IPL 2023 Auction: Chennai Super Kings make Sam Curran primary TARGET , captaincy search continues with Kane Williamson among options, Follow IPL 2023 LIVE

IPL 2023 Auction – After a disastrous 2022 season, Chennai Super Kings heading into the IPL Auction with a lot of holes to fill. Ravindra Jadeja is retained which solves a huge conflict for the four-time champions. However, the retirements of Dwayne Bravo and Robin Uthappa have opened doors for CSK’s pursuit of Sam Curran. The four-time champions are also on the hunt for a successor to MS Dhoni, with Kane Williamson, and Manish Pandey among the available options. Follow IPL 2023 LIVE updates on Insidesport.IN

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IPL 2023 Auction: Chennai Super Kings make Sam Curran primary TARGET as Bravo replacement, captaincy search continues with Manish Pandey, Kane Williamson among options, Follow IPL 2023 LIVE Updates

Sam Curran is one of the biggest draws in the auction on December 23 in Kochi. Chennai Super Kings are likely to go gung-ho on their former all-rounder. The English star missed the 2022 season due to injury but now returns as a World Champion. With CSK having a budget of Rs 20.85 crore, they are expected to go all in to secure the 24-year-old’s services.

Curran will fill a major hole in the CSK side, with Dwayne Bravo hanging his boots. The Englishman has impressed with his death bowling skills in the T20 World Cup. Moreover, he is more than a handy lower-order bat. The likes of Ben Stokes and Cameron Green are also noteworthy options in the auction pool. Hopwever, given Curran’s experience with CSK, MS Dhoni is likely to push for his trusted overseas all-rounder.

With Ravindra Jadeja, Moeen Ali and Shivam Dube all being options with the ball in the top 6, Sam Curran adds further depth and quality to the side. MS Dhoni loves to play around with his options and a return to Chepauk after three years could see him make the most of his side.

IPL 2023 Auction: Chennai Super Kings make Sam Curran primary TARGET as Bravo replacement, captaincy search continues with Manish Pandey, Kane Williamson among options, Follow IPL 2023 LIVE Updates

While Curran remains a primary target, CSK will be on the search for a new captain. MS Dhoni returned to take over from Ravindra Jadeja midseason in 2022, It is unlikely Jadeja gets the armband again next year when Dhoni officially brings down the curtains on his career.

Among the options available, Kane Williamson presents great value. Like Dhoni, Williamson is a calm leader and a respected figure in the dressing room. Williamson almost led SRH to a title in 2018, only to lose to Dhoni’s Super Kings in the final. A captain with a wealth of experience in IPL and international cricket, he will certainly be on CSK’s radar. Kane recently relinquished Test captaincy, a move mirroring Dhoni’s decision to step down in limited overs two years before his retirement.

IPL 2023 Auction: What CSK could look at?

CSK are likely to go all-in for English all-rounder Sam Curran.
An ex-CSK star, Curran plugs a lot of gaps for MS Dhoni and will be a good fit for the side.
The 24-year-old could take over the mantle from Dwayne Bravo, who announced his IPL retirement
Chennai will also hunt for a likely successor to MS Dhoni.
Ravindra Jadeja is retained but unlikely to return to captaincy at the franchise.
Kane Williamson is a preferred option, due to his likeness to MS Dhoni’s calm demeanour.
Joe Root, and Nicholas Pooran are other options.
However, CSK have their foreign picks set in – Moeen Ali, Devon Conway, Maheesh Theekshana & Sam Curran (potentially).
That leaves Manish Pandey as a potential option.
CSK have a track record of reviving careers, and Pandey could fill in for the retired Robin Uthappa.

Another option is Nicholas Pooran. The former West Indies captain was released by SRH and could offer a long-term option for the four-time champions. However, CSK have their overseas slots filled in Devon Conway, Moeen Ali, Maheesh Theekshana and potentially Sam Curran. In such a scenario, a pursuit for either Williamson or Pooran or even Joe Root seems unlikely.

Should CSK not promote one of their own men to captaincy, it leaves them with limited options in the Indian contingent. Manish Pandey is the best pick available, after being released by LSG. Pandey has struggled for form and consistency over the past few years in the IPL. However, CSK have a track record of rekindling careers with Rayudu, Uthappa and Nehra among few. Robin Uthappa’s retirement has opened a slot in the middle order and Pandey could slot straight into the side.

Chennai Super Kings Overview

Retained players: MS Dhoni (Rs 12 Crore), Devon Conway (Rs 10 Crore), Ruturaj Gaikwad (Rs 6 Crore), Ambati Rayudu (Rs 6.25 Crore), Subhranshu Senapati (Rs 20 Lakh), Moeen Ali (Rs 8 Crore), Shivam Dube (Rs 4 Crore), Rajvardhan Hangargekar (Rs 15 Lakh), Dwaine Pretorius (Rs 50 Lakh), Mitchell Santner (Rs 1.9 Crore), Ravindra Jadeja (Rs 16 Crore), Tushar Deshpande (Rs 40 Lakh), Mukesh Chowdhary (Rs 20 Lakh), Matheesha Pathirana (Rs 20 Lakh), Simarjeet Singh (Rs 20 Lakh), Deepak Chahar (Rs 14 Crore), Prashant Solanki (Rs 12 Lakh), Maheesh Theekshana (Rs 70 Lakh)
Released players: Dwayne Bravo, Robin Uthappa, Adam Milne, Hari Nishaanth, Chris Jordan, Bhagath Varma, KM Asif, Narayan Jagadeesan
Purse left: 20.45 crore
Slots left: 7 (2 overseas)