Overton fits better than Curran in the CSK setup.
Chennai Super Kings (CSK) could face a tough decision on whether to retain Jamie Overton or Sam Curran ahead of the IPL 2026 auction. Both are all-rounders but offer different values in T20s, and CSK can’t afford to keep both of them.
Ideally, they should retain Overton because he offers precisely what CSK need at the moment and has developed into a better T20 prospect than Curran. As a bowler, he can be useful in the middle overs because he has the pace and can bowl hard lengths with the old ball.
In the current setup, CSK have Khaleel Ahmed, Anshul Kamboj, Matheesha Pathirana, and Nathan Ellis among the best pacers, but none of them are known for hitting the back-of-length area at high speeds. So, Overton can do that role while also providing useful value in death overs, where he can nail a few yorkers.
ALSO READ:
Meanwhile, Curran is just another medium pacer who has a few slower ones to work with, but he has been on the expensive side far more often in IPL. Ellis offers better attributes in his category and has a better track record across phases over the years in T20s.
Apart from bowling, Jamie Overton offers more value than Sam Curran even in the batting section, especially after his recent improvements. He is a pace hitter who can whack hard lengths – thanks to his strong base and brute power.
Currently, CSK have MS Dhoni and Ravindra Jadeja for pace-hitting in the lower order, but both have shown signs of regression and can’t be trusted to maintain the same consistency as before. That’s where Overton’s expertise will become handy because he can provide firepower in the lower order – a role he has done all these years.
Since 2024, Overton has had a strike rate of 152.30 and a balls-per-boundary ratio of 5.41 against pacers. Meanwhile, Curran isn’t really a pace-hitter and has issues against high pace, so his best comes only in the top and middle order.
In Overton, CSK get everything they lacked last season, where they failed to utilise him properly by giving him only three games. However, his recent impressive outings on the New Zealand tour should serve as an ideal example of what he brings and why CSK should prefer him over Curran ahead of the IPL 2026 auction.
For more updates, follow CricXtasy on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube.
