5 players CSK may release after IPL 2024 exit

During this IPL season, the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) had an uncommon setback as they were eliminated from the playoffs by their long-standing rivals, the Royal Challengers Bengaluru, at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium on Saturday, May 18th.

CSK is a highly successful franchise in the tournament’s history, having won five titles. They appeared ready to qualify for the playoffs but were defeated by RCB in their last group match.

The Chennai-based club distinguishes itself from its competition by focusing on player development through nurturing them from the early stages, rather than investing heavily in star players.

Contrary to their ideology, the franchise may be interested in releasing a few players following their unexpected elimination from IPL 2024 on Saturday. In this article, we examine five players who fit within this category.

Ajinkya Rahane

Ajinkya Rahane, an experienced batsman, participated in the IPL after leading the Mumbai team to victory in the Ranji Trophy. However, he did not perform well when batting at the top of the order.

It must be acknowledged that Rahane’s performance in the Ranji Trophy was not good, but it was anticipated that a change in format would lead to his success.

Nevertheless, he struggled to perform well during this season, and the franchise’s decision to continue placing him at the top of the batting order was considered excessively lenient at times, particularly because his highest score was only 45 in the twelve innings he played.

Deepak Chahar

The medium pacer sustained an untimely injury for CSK this season, however, it must be acknowledged that he did not perform at his peak when he was frequently on the field. Despite his reputation for adeptly curving the ball, Chahar’s performance this season fell short of expectations, resulting in a mere tally of five wickets.

Due to his inadequate performance, CSK may release him at the conclusion of this year. The Rajasthan seamer has been associated with the franchise for a considerable duration and is anticipated to receive favorable treatment. However, the latter may not perceive it in the same manner.

Moeen Ali

Moeen Ali, a foreign player who joined the franchise in 2021, had a disappointing season this year. He was largely selected to play as the spin-bowling all-rounder and effectively utilize his ability to get an advantage over other teams on surfaces that favor spin.

Nevertheless, he failed to fulfill the assigned duty to the satisfaction of the franchise, leading to his exclusion from the team in the latter part of the competition.

If the franchise is interested in acquiring another spin-bowling all-rounder, they may release the Englishman, who has only managed to score one half-century this season.

Daryl Mitchell

Daryl Mitchell, a New Zealand cricketer, was acquired by the team for a significant ₹14 crore in the auction prior to this season. However, he had a disappointing performance during the campaign. He was mostly selected for his powerful batting skills in the middle-order, but his inability to make a lasting impact may work against him.

Shardul Thakur

Shardul Thakur, known for his skill at bowling accurately, did not do well in this IPL season.

Prior to his franchise’s final game this season, the Mumbai and India seamer had only managed to secure three wickets in eight matches. However, in that game, he was able to add two more wickets to his tally, conceding 61 runs in the process. Thakur’s participation in the CSK campaign was costly, and the franchise may want to release him, despite his affiliation with the team from 2018 to 2021.

They acquired him at the auction prior to this season for a significant amount of ₹4 crore – an investment that the India Cements company may consider to be a loss.