Chennai Super Kings (CSK) have undertaken significant actions in preparation for the 2024 Indian Premier League auction, scheduled to take place in Dubai on Tuesday, December 19.
The team in yellow, after securing their record-tying fifth IPL title, swiftly aimed for a sixth by releasing several players before the auction. Notably, they parted ways with Ben Stokes, who was signed for ₹16.25 crore last year.
While some players have not justified their hefty contracts, others nearing the end of their careers and lacking recent form remain on the roster. Chennai Super Kings could have improved their position by being more assertive in releasing such players.
CSK’s team ahead of IPL 2024 auction: MS Dhoni (c & wk), Ruturaj Gaikwad, Deepak Chahar, Moeen Ali, Rajvardhan Hangargekar, Devon Conway, Shivam Dube, Mitchell Santner, Tushar Deshpande, Mukesh Choudhary, Matheesha Pathirana, Simarjeet Singh, Prashant Solanki, Ravindra Jadeja, Maheesh Theekshana, Ajinkya Rahane, Nishant Sindhu, Ajay Mandal, Shaik Rasheed
Here are three players that CSK should have let go before the IPL 2024 auction:
#1 Moeen Ali
At his peak, Moeen Ali significantly enhances the value of the CSK franchise, being a left-hander proficient against both pace and spin, and an off-spinner ideal for Chepauk. However, recent performances have fallen short of his best.
The team couldn’t provide him the successful top-order role from his debut season, and his bowling has slightly declined. In IPL 2023, he scored 124 runs and took nine wickets in 15 games.
CSK has several left-handed players, and Moeen Ali’s ₹8 crore salary hasn’t matched his recent performances. While CSK could easily replace him with players like Tristan Stubbs and Michael Bracewell, they chose to stick with him, hoping he can become a match-winner if he regains form.
#2 Simarjeet Singh
Simarjeet Singh remained sidelined throughout IPL 2023, facing injuries and the rise of domestic fast bowlers like Tushar Deshpande and Akash Singh. Additionally, he hasn’t participated in competitive cricket in 2023, with his last match for Delhi dating back to December 2022.
Persistent fitness and form issues have kept the fast bowler out of action for an extended period. Despite these considerations, CSK has opted to keep Simarjeet while releasing players like Akash.
Simarjeet lacks contribution with the bat and appears to be a one-dimensional T20 bowler, lacking standout skills. If Chennai had released the 25-year-old, they could have pursued more promising alternatives.
#3 Deepak Chahar
In the last two seasons, Deepak Chahar participated in 10 matches. He was absent for the entire 2022 season and faced another injury setback in 2023, featuring in only two-thirds of CSK’s games.
Chahar’s economy rates for the last two seasons were 8.35 and 8.74, which is subpar for a bowler who doesn’t frequently bowl at the death. Moreover, he has averaged just over one wicket per game.
Chahar, with a ₹14 crore salary, is primarily valued for his batting skills, but his recent runs tally is quite low. While he is a useful T20 player, his current contract seems too much considering he’s often unavailable and inconsistent. CSK’s loyalty is good, but spending so much on him strains their budget.
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