The mega auction of the Indian Premier League (IPL) is set to take place ahead of IPL 2025, which means a major overhaul of the rosters ahead of next season.
“We will have the mega auction for sure, where you get to choose three-four players and then you have a new team. That makes it more interesting and that format will continue,” IPL chairman Arun Dhumal stated in March.
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One of the teams that will be in focus ahead of the IPL 2025 mega auction is Chennai Super Kings (CSK), who have already started their transition.
Before the 2024 IPL, the ever-present skipper, MS Dhoni decided to step down of his captaincy role, passing on the baton to Ruturaj Gaikwad. The change was only a matter of time, and the franchise seemed quite prepared for it.
Moreover, MS Dhoni could reportedly announce retirement on the completion of IPL 2024. CSK management's dilemmas would only increase, considering the retention scenarios around the franchise.
Ruturaj Gaikwad is expected to continue with the franchise. However, his role as captain beyond this season would depend on how the IPL 2024 pans out for the Super Kings.
With that in mind, The Sporting News tries to predict the players which CSK will retain for IPL 2025.
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Who will Chennai Super Kings retain ahead of IPL Auction 2025?
As per the Indian Express, the BCCI is yet to finalize the number of retentions that each team will be allowed to make. Similarly, the former skipper, MS Dhoni has neither committed his future to the franchise nor has ruled himself out of IPL 2025.
In the case where five retentions are allowed ahead of the mega auctions, he will be the fifth player with the lowest pay category as per the retention rules.
Ruturaj Gaikwad
Retaining Ruturaj Gaikwad will be a no-brainer for CSK. He was acquired ahead of IPL 2019 for INR 20 lakhs and was retained ahead of the IPL 2022 mega auction. Being a capped Indian opener, there are not many of Ruturaj's stature who could do well at CSK. Let alone the fact that Gaikwad could be chosen as the long-term successor of MS Dhoni, which would make the retention, much more obvious.
Ravindra Jadeja
Ravindra Jadeja has been a selfless servant to CSK over the years. Jadeja's decade-long association with the Super Kings could be prolonged, as the franchise would look to retain one of the best all-rounders in world cricket. His impact on CSK has been magnanimous, and there is no chance that the franchise look anywhere beyond Jadeja ahead of the IPL 2025 mega auction.
Shivam Dube
Shivam Dube has been one of CSK's best players - if not the best -, ever since his arrival to the south coast in 2022. Dube has reinvented himself at CSK, and CSK has reignited the player's career. His role is well-defined in the Super Kings' batting unit, and there are not many in the game who can outperform Dube at what he is doing. Moreover, the Mumbai-born southpaw is CSK's highest run-getter in IPL 2024 so far, and he could be one of the first names to be retained ahead of IPL 2025.
Matheesha Pathirana
The "Baby Malinga" of CSK has been one of the finds by the franchise in recent years. Pathirana has delivered time and again and provided breakthroughs when called upon.
His express pace has been unplayable at times, and knowing that CSK crave consistency, Pathirana could be the bowler they look to retain, rather than replace. The 21-year-old is also CSK's best-performing bowler in IPL 2024 (nine wickets in just four games). With age on his side, It would be hard to imagine CSK letting Pathirana go to a rival team.
According to the latest reports of the Indian Express, the Chennai-based franchise has already made a deal with the Sri Lankan pacer to retain him. The speedster was bought by the franchise for a base price of 20 Lakh.
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