Chennai Super Kings (CSK) might be disappointed with their overall performance in the previous cycle. While they won the 2023 season, CSK failed to qualify for the playoffs in the other two editions.

Still, they had a quality unit, with several good players who impressed at different points. The acquisition of some players in the middle of the season further boosted their squad, making it more balanced.

It will be interesting to see his holds and releases because they will represent many things. We tried to find three surprising players that CSK would prefer to retain over the big names ahead of the IPL 2025 auction.

Rachin Ravindra

Performance-wise, Rachin Ravindra does not deserve to be retained as CSK has better players to keep in all departments. However, Rachin’s talent is evident and his game against spin is improving greatly.

Additionally, he can also hit some overs with the ball, especially in home games where tracks help slow bowlers. With age on his side, Rachin can be a long-term investment and will surely turn out well sooner rather than later, so CSK can invest in him.

Also Read: CSK Retention List for IPL 2025: Prediction Strategy to Retain and Release Players Ahead of Mega Auction

Simarjeet Singh

CSK have two obvious options to retain in the uncapped category: MS Dhoni and Sameer Rizvi. However, Simarjeet Singh is another quality option that CSK can go for due to his rare skills and ability to operate effectively in the middle order.

He has the pace and can hit those heavy balls up the surface, as he has shown at times in the league, making him an ideal finisher. Because he has that extra speed, he is more likely to succeed in other phases and will continue to improve from now on.

Tushar Deshpande

For now, it looks like CSK will release Tushar Deshpande, but they may choose to retain him for numerous reasons. Firstly, Tushar is a true powerplay operator, and with the team ready to move on from Deepak Chahar, they have the right option in Tushar for this phase.

Additionally, he has shown ample progress in other phases and since he is a land carrier, his value will be high at auction. Given how much he has contributed in the last two years, Tushar could be an option to retain one of the main players.

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