Chennai Super Kings (CSK) are a team that rarely disturbs its team combination and this is one of the traits that made them a successful team in the IPL. Like MI, the men in yellow have also won the coveted IPL title five times, with the last of their triumphs coming in the 2023 edition.
Once again in the 2024 season, CSK played decently under a new skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad as they narrowly missed out on a playoff spot finishing fifth in the points table. So ahead of the new season, CSK would ideally want to retain their core crop of players and the IPL retention presents them with the opportunity. This piece delves into the potential retentions that CSK would make ahead of the IPL 2025 Mega auctions.
Ruturaj Gaikwad
Gaikwad, the current skipper is likely to be the first retention choice by the CSK outfit and will continue to lead the side in the years to come. Since his debut in the 2020 season, Ruturaj has improved by leaps and bounds both as a player, eventually being elevated to the level of captaincy in the 2024 season. He scored 2380 runs in 66 games for the franchise at a strike rate of less than 137 with two centuries.
Ravindra Jadeja
Ravindra Jadeja, who has been a household name in the CSK ranks for over a decade is all set to be retained by the franchise ahead of the auction. He has been an integral part of CSK’s success and a proven match-winner for the side, winning games with both bat & ball. A player of such rare ability is a blessing for any T20 side and looks like Jadeja’s association with CSK will continue further.
Shivam Dube
If we were to name a player who has improved his game drastically in recent years, it has to be Shivam Dube. The all-rounder came into the IPL in 2019 with all the hype in the world, but lack of consistency proved to be his undoing in the first three years. However, things changed in 2022 when he was picked by CSK and the rest was history. His performances earned him a recall to the national team, including being part of the T20 World Cup-winning squad, and now on the verge of being one of the six players to be retained by the CSK franchise.
Matheesha Pathirana
The Sri Lankan speedster came into the CSK setup in 2022 and immediately impressed everyone with his raw pace, and wicket-taking ability, and is someone who can bowl yorker at will. Though injuries played a part in his limited appearances for the franchise (20 games in the last three seasons), Pathirana has made a massive impact in those games, taking 34 scalps at 17.41. He is a potent wicket-taking weapon for the side and CSK would want Pathirana to be in their squad at any cost.
