 "CSK IPL Auction 2025 Review: Spin-heavy Chennai Super Kings fall short on X-factor")
Reunions, reunions and more reunions. The Chennai Super Kings (CSK), often dubbed a family because of their environment, arrived at the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 auction with a plan: to bring the band back for another potentially festive carol. And to a large extent, they hit the right notes.
On day one, they targeted Devon Conway and Rachin Ravindra , both of whom can bat in the top order and perform dual roles (Conway as keeper; Rachin as a left-arm-spinner). Then, they spent heavily on local boy R Ashwin (more on that later) and Noor Ahmad. In between, they also bought two Indian batters (Rahul Tripathi and Vijay Shankar), who have represented India in the past, but have dropped down the pecking order.
On day two , CSK only had specific holes to fill. They needed pacers and Sam Curran, a former Super King (surprise, surprise) was the first to come through the door, with his compatriot Jamie Overton joining him a couple of hours later. And, they also found the money to invest in Nathan Ellis, who can be an excellent backup to Matheesha Pathirana.
Anshul Kamboj, who recently picked up ten wickets in an innings against Kerala in a Ranji Trophy game, was acquired as a possible new-ball option. C Andre Siddarth, Deepak Hooda, Gurjapneet Singh, Kamlesh Nagarkoti, Mukesh Choudhary, Ramakrishna Ghosh, Shaik Rasheed, Shreyas Gopal and Vansh Bedi were also bought.
CSK 2025 Squad: Biggest strengths
Spin. Chepauk. Continuity. Flexibility. Four peas in a usual CSK pod. They now have one of the most irresistible spin troikas in the IPL, comprising Ashwin, Noor and Ravindra Jadeja. They have also picked up batters who play spin well and can dominate the middle overs. They also have a nice mix of right and left-handed batters, who complement each other vis-à-vis targeting pace and spin.
If you were to pick out proper high-profile, X-Factor players at the peak of their powers, there may not be many in CSK’s squad. But they seem to have picked players for roles, rather than the other way round, which usually holds teams in good stead in the volatile confines of the IPL.
CSK 2025 Squad: Biggest weakness
Their Indian fast-bowling stocks are not as rich as some other teams. Chaudhary, Gurjapneet, and Kamboj all have potential but are largely untested in the IPL and are very inexperienced.
CSK have also taken a punt on pedigreed players, despite them not consistently setting recent IPL seasons ablaze – examples being Ashwin, Curran, Hooda, Rachin and Tripathi. Teams may also look to target them with high pace, where their lack of a foreign middle-order power-hitter, could come back to bite them. That they failed to fill an overseas slot altogether, was also a little perplexing.
Impact Shorts
More ShortsCSK: What could they have done differently?
In an ideal world, they’d have wanted to spend less on Ashwin and Noor. This meant they had to drop out of the race for numerous capped Indian pacers – who they might have had on their list - early on day two.
CSK could also have tried a touch harder for Glenn Maxwell, given he was sold for only Rs 4.2 crore. Or Aiden Markram, who was sold at a base price to the Lucknow Super Giants and could have featured in the middle order as a pace-hitter.
CSK: Early prediction for IPL 2025
A playoff appearance might be in the offing, mainly due to their suitability to home conditions, where they will play at least seven games. They have also never gone two successive seasons without making the top four and with Gaikwad into his second full campaign as captain, CSK fans might be dreaming of another crescendo in May 2025.
CSK: Probable playing XI/XII
Ruturaj Gaikwad (captain), Devon Conway, Rahul Tripathi, Shivam Dube, Vijay Shankar, Ravindra Jadeja, MS Dhoni (wk), Sam Curran, R Ashwin, Noor Ahmad, Khaleel Ahmed, Matheesha Pathirana
IPL Auction 2025: Players purchased by CSK
Devon Conway (Rs 6.25 crore), Rahul Tripathi (Rs 3.40 crore), Rachin Ravindra (RTM - Rs 4 crore), Ravichandran Ashwin (Rs 9.75 crore ), Khaleel Ahmed (Rs 4.8 crore), Noor Ahmad (Rs 10 crore), Vijay Shankar (Rs 1.2 crore), Sam Curran (Rs 2.4 crore), Shaik Rasheed (Rs 30 lakh), Anshul Kamboj (Rs 3.40 crore), Mukesh Chaudhary (Rs 30 lakh), Deepak Hooda (Rs 1.70 crore), Gurjapneet Singh (Rs 2.20 crore), Nathan Ellis (Rs 2 crore), Jamie Overton (Rs 1.50 crore), Kamlesh Nagarkoti (Rs 30 lakh), Ramakrishna Ghosh (Rs 30 lakh), Shreyas Gopal (Rs 30 lakh), Vansh Bedi (Rs 55 lakh), Andre Siddharth (Rs 30 lakh).
CSK full squad for IPL 2025
Ravichandran Ashwin, Devon Conway, Rachin Ravindra, Noor Ahmad, Rahul Tripathi, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Ravindra Jadeja, Matheesha Pathirana, Shivam Dube, MS Dhoni, Khaleel Ahmed, Vijay Shankar, Sam Curran, Shaik Rasheed, Anshul Kamboj, Mukesh Chaudhary, Deepak Hooda, Gurjapneet Singh, Nathan Ellis, Jamie Overton, Kamlesh Nagarkoti, Ramakrishna Ghosh, Shreyas Gopal, Vansh Bedi, Andre Siddharth.
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