Chennai Super Kings are casting their net into the future with a debut for young Urvil Patel in the KKR vs CSK clash at the Eden Gardens on Wednesday. Patel was signed as a replacement for Vansh Bedi, replacing Shaik Rasheed in the playing XI for MS Dhoni’s side. The 26-year-old is a wicket-keeper bat, known for his big hitting skills in T20 cricket.
Who is Urvil Patel?
Urvil Patel is a wicket-keeper batsman who plays domestic cricket for Gujarat. He had gone unsold in the IPL 2025 auction but was replaced after mid-season trials by Chennai Super Kings alongside Ayush Mhatre. After the teenager impressed, CSK called up the 26-year-old Patel to the squad. His base price is Rs 30 lakh. Patel was previously part of the GT set up in 2023 but did not get a game.
Urvil made heads turn with a record-breaking run in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. The keeper-bat scored a stunning 315 runs in six innings at an average of 78.75 and a strike rate of nearly 230. He hit the most sixes in the competition, smashing 29 hits over the fence. The next best was RCB skipper Rajat Patidar with 27, but he did it in 10 innings.
After the IPL 2025 auction, He smashed a 28-ball 100 against Tripura, alerting IPL scouts of his talent. His overall T20 career strike rate is in excess of 170, aligning with CSK’s efforts to re-energise their squad. In the Ranji Trophy quarterfinals, he smashed a 197-ball 140 against Saurashtra.
Urvil’s first steps as a lion!
#WhistlePodu #KKRvCSK
pic.twitter.com/8wL4zAQdac
— Chennai Super Kings (@ChennaiIPL) May 7, 2025
CSK looking at MS Dhoni successor?
MS Dhoni has been synonymous with CSK, but at 43, the legend is perhaps playing his last IPL season. Signing a wicket-keeper batsman as a replacement and handing him a debut straight away looks like CSK are trying out their options. Devon Conway is another option, with the Kiwi opener also returning for the KKR vs CSK game. Conway has never kept for CSK, but does it occasionally for New Zealand in limited overs.
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