Prashant Veer did a weird act vs RCB [Source: AP]
The five-time IPL champions, Chennai Super Kings, started their season with three successive losses after a big squad overhaul ahead of IPL 2026. Their latest defeat came against the arch-rivals Royal Challengers Bengaluru, who dismantled the Men in Yellow and clinched the match by 43 runs.
Among their big money signings was the domestic duo of Prashant Veer, who is touted to be a long-term replacement for Ravindra Jadeja after being swopped in for INR 14.50 crore in the IPL 2026 auction.
Living up to his hype, the southpaw was also among the few positives from CSK’s loss against RCB, where he also caught attention, displaying his fine presence of mind.
Watch- Prashant Veer’s epic presence of mind
After not getting to bowl in consecutive games, Prashant Veer walked in to bat in a precarious situation for CSK as they looked to chase 251 runs. The score read 84/5 in 6.5 overs, and the Men in Yellow still needed 167 runs.
After 6*(7) on his IPL debut, the 20-year-old showed glimpses of his class with a knock of 43 (29) with six fours and a six against RCB, despite facing an uphill task in the chase.
In the midst of his innings, as he faced Krunal Pandya on 13.6 over mark, he was surprised with a bouncer by the left-arm spinner, who had been trying out variations since IPL 2026.
Having smashed the bowler for 18 in the first 5 balls, Veer looked in the zone before facing the bouncer.
Standing a bit outside the crease, he managed to duck it and lost his balance, leaving himself with the only option to use his hand to get back in the crease before Jitesh Sharma could stump him.
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Veer’s quick reflexes helped him survive the stumping, but he only managed 6 more runs in the next 5 balls and was dismissed for 43 off 29.
Can Prashant Veer replace Ravindra Jadeja?
In the early days of IPL 2026, several key players like MS Dhoni, Dewald Brevis and Nathan Ellis have suffered injuries, dampening the spirits around the CSK camp.
The Men in Yellow had to rely on their new young signings, Prashant Veer and Kartik Sharma, to hit the ground running and create some immediate impact. The 19-year-old Kartik Sharma — the INR 14.20 crore signing is yet to make a substantial contribution, scoring only 25 runs across the first three innings.
Prashant Veer, who offers the same skillset as CSK’s long-term core player Ravindra Jadeja, has only featured in two innings and scored 49 runs in 36 balls, but has not yet been trusted to roll his arm for the left-arm orthodox bowling.
Nonetheless, with 12 wickets in 9 innings for Uttar Pradesh, conceding at only 6.45 runs per over, alongside a T20 strike rate of 156.31, Prashant Veer has shown a lot of promise at only 20. Moving ahead, he could be groomed for the Jadeja role in CSK, but as things stand, the management looks hesitant to give him too much responsibility early in IPL 2026.
CSK eye strong home performances
So far in IPL 2026, CSK has played only one home match at the MA Chidambaram Stadium (a.k.a. Chepauk), travelling to Guwahati and Bengaluru to face the Rajasthan Royals and Royal Challengers Bengaluru, respectively.
Having lost all three of their matches, including one at home against the Punjab Kings, the Super Kings will now play two consecutive matches at the Chepauk, where they would like to find some momentum.
They will face the Delhi Capitals on Saturday, April 11, followed by the Kolkata Knight Riders on Tuesday, April 14, after a short break now.
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