There is no doubt that Chennai Super Kings is one of the greatest teams in IPL history. Their five trophies highlight their dominance in the competition. However, they couldn’t recreate the same magic last season, as RCB knocked them out of the tournament. Let’s take a look at how they have lined up ahead of the 2025 season.
When it came to retention, Ruturaj Gaikwad, as captain, along with Ravindra Jadeja and Shivam Dube, was the obvious choice. They also retained their icon, Mahendra Singh Dhoni, as an uncapped player. A new rule allowed franchises to retain players in the uncapped category if they hadn’t played international cricket for five years.
CSK released young superstar Rachin Ravindra but brought him back in the auction. They also re-signed Ravichandran Ashwin after ten years. Fans will be excited to see the spin duo of Jadeja and Ashwin reunited. The spin attack became even stronger with the addition of Afghan sensation Noor Ahmad.
The record champions strengthened their squad with buys like Rahul Tripathi, Deepak Hooda, and Vijay Shankar. Dube will anchor the middle order with his aggressive batting style. Indian bowlers like Kartik Tyagi and Khaleel Ahmed will aim to form a strong partnership with Maheesh Theekshana. With a balanced team across all departments, CSK can genuinely dream of winning their sixth IPL title.
Weaknesses that could prove costly in Chennai Super Kings’ title race
Despite their smart moves at the auction, a few concerns could still trouble CSK. The team will miss Deepak Chahar’s ability to take early wickets in the powerplay. Kartik and Khaleel will face a challenge in filling that role.
Not retaining or rebuying players who performed well last season could be costly for CSK. Mustafizur Rahman proved his value by taking four wickets against RCB in the opening match. Key players like Tushar Deshpande and Daryl Mitchell are also missing from the squad. The responsibility now falls on new signings like Nathan Ellis and Jamie Overton to deliver on the big stage.
The lack of a reliable middle-order batsman to support Dube is a concern. Vijay Shankar, Deepak Hooda, and Rahul Tripathi are skilled batters, but their recent T20 form has been shaky. All three average around 20 in T20s since 2024, which is a worrying sign. If CSK wants to win their sixth title, the former RCB player will need to carry the middle order.
