Mahendra Singh Dhoni was an established India star even before Prashant Veer and Kartik Sharma were born.
They were literally in their nappies when the legend of ‘Captain Cool’ was taking shape during those formative years of IPL.
But if they put hands on their hearts, neither the 19-year-old keeper-batter Kartik nor the 20-year-old left-arm spin bowling all-rounder Veer would have thought that by Tuesday evening, they would jointly walk into the record books with bank-breaking deals of Rs 14.20 crore from Chennai Super Kings.
More enticing than that is the opportunity of a lifetime to share the dressing room with none other than Dhoni, already 44 and still going strong.
Whether keeper Kartik will get a look-in when Sanju Samson and Dhoni can don the big gloves or if Veer can be groomed as a long-term replacement of Ravindra Jadeja is a matter of debate. But Chennai Super Kings have displayed a clever switch in philosophy looking at the future when Ruturaj Gaikwad will have more say than MSD.
CSK, who have always believed in going for tried and tested players — be it Indian or overseas — have not exactly spent big bucks on untested ‘desi’ (local) talent save once when they splurged nearly Rs 10 crore on Karnataka off-spinner Krishnappa Gowtham before dumping him unceremoniously.
But that was the Dhoni era and now if CSK grapevine is to be believed, the management is trusting new skipper Gaikwad, and his view point is getting a lot of weightage internally.
Spending more than USD 3 million (Rs 28.40 crore) and nearly 60 per cent of their purse on players, who can proverbially be termed as wet behind the ears, does display a change in mindset.
Role of data science
Those with a fair idea about the IPL franchise universe would know that AR Srikkanth, who was with Kolkata Knight Riders for more than a decade and half, had played a massive role in identifying both local and global talent.
Srikkanth, who is now CSK’s head of talent and player acquisitions, has been one of the finest cricket scouts globally and if Veer and Kartik, with a combined senior level T20 experience of 21 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy games have been picked, there has to be something that he must have seen in them during the domestic season.
The ploy might work or might not but it tells about how CSK is now more invested on building a team for the future.
During earlier times, it was only about tried and tested internationals who had Dhoni’s vote but in the era of Gaikwad and analytics, the switch is palpable.
Veer, a left-arm spinner and a handy left-handed batter will take time, but the manner in which Uttar Pradesh Cricket Association in a space of two weeks made him crisscross the country to play SMAT games as well as U-23 age group matches, showed how much he is valued.
At CSK, under the guidance of Dhoni and with a handy competitor like West Windies’ Akeal Hossain, Veer will only improve as a player going forward.
“I’m happy to be joining Chennai Super Kings because MS Dhoni is there. The way he bats in the lower order, his mindset, the way he talks, how he controls his body and stays so focused — there is so much to learn from him,” Veer said.
“Batting in the lower order is not easy, but what he has done is special. Even if I can learn four or five per cent from him, it will be very useful for me,” he added.
As far as Kartik is concerned, his big-hitting prowess is now well documented with a strike-rate of 160 plus. But whether there will be a place for him in the first season remains to be seen, especially with Dhoni and Samson still going strong.
But he has already shown that he is a talent for the future. Otherwise JSW, who are one of the leading companies managing sporting talents, wouldn’t have acquired him when he had hardly played any senior level cricket.
Kartik trains at pacer Deepak Chahar’s father Lokendra’s academy in Agra.
“His father brought him to my camp when he was five. My son Deepak advised him to start keeping which will make him an all-rounder. At practice, he hits 100 sixes a day, and trains for hours,” Lokendra said.
“People would often accuse me that I have only produced my son and nephew Rahul Chahar, but Kartik’s record deal would tell you that I have an eye for talent,” he added.
Only time will tell whether Veer and Kartik can justify their billing, but for the time being, they have the right to celebrate. They have earned it.
