit for Narayan Jagadeesan.
Five teams that can target Narayan Jagadeesan in the IPL mini-auction
1. Punjab Kings
The Punjab Kings shocked the cricketing fraternity after they sacked their skipper, Mayank Agarwal, ahead of the mini-auction. This opens up a spot for an opening batter, and Punjab’s foreign core appears to be set. Rabada, Livingston, Rajapaksha, and Bairstow might be their four abroad players.
In Mayank’s absence, Narayan Jagadeesan might combine with Shikhar Dhawan at the top of the order, as the Tamil Nadu batter is adept at both speeding and anchoring the innings. Shikhar and Narayan Jagadeesan’s left-right combination could also work well for PBKS. Narayan Jagadeesan could fill the void of not having any other reputed Indian batter.
2. Kolkata Knight Riders
The Shreyas Iyer-led franchise was the busiest of the 10 IPL teams that took advantage of the trading market. Knight Riders brought in Shardul Thakur, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, and Lockie Ferguson. With Sam Billings’ withdrawal from this year’s IPL, a spot for a keeper-batter became available, and they were able to secure an overseas replacement in the form of Rahmatullah Gurbaz.
The two-time IPL champions would enter the IPL mini-auction with the smallest purse, and they should have a field day with Narayan Jagadeesan. As the Knights have yet to find a suitable replacement for Shubman Gill, Jagadeesan opening the innings could give Venkatesh Iyer greater flexibility to play more confidently.
3. Royal Challengers Bangalore
The Royal Challengers Bangalore are yearning for an Indian batsman who can absorb pressure in the middle order. In the last season, they were frequently chopping and changing their lineup, making it difficult to identify a solid opening partner alongside skipper Faf Du Plessis. Rajat Patidar has clinched his place, and Glenn Maxwell’s fitness is causing concern.
In the coming years, Jagadeesan could replace Dinesh Karthik as an Indian wicketkeeper middle order batter. If RCB acquires him, it will allow them to bolster their bowling department by adding a couple more overseas specialists. David Willey, Hazelwood, and Hasaranga. Their captain would be the team’s fourth foreign player. In the mini-auction, RCB would certainly want Narayan Jagadeesan as a long-term replacement and potential first-team opener.
4. Sunrisers Hyderabad
The Sunrisers Hyderabad stunned people ahead of the mini-auction by releasing their captain and international superstar, Kane Williamson. Kane had a disappointing season, and he has consistently underperformed since taking over as captain from David Warner. The Sunrisers have built an impressive group of young players. Also, they now have some much-needed expertise in the shape of Washington Sundar, Aiden Markram, and Bhuvaneshwar Kumar.
They might hand over the captaincy to Bhuvi and bring in Narayan Jagadeesan to open. The Sunrisers are at their strongest in years, and they must take advantage of the mini-auction to bring in the necessary players. Kane carried out the role of an anchor, and Jagadeesan could do the same.
5. Lucknow Super Giants
The Lucknow Supergiants had a memorable maiden IPL season, finishing in the top four and qualifying for the playoffs. They will not make any changes to their starting XI from the previous season. Last season, they lacked an Indian middle-order batsman to ease the team’s pressure.
Ayush Badoni did well but couldn’t maintain consistency, and Manish Pandey got dropped for failures. Narayan Jagadeesan could be on his way to the Lucknow Giants. He might be their long-term batsman who can also keep wickets if the scenario calls for it. They will be keeping an eye on Narayan Jagadeesan.
Conclusion
Narayan Jagadeesan, who hails from a small town in Tamilnadu, has made waves since the Tamil Nadu Premier League (TNPL) began. He rose to prominence while playing for the Dindigul Dragons in the Tamil Nadu Premier League (TNPL). He is still the league’s leading scorer, with 1240 runs. With experience on his side, Jagadeesan is a more than safe gloveman to go along with his spectacular batting ability. Given his great play, we could see a battle for the Batter in the IPL mini-auction.
FAQs
1.Which is the best-suited slot for Jagadeesan to bat at?
Narayan Jagadeesan offers versatility and can bat at anywhere from 1 to 5. He is best suited as an opening batter who could carry out the role of an anchor.
2. Was Jagadeesan good in the TNPL?
Jagadeesan remains the leading run-getter of the tournament, amassing a total of 1240 runs.
3. Why did CSK release him?
Even in the coming years, there appears to be no place for him in the playing XI, since their new opener Devon Conway might keep the wickets following Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s retirement.
4. Can Jagadeesan play the role of a finisher?
He is better suited to batting at the top, but he can still do the finisher’s job. However, he hasn’t been seen in that role before.
