It remains a big question whether Ravindra Jadeja will continue with the Chennai Super Kings next season, or whether he will ask to be either traded away or be released to go in the auction. According to reports, Jadeja’s bond with CSK is broken and the all-rounder could leave the yellow franchise.
The 4-time IPL champions finished 9th in the 10-team tournament, tied at 4 wins with Mumbai Indians and only above them on net run rate.
The change of captaincy – from Ravindra Jadeja back to MS Dhoni – encapsulated the tumultuous season CSK endured.
They will look to make amends for that in the IPL 2023 auction. With a few players either retired, out of form or ageing, CSK will want to have a good auction this time.
Here are 3 overseas players CSK might target in the IPL 2023 auction:
Shakib Al Hasan
If Jadeja indeed leaves CSK, the franchise can find an apt replacement for Jadeja in Bangladesh skipper Shakib Al Hasan. Notwithstanding that Shakib had gone unsold in the last auction, the southpaw has a massive experience of over 350 T20 matches, including 71 in the IPL and 104 T20Is, and is already a two-time IPL winner with KKR.
A world-class match-winner with his all-rounder skilset – at 35 years old, Shakib also fits CSK’s bill perfectly.
Sam Curran
Sam Curran achieved great heights with CSK in the IPL 2020 and 2021 seasons: 22 wickets in 23 matches with the ball, and an average of 22 and a strike rate of 142 with the bat. Curran learned a lot from Dhoni and his experience at CSK which helped him get a place in England’s T20 World Cup squad as well.
The dynamic all-rounder is excellent with the new ball and can hold his end when bowling in the death too, plus he can be used as a pinch-hitter at any phase of the innings. Sam Curran is expected to bag a lucrative contract in the IPL 2023 auction; CSK will want to get back the all-rounder’s services.
Ben Stokes
By taking retirement from ODI cricket, it is believed that Ben Stokes will enter himself in the IPL 2023 auction and will return to the richest cricket league in the world; he played just one match in 2021 where he got injured and then skipped IPL 2022 to focus on Test cricket as England’s new Test skipper.
There is no question over Stokes’ quality and acumen as a T20 cricketer – he was, after all, the Player of the Tournament in IPL 2017 when he played alongside MS Dhoni for Rising Pune Supergiant, helping the franchise to the final.
Recently, Stokes has also been batting at number 3 and 4 for England ahead of the T20 World Cup. With Robin Uthappa retired and also uncertainty around the lower order, CSK could do well with Stokes in the line-up. Plus, they will also need someone to replace the 39-year-old Dwayne Bravo soon.
