Five-time champions Chennai Super Kings face a tall task at hand in the upcoming IPL 2025 auction. As part of the team’s tradition, they managed to retain their “core”, including an uncapped MS Dhoni. However, this time, their core consists largely of aged stars and youngsters with lack of experience. The Ruturaj Gaikwad-led team will need fresh batters and bowlers to complete a strong squad.
Who will be Ruturaj Gaikwad’s partner?
CSK decided to release Devon Conway ahead of the IPL 2025 auction. The Kiwi batter has been phenomenal as an opener for the side and has impressed in his short span in the IPL. Although reports state that CSK could take the Right to Match (RTM) route for Devon Conway, they will still need to find a back-up option, as the side is devoid of any top-order batters currently. In 2023, Conway scored 672 runs with the bat, including six half-centuries. The Kiwi batter and Gaikwad were a formidable opening pair and drew parallels to previous opening partners like Hussey-du Plessis, du Plessis and Dwayne Smith and more.
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Number 3 and middle-order empty
CSK have retained Shivam Dube and Ravindra Jadeja as a part of their all-rounder setup. This means the team is left with no batter except for Ruturaj Gaikwad. With the likes of Ajinkya Rahane, Ambati Rayudu, Daryll Mitchell, Mitchell Santner and Sameer Rizvi gone, CSK will be on the hunt to recruit a whole new batting order in IPL 2025 auction. Batting has been CSK’ strong suit in the past despite their bowlers going on to steal the thunder in the last few seasons. While Dube and Jadeja will occupy the role at number 5 and 6, CSK are tasked with finding a suitable number three batter – given that Rachin Ravindra has also been released.
Weak spin department
CSK are left with just one spinner ahead of the auction and that is Ravindra Jadeja. The IPL 2025 auction will see a pool of talent that will go under the hammer, which include players like Ravichandran Ashwin and Yuzvendra Chahal. Reports indicate that CSK might be interested to get Ashwin to don the yellow jersey once again. Chahal is not a bad option either, given his good track record in the previous seasons of IPL.
Matheesha Pathirana needs back-up
Another area where CSK need to cover most ground is their bowling department. The side once had pacers like Deepak Chahar, Shardul Thakur, Tushar Deshpande among others. But all of them, barring Sri Lanka’s Matheeesha Pathirana have been released ahead of the mega auction. This would mean CSK would have to embark on a fresh hunt for a new bowling unit in late November.
Forget aged MS Dhoni
One obvious retention for CSK ahead of IPL 2025 auction was that of MS Dhoni’s except that he came as an uncapped retention this time. Thala put an end to speculation over his IPL future by confirming his participation in IPL 2025. He was retained for Rs 4 cr by the team. However, Dhoni isn’t of much help to CSK, given his age and is frankly at the twilight of his career. CSK need to find other reliable finishers at the auction table, someone who can join MSD alongside Shivam Dube and Ravindra Jadeja.
CSK retention list ahead of IPL 2025 auction
- Ruturaj Gaikwad
- Ravindra Jadeja
- Shivam Dube
- Matheesha Pathirana
- MS Dhoni (uncapped)
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