"They will definitely go for KL Rahul" - Aakash Chopra on CSK's potential acquisitions in IPL 2025 auction
Aakash Chopra reckons the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) will definitely look to acquire KL Rahul at the IPL 2025 auction. He pointed out that the five-time champions need a successor to MS Dhoni as a wicketkeeper-batter.
CSK retained five players - Ruturaj Gaikwad (₹18 crore), Ravindra Jadeja (₹18 crore), Matheesha Pathirana (₹13 crore), Shivam Dube (₹12 crore) and Dhoni (₹4 crore) ahead of the auction. They have a remaining budget of ₹55 crore to assemble the rest of their squad.
In a video shared on his YouTube channel 'Aakash Chopra', the former India opener opined that CSK will surely target Rahul at the auction as a replacement for Dhoni once the latter calls it quits.
"What all do they need? I feel they need a successor to Dhoni, a wicketkeeper-batter and it's great if they get an Indian. Everyone is saying, let me also say - he is more than 30 years old, is going to be a father very soon and everyone has written him off as well, so he is right for Chennai, that's KL Rahul. So they will definitely go for KL Rahul," he said (11:00).
While naming Ishan Kishan and Rishabh Pant as the other Indian wicketkeeper-batter options, Chopra added that CSK might be interested in Shreyas Iyer as a specialist batter.
"We can't say for how long they will go but they will try to acquire him because the franchise still has ₹55 crore to be spent. So if they can get an Indian like him, Ishan Kishan or Rishabh Pant for ₹10-15 crore, they are going to try. They might think about Shreyas Iyer for some time because they will need Indian batters to bat in those conditions," he observed.
Chopra acknowledged that CSK might look to reacquire Devon Conway at the auction and look at him as a wicketkeeper-batter option once Dhoni bids goodbye to the IPL. However, he added that the New Zealand player is not a long-term solution as the franchise would need an Indian wicketkeeper-batter.
"They will go after Anna" - Aakash Chopra on R Ashwin as CSK's potential acquisition
![R Ashwin was released by the Rajasthan Royals ahead of the IPL 2025 auction. [P/C: iplt20.com]](https://statico.sportskeeda.com/editor/2024/11/bf120-17318211507078-1920.jpg?w=500)
In the same video, Aakash Chopra opined that the Chennai Super Kings might look to acquire Ravichandran Ashwin to resolve their spin-bowling issues.
"This team has had a problem with spin. They didn't have a very good Indian spinner apart from Jadeja. I think Ravichandran Ashwin. They will go after Anna. He is also the director of CSK's academy and started his IPL career with this team only. This might be his last cycle," he said (11:55).
The cricketer-turned-commentator added that the Chennai-based franchise might target Sam Curran as an all-rounder who can swing the ball.
"Ashwin might not be playing cricket, at least not the IPL, after three years. They go more towards swing bowlers in fast bowling. So I wouldn't be surprised if they pick Sam Curran if they get him cheap because I feel Sam Curran's best can come for this franchise only," Chopra observed.
Chopra named Devon Conway, Deepak Chahar and Tushar Deshpande as potential Right To Match card options for CSK. He added that the franchise won't need to use the RTM card for Rachin Ravindra, Daryl Mitchell and Moeen Ali.