CSK missed out on a playoffs berth in IPL 2024 narrowly, under the first-time captain Ruturaj Gaikwad, but this upcoming season is where he really can stamp his authority as a leader. And truth be told, he has a decent squad up his sleeve, that can deliver on the dream of lifting the IPL trophy.
Once again, the boss MS Dhoni is there, along with Ravindra Jadeja, and the comeback man R Ashwin. Among the stalwarts are some rookies too, but exceptionally talented ones. So, all in all, as is the case always, CSK will be the team to beat. And it only becomes imperative to discuss their best playing XI before the IPL 2025 even gets underway.
MS Dhoni’s Spot Was Never in Question
Whether he is 40 or 43, MS Dhoni, if in the squad, is an automatic pick for the CSK. Even though he isn’t the captain anymore, but he commands a lot of respect. He definitely might be the ultimate decision-maker for the team, and no harm in that. Last year, he gave a glimpse that he isn’t done yet, and scored 161 runs in 14 matches at an average of 53 and a strike rate of 220. There were a few experts that predicted that MSD could be used as an impact sub, but then Rutu won’t be very confident handing the gloves to anyone else — in this case Conway.
Also, the sure-shot picks would be Ruturaj Gaikwad the skipper, Ravindra Jadeja, and Ashwin. The latter is coming back to his home after 10 years, and must be looking to pull off something stunning. In 121 matches for CSK, Ash has 120 wickets at an economy of 6.66.
Toss-Up Between Devon Conway & Rachin Ravindra
The two Kiwi openers will fight for the top spot in CSK playing XI, but then one feels Rachin Ravindra is a touch ahead of Devon Conway. Not only Rachin is an explosive batter at the top, he is in exceptional form at the moment, and is a handy bowler too. In 10 matches so far, he has scored 222 runs at an average of 22, and a strike-rate of 160. Though last year, he did not bowl much — just two overs.
Inexperienced Pace Attack But Still Manageable
Spin looks sorted for sure, but the pace department could pose a few challenges for the CSK team. Matheesha Pathirana is of course the leader of the pack, but picking the rest could be a tedious task. There is Sam Curran, but then it needs to be seen, if there is room for another foreigner or not. Anshul Kamboj and Gurjapneet Singh could also make the cut at some point, while there is Jamie Overton too. Not to forget, there is a certain Khaleel Ahmed too, who would be eyeing an India return through IPL.
CSK Best Playing XI
- Ruturaj Gaikwad (c)
- Rachin Ravindra
- Shivam Dube
- Deepak Hooda
- Sam Curran
- Ravindra Jadeja
- MS Dhoni
- R Ashwin
- Matheesha Pathirana
- Khaleel Ahmed
- Anshul Kamboj
Full Squad for IPL 2025
Ruturaj Gaikwad, Matheesha Pathirana, Shivam Dube, Ravindra Jadeja, MS Dhoni, Devon Conway, Rahul Tripathi, Rachin Ravindra, R. Ashwin, Khaleel Ahmed, Noor Ahmad, Vijay Shankar, Sam Curran, Shaik Rasheed, Anshul Kamboj, Mukesh Choudhary, Deepak Hooda, Gurjapneet Singh, Nathan Ellis, Jamie Overton, Kamlesh Nagarkoti, Ramakrishna Ghosh, Shreyas Gopal, Vansh Bedi, Andre Siddarth.
