Young Bihar pacer Malay Raj has joined Chennai Super Kings (CSK) nets, marking a huge leap in his cricketing journey. The 22-year-old right-arm speedster from Bhagalpur will now bowl to some of the biggest names in the game, including the legendary MS Dhoni, as he assists CSK in their pre-season camp. Malay’s sharp bowling in domestic cricket, especially in the Ranji Trophy, Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, and Vijay Hazare Trophy, has been turning heads. Now, the 21-year-old quick has been handpicked to help CSK’s batters fine-tune their skills ahead of IPL 2025. CSK’s preparatory camp, which began on February 25 at Chepauk, has also welcomed two more Bihar bowlers, Zeeshan and Nazir. The franchise has taken care of all expenses, ensuring the young pacers get the best training environment. For Malay, this is more than just a net session—it’s a door to bigger opportunities. Read also: CSK Squad for IPL 2025: Chennai Super Kings Full Squad and Probable XI Who is Malay Raj? Malay’s cricketing journey has been anything but easy. Hailing from a modest background, he studied at St. Michael’s School, Patna, and is currently pursuing graduation at KIIT University, Bhubaneswar. His father, Mritunjay Tiwari, is overjoyed at his son’s progress, believing this could be the turning point of his career. Malay Raj has showcased his potential across all formats in domestic cricket. He has scalped 17 wickets in 6 First-Class (FC) matches at an average of 26.70, with a best bowling performance of 5/35. In List A cricket, he has bagged 14 wickets in 10 games, maintaining an impressive 25.00 bowling average and a five-wicket haul of 5/38. His T20 numbers show promise as well, with 5 wickets in 6 matches, though his economy rate of 9.14 suggests room for improvement in the shortest format. With a consistent strike rate of 25.6 in List A cricket and 47.8 in FC, Malay is proving to be a handy pacer, capable of troubling batters across formats. Malay’s stint with CSK places him alongside a franchise that has dominated IPL history, lifting five trophies Led by the young Ruturaj Gaikwad, Chennai Super Kings is all set to clash with Mumbai Indians on March 22 at MA Chidambaram Stadium.