CSK picks former RR pacer as Mukesh Choudhary's replacement for IPL 2023

The wait is finally over; we are just a few hours away from the start of another blockbuster edition of the Indian Premier League, which will start with a game between Chennai Super Kings and Gujarat Titans at the Narendra Modi Stadium at 7:30 p.m.

With an action-packed two months of cricket coming up, some players might find it hard to stay relevant to the competition; that's the reason some players have been ruled out of the competition ahead of the start. One name that might be missed by the four-time champion is left-arm pacer Mukesh Choudhary.

The 26-year-old did well in his debut season for CSK, picking up 16 wickets in 13 innings. But he sustained a stress fracture, which ruled him out of the coming 16th edition. And with no time left in CSK's first game, the franchise has named his replacement.

Choudhary is currently undergoing his rehab programme at the National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru. He was signed for a price of INR 20 lakh by the Chennai franchise last season. Notably, CSK also had an injury with Kiwi pacer Kyle Jamieson earlier. However, CSK has signed another left-arm pacer, Akash Singh, to replace Choudhary for the coming season.

Akash has played nine T20 games, five first-class matches, and nine List A matches and was part of the Rajasthan Royals in 2020 and 2021. He has a total of 31 wickets across all three formats and will join CSK at his base price of INR 20 lakh.

However, it is still a big question how  the franchise will fill Choudhary's place in the team, as he became a crucial part of the CSK bowling lineup. The franchise has a good mixture of young and experienced players, and the addition of Ben Stokes will certainly provide them with a boost in the coming season.