CSK Strategy At IPL 2024 Auction, Which Players Will MS Dhoni And Co. Go For, Chennai Super Kings IPL 2024 Auction Strategy, Which Player will CSK Target in IPL Auction 2024, CSK IPL Auction 2024
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CSK Strategy At IPL 2024 Auction
All eyes will be on MS Dhoni’s Chennai Super Kings (CSK) as the Indian Premier League (IPL) Auction 2024 takes place on December 19 in Dubai. While the IPL 2024 season is set to begin in March of next year, CSK’s title defense begins with the auction itself. With other title contenders expected to bolster their squads, Chennai must get the squad balance perfect for the 2019 season if they are to maintain their crown.
The Super Kings have already released some prominent stars ahead of the 2024 IPL season, including Ben Stokes, Ambati Rayudu, Dwayne Pretorius, and Kyle Jamieson. Sisanda Magala, Bhagath Varma, Akash Singh, and Subhranshu Senapati have also been released, leaving CSK with a roster of 19 players.
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CSK’s retained players list for IPL 2024:
- MS Dhoni (captain and wicket-keeper)
- Moeen Ali
- Deepak Chahar
- Devon Conway (wicket-keeper)
- Tushar Deshpande
- Shivam Dube
- Ruturaj Gaikwad
- Rajvardhan Hangargekar
- Ravindra Jadeja
- Ajay Mandal
- Mukesh Choudhary
- Matheesha Pathirana
- Ajinkya Rahane
- Shaik Rasheed
- Mitchell Santner
- Simarjeet Singh
- Nishant Sindhu
- Prashant Solanki
- Maheesh Theekshana
This leaves CSK with a purse of 31.4 crore INR to improve their roster in the IPL 2024 mini-auction in Dubai and enough financial muscle to go for the big-money stars they want.
With only six spots remaining to fill in the squad, the major issue is who MS Dhoni and the CSK management would target in the next auction.
CSK’s strategy for IPL 2024 auction:
CSK has a track record of making high-risk bids in IPL auctions, and their bets have usually paid off.
At the first IPL Auction in 2008, Chennai Super Kings executed a masterstroke. Rather than succumb to the lure of an icon player, CSK elected to keep their purse for a then-record fee of US$ 1.5 million for one MS Dhoni, and the rest, as they say, is history.
Dhoni would go on to lead CSK to ten finals in 14 seasons, winning five IPL titles to tie Mumbai Indians for the most in the league’s 16-year history.
CSK has retained the entirety of their normal starting XI from the IPL 2023, with the exception of the seasoned Ambati Rayadu, who retired after last season’s championship.
Rayadu played in all 16 of Chennai Super Kings’ IPL 2023 matches, and replacing the seasoned campaigner in the middle order will be MS Dhoni’s first priority in the pre-season.
Fortunately for CSK, there will be plenty of possibilities. While the Kiwi duo of Rachin Ravindra and Daryl Mitchell, both of whom are coming off strong performances at the 2023 World Cup, are strong overseas options, Manish Pandey, Shahrukh Khan, and Karun Nair will be considered if CSK decides to go the domestic player route to fill Rayadu’s shoes.
Shahrukh Khan, who has been freed by Punjab Kings, is an especially intriguing situation. CSK offered a record 8.75 crores for the Tamil Nadu batter before eventually selling him to PBKS for 9.00 crores at the IPL 2022 auction.
CSK has a history of returning for players they missed at auctions, and Khan is one of them.
Daryl Mitchell, who can help as a sixth bowler, is another intriguing option. Furthermore, the departures of Dwayne Pretorius and Kyle Jamieson make room in the team for a fast-bowling all-rounder. Mitchell, on the other hand, will not be cheap after his World Cup achievements.
Last season, CSK suffered from a lack of a specialist speed bowler in the final overs, and Dhoni will be eager to fill the void. Furthermore, the Men in Yellow may benefit from a bit extra firepower in their pace batteries.
Deepak Chahar and Matheesha Pathirana performed admirably with the new ball for CSK last season, but the former’s injury record and the latter’s inexperience will be cause for concern.
Former CSK players Shardul Thakur and Josh Hazlewood can both be great answers and will be available for bidding at the maximum base price of INR 2 crore. Thakur was CSK’s leading wicket-taker during their title-winning season in 2021. Given his track record in the IPL, CSK strategists may be interested in Harshal Patel as well.
Speedster from Australia Mitchell Starc is expected to garner huge bids from various teams and might be a fascinating option if CSK decides to splash the cash on a proven match-winner.
CSK may have done well even without Ben Stokes’ services last season, but having a proven match-winner in the squad is a luxury that few teams will pass up if the opportunity presents itself. If CSK wants to add to what they already have, Rachin Ravindra and Travis Head may be considered.
