5 players CSK should retain after IPL 2024 exit ft. Matheesha Pathirana

Defending champions Chennai Super Kings (CSK) crashed out of IPL 2024 after losing their last league stage game against the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) on Saturday, May 18. Batting first, RCB scored 218, and to qualify, CSK had to win the match or lose by not more than 18 runs, which means they had to score at least 201 runs.

The Super Kings lost Ruturaj Gaikwad on the very first ball, but Rachin Ravindra and Ajinkya Rahane shared a decent partnership to get things rolling. However, as soon as the latter got out, fortune turned in RCB’s favor. Shivam Dube struggled, and Rachin Ravindra's run-out didn’t help CSK either.

It all came down to Ravindra Jadeja and MS Dhoni when CSK needed 50 runs to qualify in the last three overs. It looked like it was Dhoni’s night when he hit a 110-meter six on the very first ball of the last over, which brought the equation down to 11 off five balls. However, much to the dismay of CSK fans, the wicketkeeper-batter got out on the next ball.

Then it was all about Yash Dayal and RCB, who managed to pull off the match, winning sixth game in a row to qualify for the playoffs.

It was a season of ups and downs for CSK under the new captain Ruturaj Gaikwad. Injuries and players not available towards the season’s end hampered CSK's chances. Nevertheless, CSK played some good cricket throughout the season.

Now, with the mega-auction coming up next year, CSK will look to build their squad around their captain, Ruturaj Gaikwad. It's still uncertain whether MS Dhoni will return or not. If he wishes to come back, he will be the first player that CSK retains; however, chances for that look slim. In the meantime, a few players had successful stints.

In this article, we'll look at five players who CSK should retain after the IPL 2024 exit.

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#1 Ruturaj Gaikwad

It could have been a successful first season for Ruturaj Gaikwad as captain if CSK had qualified for the playoffs. However, he still enjoyed success in the tournament as a captain and player. No doubt, he will return next season as CSK captain.

Even though Ruturaj was not able to score against RCB, he did have a decent IPL with the bat. The CSK captain scored 583 runs in 14 games at an average of 53; he also hit four half-centuries and a century. The Indian batter has been a key player in the CSK set-up for the last few years. Ruturaj is still young, and the experience he gained this season will only help him in the future.

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#2 Ravindra Jadeja

The Indian all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja is still one of the best in the cricketing world. Though Jadeja didn’t have much success with the ball, as he only picked up eight wickets, he bowled at a decent economy of 7.8.

Meanwhile, with the bat, he scored 267 runs in 11 innings at an average of 44.5. The CSK player also showed his class last night, when he almost pulled the game for his franchise as he remained unbeaten on 42 off 22.

Also, looking at his past performances for the franchise, Jadeja has been the go-to man for the CSK. He’s an excellent all-round player and has performed continuously for the Super Kings, so it would be no surprise if he continued to play for the franchise in the coming season.

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#3 Matheesha Pathirana

The 21-year-old Sri Lankan pacer has been the standout bowler for the CSK for the last couple of years. He made his debut for the franchise in 2022; however, his breakthrough season came in 2023. Pathirana led the CSK bowling lineup and played a crucial role for the Super Kings in winning the trophy. In the 2023 season, he took 19 wickets in 12 games.

Meanwhile, he continued his good form this season, where he picked up 13 wickets in only six games. However, his season was cut short due to injuries, but in the coming seasons, CSK will be looking to build their bowling lineup around the young sensation from Sri Lanka.

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#4 Shivam Dube

Even though Shivam Dube struggled toward the end of the season, he did make a decent contribution to CSK's wins in the initial games. The Indian player scored 396 runs in 14 games. He hit 28 sixes in the tournament, and his hitting power also earned him a place in India’s T20 World Cup squad.

Shivam Dube has been a key part of the Super Kings for the last couple of years, and he made a decent contribution in the 2023 season, which the Super Kings won. It’s likely that CSK will continue to keep their faith in Dube and will retain him ahead of the mega auction.

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#5 Mustafizur Rahman

Another player who CSK missed towards the end of the season was Bangladeshi pacer Mustafizur Rahman. He had to leave early due to national duty, and with Matheesha Pathirana also injured, it affected Chennai's bowling department.

Mustafizur took 14 wickets in nine games, and though he was taken away for runs in some matches, his wicket-taking abilities made him a key asset for the Super Kings. Along with the Sri Lankan pacer, CSK might be tempted to retain Mustafizur Rahman to build a good core for their bowling department.