Chennai Super Kings have been the most successful team in the history of the Indian Premier League. They have been consistent over the years, which is why they have made it to the playoffs in 12 out of the 15 seasons they have played. CSK have five titles under their belts, including the 2023 championship. But their performances in 2024 weren’t up to par. The Yellow Army saw a change in captaincy ahead of the IPL 2024, and Ruturaj Gaikwad took over this responsibility.
CSK finished the season in fifth place and couldn’t make it through the playoffs. Now they are out of the tournament, so the next big thing is about MS Dhoni and retention for the next season. Notably, the mega auction will take place in 2025, and all the teams can only retain four players; the rest will come into auction. So after the performance in the current season, we will talk about the four possible retentions for the five-time champions.
Predicting Four players whom CSK might retain ahead of the IPL 2025 auction
1. Ruturaj Gaikwad
Ruturaj Gaikwad was the best player for CSK this season. Though he failed in the last two innings but overall, he led the team from the front. Gaikwad scored a total of 583 runs at an average of 53 and a strike rate of 141.16. He also scored one century and four half-centuries. He has been a top scorer for Chennai since his debut. As a captain, he is likely to be the first player to be retained by CSK ahead of the coming season.
2. Ravindra Jadeja
Ravindra Jadeja is another player who has been performing for Chennai Super Kings since he joined the team in 2011. Be it with bat or ball, Jadeja is an asset for the team. His performance in the recent season was pretty good. He scored 267 runs with the bat at an average and strike rate of 44.50 and 142.75, respectively, with a best of 57 not out. Jadeja also bowled well and took 8 wickets at an economy rate of 7.85. He still has enough cricket left to play. Hence, he is surely a retention for CSK.
3. MS Dhoni or Shivam Dube
Now the biggest question is whether MS Dhoni will announce his retirement or not. However, MSD said in an interview that he will first go through surgery and then decide. So if he plays one more season, he is expected to be retained by the franchise. But if he retires, then CSK might go for Shivam Dube, who has been exceptional since he joined Chennai. Dube scored 396 runs at a strike rate of 162.29 with three half-centuries and 28 sixes.
4. Matheesha Pathirana
Matheesha Pathirana has been the best bowler for CSK for the last couple of seasons. This season as well, he did well in the limited games he played. Pathirana left the tournament due to an injury. But he played 6 games and took a total of 13 wickets at an economy rate of 7.68 and a best of 4/28. CSK always need a bowler who can do well at the auction, and if they release Pathirana, it won’t be easy to get him back cheaply. Hence, CSK might retain him as an overseas pick.