Chennai Super Kings (CSK) won the Indian Premier League (IPL) championship for the sixth time in 2023 after defeating Gujarat Titans (GT) in the final match. However, they will now be concentrating more on who to keep and let go for the upcoming IPL season.
There were certain players that wouldn’t wear the yellow jersey the next season due to their inconsistent play. Then, some can be considered an extra player by CSK because they never had the chance to play in the extra XI. Strengthening their bowling unit will be their top priority because the bowlers gave out far too many runs.
Let’s look at four such players whom CSK should release before the IPL 2024 auction.
1. Ben Stokes
The English all-rounder, though, has not lived up to the hype despite being a surprise selection. He was limited to just two games in the IPL 2023 due to a knee injury.
At the same time, there were talks among fans about how Ben Stokes may fill the captaincy position after MS Dhoni’s retirement. However, if CSK wishes to release him, his inconsistent play in the IPL may be a factor other than the fact that he could fetch a whopping 16.25. Stokes’ status in relation to the team’s composition was a topic of discussion even prior to the 2023 IPL. Currently, Ravindra Jadeja and Moeen Ali are two all-around players who should not be overlooked.
2. Ambati Rayudu
The veteran batsman for CSK announced that he will be retiring after the IPL final in 2023, making this the easiest pick. Rayudu’s performance in the 16th edition, in which he scored just 142 runs at an average of 15.78, was not his best. Although his retirement has rendered his game statistics irrelevant, it will be intriguing to see if he returns to the team in a different role.
3. Akash Singh
Injured Mukesh Choudhary, who spent time at the National Cricket Academy after suffering a back ailment, was replaced by Akash Singh. Akash previously wore a Rajasthan Royals (RR) jersey and was a member of India’s U-19 World Cup squad in 2020.
Despite the fact that Akash played in six games this season and took five wickets, Choudhary will be favoured over Akash if he returns for the upcoming season based on his success in the IPL 2022, when he took 16 wickets in 13 games.
4. Sisanda Magala
As a replacement for the injured Kyle Jamieson, CSK signed the 32-year-old South African pacer at his base price of INR 50 lakh. Before suffering an injury while fielding against Rajasthan Royals (RR), he played just two games and took one wicket at an economy rate of 8.50, which caused him to miss a few weeks of action. Between Jamieson and Magala in the upcoming season, CSK will unquestionably choose the Kiwi pacer.
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