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Chennai Super Kings (CSK) narrowly missed out on the playoffs last season. After retaining five of their big stars, they bought quite a few of their tried and tested names in the IPL auction for the 2025 season.
It is a homecoming for Ravichandran Ashwin who last played for CSK back in 2015. Sam Curran returns to the ‘Yellow Army’ after three years. Vijay Shankar started his IPL journey with CSK a decade ago. All of these were bought back. The New Zealand duo of Devon Conway and Rachin Ravindra have been included.
They’ve also bolstered their spin attack with the addition of Noor Ahmad who was bought for INR 10 crore (the costliest among the overseas spinners). Khaleel Ahmed is a very good Indian pace option while they’ve also invested in domestic pacers like Mukesh Choudhary, Gurjapneet Singh and Anshul Kamboj. Nathan Ellis and Jamie Overton are solid overseas pace options.
Thus, CSK seem to have all bases covered and they are one of the only three franchises who have filled up all their 25 slots. Here is a look at their probable playing XI for the upcoming 2025 IPL season.
1. Ruturaj Gaikwad (captain)
Gaikwad has been the bank for CSK at the top of the order. The Maharashtra-born top-order batter has racked up in excess of 500 runs in three out of the four full seasons he’s played. In 2024 when he was made the new CSK captain, he got 583 runs at a strike-rate of 141.16. His role will continue to be the same.
2. Devon Conway
Conway did not play the 2024 edition but he was supremely consistent in the previous two seasons that he featured for CSK. The New Zealand left-hander amassed 924 runs at an average of 48.63 and a strike-rate of 141.28 with nine half-centuries. Gaikwad and Conway average 54.90 as an opening pair and they are likely to join forces once again this season.
3. Rahul Tripathi
Rahul Tripathi is someone who can bat with great intent and score at a rapid rate. His last good season in the IPL was back in 2022 when he got 413 runs at an average of 37.54 and a strike-rate of 158.23. In 2023, he made 273 runs in 13 games at a strike-rate of 128.16 while in 2024, he got 165 runs in six innings. With spin hitters to follow, Tripathi will be highly useful against pace as he strikes at 146.10 against them in the last three years.
4. Shivam Dube
CSK has been the place where Dube has flourished. After three mediocre seasons in the IPL, the hard-hitting left-hander found a great home at CSK. He has had a strike-rate in excess of 155 in each of the last three seasons and overall, he has scored 1103 runs in 39 innings while striking at 159.16. He has hit 79 sixes in the last three years. Plus, Dube is someone who can absolutely thrash spin.
5. Vijay Shankar/Deepak Hooda
This is one spot where CSK may have to ponder a bit. Vijay Shankar or Deepak Hooda could slot in at this position. Both of them play spin well while can handle pace decently as well. Hooda or Shankar didn’t have great runs in the IPL 2024. Shankar made only 83 runs in seven innings last season but he had got 301 runs in 10 innings while striking at 160.10 in the 2023 edition. Meanwhile, Hooda’s last solid season in the IPL came back in 2022 when he got 451 runs at a strike-rate of 136.66.
6. Sam Curran
Sam Curran has gone under the radar in the last couple of seasons in the IPL. The left-handed England all-rounder made 546 runs in the last two seasons and had a strike-rate of 136.49. With the ball, he took 26 scalps. When he played for CSK in the 2020 and 2021 editions, Curran scored 242 runs at a strike-rate of 142.35 and took 22 wickets at an economy of 8.96. He will be crucial to the balance of the side.
7. Ravindra Jadeja
Jadeja is a CSK legend and his stats speak for himself. He was good with the bat in the 2024 edition (267 runs at a strike-rate of 142.78) but he had an under-par season with the ball (eight wickets at an economy of 7.85). The left-arm spinning all-rounder recently retired from T20Is but he will still be vital to CSK’s plans.
8. MS Dhoni (wicket-keeper)
The mystery around Dhoni and his retirement plans continue as the veteran wicket-keeper batter seems to be in no mood to hang up his boots. The five-time IPL winning captain left captaincy last year and handed over the reins to Gaikwad but continued to be the guiding light from behind the stumps. However, he didn’t bat at lot last season. He batted only 11 times and remained unbeaten in eight of those instances – he got 161 runs at a strike-rate of 220.54. He hit 14 fours and 13 sixes. All he did was come in very late in the innings and just have a big swing, trying to maximize. His knee troubled him quite a bit which was one of the reasons for him to bat lower down as well. It’ll be interesting to see if that role continues this time around as well.
9. Ravichandran Ashwin
Ashwin is back in the CSK colours after 10 long years. The experienced off-spinner fared quite well for Rajasthan Royals in the last three years, taking 35 wickets at an economy rate of 7.82. With CSK to play seven games at Chepauk which is also Ashwin’s home ground, the 38-year-old is going to be vital, especially if the pitches are on the slower side. He’s played 43 IPL matches in Chennai and has picked up 50 wickets at an economy rate of 6.26.
10. Noor Ahmad
Noor is a very good addition to the CSK line-up. They usually don’t go for wrist-spinners but the Afghanistan left-arm leg-spinner will complement Ashwin and Jadeja really well. He has played 23 matches for Gujarat over the last two seasons and has got 24 wickets at an economy rate of 8.03. If the pitches at Chepauk turn, Noor and his variations could be a real handful.
11. Matheesha Pathirana
Pathirana has been CSK’s go-to death bowler in the last couple of years. While he played only two games in his debut season (2022), he was the fulcrum of CSK’s pace bowling in 2023 and 2024. The Sri Lankan speedster has returned with 34 wickets in 20 IPL games at an economy rate of 7.87. 22 of those wickets have come at the death where he has an economy rate of 8.24.
Impact Player: Khaleel Ahmed
Khaleel Ahmed adds a nice left-arm angle to the CSK bowling attack. He is likely to take the new ball in the upcoming season. The Rajasthan-born left-arm pacer was impressive for Delhi Capitals in the last three years. He took 42 wickets in 33 matches at an economy of 8.96. Khaleel can get the new ball to zip around and can be useful.
