Last Updated on 1 month by Charbel Coorey
Cricket Opinion: 5 players CSK should look to buy in the IPL 2024 Auction | Players Chennai Super Kings should look to target
Defending champions Chennai Super Kings (CSK) will be out to win the title again in 2024 considering it could be legend MS Dhoni’s final season. CSK came back with a bang in 2023, defying the critics who believed their bowling attack lacked depth to then lift the trophy after Ravindra Jadeja’s magnificent finish in the final.
CSK released Ben Stokes, which spares up 16.25 crore that they can spend in the upcoming auction. Ambati Rayudu, Dwaine Pretorious, Bhagath Varma, Subhranshu Senapati, Akash Singh, Kyle Jamieson, and Sisanda Magala have also been released, so the franchise will be looking at this mini-auction as an opportunity to strengthen in key areas.
CSK’s current squad for IPL 2024: MS Dhoni, Devon Conway, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Ajinkya Rahane, Shaik Rasheed, Ravindra Jadeja, Mitchell Santner, Moeen Ali, Shivam Dube, Nishant Sindhu, Ajay Mandal, Rajvardhan Hangargekar, Deepak Chahar, Maheesh Theekshana, Mukesh Chowdhary, Prashant Solanki, Simarjeet Singh, Tushar Deshpande, Matheesha Pathirana
Remaining purse: 31.4 crore.
Key needs for 2024: Wristspinner, domestic finisher, more pace-bowling depth.
5 players CSK should look to target in the IPL 2024 Auction
Wanindu Hasaranga
A quality wristspinner can give CSK an added dimension away from home. Also, the combination of Wanindu Hasaranga and Maheesh Theekshana at Chepauk could be quite riveting. With RCB releasing Hasaranga ahead of the auction, CSK could be one of the teams who snap up the talented Sri Lankan, who is also capable of hitting boundaries down the order.
In 26 IPL matches, Hasaranga has taken 35 wickets at an average of 21.37 and strike rate of 15.77. He has a best of 5/18.
Manish Pandey
Manish Pandey has shown glimpses of his best over the years, but a move to CSK could bring the best out of him over longer periods. The franchise has a track record of elevating players to another level, with Ajinkya Rahane’s form one of the big surprises of IPL 2023.
With Ambati Rayudu retiring from the IPL, CSK may be on the lookout for another experienced domestic option to fill that middle order void. Pandey has 158 innings worth of experience in the IPL and is just 192 away from 4,000 runs in the competition. He has 22 fifties and a century, and can build on that at CSK.
Rachin Ravindra
Expect Rachin Ravindra to be one of the hottest properties in the IPL 2024 Auction. The New Zealand all-rounder had a magnificent World Cup where he struck 578 runs at an average of 64.22 and superb strike rate of 106.44. His play and timing against spin was a key feature of his game, and CSK would benefit greatly from his talent. They could look to bat him at number four to provide that all-important impetus in the middle overs.
In addition, Ravindra offers a left-arm spin option which could be quite handy at Chepauk.
Karthik Tyagi
Imagine a death-bowling combination of Matheesha Pathirana and Karthik Tyagi? Both bowlers can nail yorkers and changeups, which will give CSK an extra dimension in those crunch overs. With CSK having 31.4 crore to spend, they could overcome a number of other franchises including RCB who could be in for Tyagi.
Shahrukh Khan
A domestic finisher can give CSK the license to play overseas players as specialist batters or bowlers. Shahrukh Khan is a player who could be in quite the demand after Punjab Kings made the surprising call to release him.
Should CSK choose, they could play Khan in the number six or seven position and introduce him in the late overs. If he gets going, the Yellow Army will be even harder to beat as they have the batting and bowling smarts to restrict opponents.
