Last Updated on 6 days by Charbel Coorey
The IPL fever is back and it is back with a BANG! IPL announced the retention rules for 2025 ahead of the Mega Auction which will be held later this year. The new retention rules ensures that this will be be the best “Mega Auction” to date in IPL history.
Speaking about best in the IPL, one can’t help but think about the Chennai Super Kings who are arguably the most successful side in the Indian Premier League. We’ll talk about the players CSK can look to retain and everything related to their retention strategy for IPL 2025.
Now before talking about CSK’s possible retentions, first let’s understand the Retention Rules ahead of the Mega Auction.
IPL 2025 Retention Rules
Teams are allowed to retain up to six players either through direct retentions or using the Right to Match (RTM). There is no limit for the retentions of overseas players, but teams can retain a maximum of two uncapped players. Any Indian player who last played international cricket 5+ years ago and has no central contract from the BCCI can be retained as an “uncapped player”.
RTMs will depend on the number of retentions (6 – No. of Players Retained). The salary caps for the retained players is:
- 1st Retention: 18 Crores
- 2nd Retention: 14 Crores
- 3rd Retention: 11 Crores
- 4th Retention: 18 Crores
- 5th Retention: 14 Crores
- Uncapped Player: 4 Crores
Teams will have to be cautious while retaining the 4th & 5th player. Releasing them and buying them back using the RTM may be a better deal as there aren’t many players who will fetch more than what the amount they’ll be retained for.
Players CSK should retain for IPL 2025
This seems to be a very interesting phase for the 5-time Champions. They’re known for picking up players who’ve been with them in the past over picking players logically (sometimes) and this approach has worked almost everytime for them under their “Thala” MS Dhoni.
But, MS Dhoni is no longer captain. Coach Stephen Fleming and captain Ruturaj Gaikwad will be the brains behind CSK’s auction strategy and retention alongside the team management.
Another reason why this will be a crucial auction for CSK (& IPL) is the biggest question ahead of the tournament – Will MS Dhoni play in IPL 2025? No one apart from Dhoni himself knows the answer to this.
Now let’s talk about the players who CSK should retain. Firstly, I don’t think it will be a wise decision to retain more than three players, excluding the uncapped player(s).
Ruturaj Gaikwad
It’s a no brainer that CSK skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad will be retained. He has been a pillar for CSK with the bat and did a good job leading the franchise in IPL 2024. Gaikwad is not only the best batter for CSK, but he has been amongst the best in the tournament in the last few seasons.
He won the Orange Cap in 2021 when CSK won the title and has three seasons with 580+ runs in five years of playing in the IPL. Ruturaj looked confident as the captain last year and he’ll stay at CSK for a long time.
Ravindra Jadeja
Ravindra Jadeja has been a key player for CSK and is among the best all-rounders in the league. Jadeja scored 267 runs in 11 innings last season and his average was 44.50 at a strike rate of 142.80.
He is a proven match-winner with both bat & ball in the IPL. Case in point was the classic IPL 2023 final. He will be surely among the retained players for CSK, but it will be interesting to see if gets retained as the first player ahead of Gaikwad.
Matheesha Pathirana
Sri Lankan speedster Matheesha Pathirana should be CSK’s third retention. Pathirana is a genuine wicket-taker and has done well in his brief career in the IPL.
His bowling strike rate in the IPL is just 13.30 at an economy of 7.88, with an excellent dot ball percentage of 51. Pathirana has grown immensely in the last couple of years as he bowls consistently around 150 kph and delivers the tough overs for CSK.
Fitness might be a little concern but he is young and CSK should retain him.
MS Dhoni – The Most Experienced Uncapped Player?
With the new rule of players who last played international cricket 5+ years ago categorised as “Uncapped”, CSK now has the option of retaining Dhoni as an uncapped player for just 4 crore. Firstly, money does not matter between Dhoni and CSK and secondly, the big question, as mentioned earlier, will Dhoni play IPL 2025?
Dhoni has this habit of surprising us all when it comes to these big decisions, be it his Test retirement back in 2014, retirement announcement from international cricket via Instagram, or appointing Ruturaj as the CSK captain.
As of now with BCCI reviving this rule, which was scrapped back in 2021, there is a desire from management for Dhoni to play one more season.
Right to Match: CSK Options
Shivam Dube
CSK is expected to retain three players and Dhoni as the uncapped player. They’ll have two RTMs with them for the auction. From the current squad, Shivam Dube is someone CSK could look to use the RTM for.
Dube has played a crucial role in the last couple of seasons, especially in the middle overs. He can contribute an over or two with the ball as well.
But with Shivam Dube’s increased stature, he might go for big bucks in the auction. However, I don’t think it’ll be close to the price required to retain Dube.
Devon Conway
Devon Conway is another player whom CSK may use their RTM for. The left-hander was exceptional for them in 2023 but didn’t play last season due to injury. He is a reliable option at the top for CSK and he keeps wickets as well.
Conway’s record in his small IPL career is phenomenal: 468 runs in 15 innings at an average of 52 and strike rate of 152.40.
Given CSK’s history with overseas openers, Conway will be a good choice and using the RTM instead of retaining him will be a great option as well.
Ruturaj, Jadeja, Pathirana, Dube (RTM) & Conway (RTM). This is how CSK’s retentions should look unless they decide to do something CSK-esque by going with more than three retentions (looks unlikely but it’s CSK). Irrespective of whether Dhoni plays or not, CSK will be moving towards a new era from IPL 2025.
They have a young captain with a young squad and it will quite fascinating as a fan how things turn out for our Chennai Super Kings and there won’t be a better way than by lifting their 6th title in IPL 2025.
ALSO READ: CricBlog’s retention articles for other teams in the IPL
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