IPL 2022 Mega Auction: MS Dhoni’s Chennai Super Kings could go all out to bring back title-winning stars
The Men in Yellow will not find the mega auction plain sailing following the addition of two new teams — the Gujarat Titans and the Lucknow Super Giants.
Chennai Super Kings IPL 2022 Team List: Four-time Indian Premier League (IPL) champions, Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s Chennai Super Kings have been a model of consistency. And one reason attributed to their years-long success is the team’s reliance on a core group. The retention strategy has served them well over the years.
This time, however, the Men in Yellow will not find the mega auction plain sailing following the addition of two new teams — the Gujarat Titans and the Lucknow Super Giants.
The Super Kings have retained longstanding captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni for the next three seasons. Apart from Dhoni (Rs 12 crore), all-rounders Ravindra Jadeja (Rs 16 crore) and Moeen Ali (Rs 8 crore), and opener Ruturaj Gaikwad (Rs 6 crore), all of whom played key roles in their 2021 triumph, have also been retained.
With Rs 48 crore in the kitty to rebuild the team, here are five players that the Chennai Super Kings could target at the IPL 2022 auction:
Faf du Plessis (Base price: Rs 2 crore)
The former South Africa skipper is most likely to return to his happy hunting ground for the next three seasons. The 37-year-old has scored 2,935 runs, with a strike rate of 131.08, including 22 half-centuries, having played more than 100 IPL matches.
Deepak Chahar (Base price: Rs 2 crore)
Chahar took 10 wickets in 12 matches during his breakthrough season in 2018, which subsequently earned him an India call-up in white-ball cricket. Chahar has since bagged 59 wickets in 63 matches for the Super Kings and has become Dhoni’s go-to man.
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Dwayne Bravo (Base price: Rs 2 crore)
Bravo was signed by the Super Kings in 2011. The 38-year-old West Indian has been an integral part of the team for years with 167 wickets and 1,537 runs in 151 matches.
Shardul Thakur (Base price: Rs 2 crore)
Sure to command a premium price, Thakur calls himself a genuine all-rounder and his performances over the past few months is testament to that. The 30-year-old, who has 67 wickets in 61 matches, is likely to spark a bidding war.
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Suresh Raina (Base price: Rs 2 crore)
Mr IPL, Raina is one of the most successful batters with 5,528 runs in 205 matches. Following his retirement from international cricket, the four-time IPL winner will be fresh for the Super Kings’ latest title tilt.