3 Marquee players CSK should target in IPL 2025 auction ft. Mohammed Shami
The Indian Premier League (IPL) auction is less than a week away and the excitement among fans has started building up. The teams have already announced their retained players and will now look to add some key players to their ranks and build a squad which can challenge for the championship.
The most successful franchise in the competition with five titles to their name, the Chennai Super Kings, have retained their core again, a policy which has served them well in the past.
CSK have retained captain Ruturaj Gaikwad, Ravindra Jadeja, Shivam Dube, Matheesha Pathirana, and MS Dhoni. CSK still need to build a strong team and some marquee players will definitely be on their radar.
With the IPL auction slated to be held in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, on November 24 and 25, let us have a look at three marquee players that CSK should target:
# 3. Liam Livingstone
Liam Livingstone could be on the Chennai Super Kings’ radar as an option to add some variety to their squad. Over the years, the Super Kings have trusted experienced batters who aren't necessarily out-and-out power hitters.
However, given the changing dynamics of T20 cricket, the inclusion of a bonafide power hitter like Livingstone could work wonders for the Yellow Army. Livingstone packs a punch and can also be used as a floater in the batting line-up.
He has shown maturity in the last year and a half and has played according to the conditions of the game. Livingstone has all the attributes to get into the CSK outfit and become the X-factor player they have missed in the last few seasons.
# 2. David Miller
Another lusty striker of the ball, David Miller could also be on the radar of the Chennai Super Kings. Miller has been a prolific run scorer in the tournament, but during his stint with the Gujarat Titans, he fully realised his potential as a T20 batter.
He was more of a basher in the death overs during his time with the Punjab Kings, but his rule with GT made him successful in different facets of the game.
Miller moulded his approach according to the game situation, but his brute power and ability to hit even the good balls for boundaries was still on display. With a purse or Rs. 55 crores remaining, CSK could target the swashbuckling southpaw.
# 1. Mohammad Shami
The only pacer retained by the Chennai Super Kings is the Sri Lankan speedster Matheesha Pathirana, which suggests that they need to build their pace bowling attack almost from scratch.
A world-class exponent both with the new and the old ball, Mohammad Shami’s experience and ability to perform in crunch situations should make him a sought-after name in the upcoming auction. He hits the deck consistently and has a variety of slower deliveries and yorkers to bamboozle the batters.
Shami recently played in his first professional match since the 2023 World Cup final in the Ranji Trophy. He took seven wickets across two innings to help Bengal beat Madhya Pradesh by 11 runs.
With the 18th season still a fair way away, Shami should be back to his best when the tournament arrives.