5 Unused Players CSK Should Try in Remaining IPL 2025 Matches

Probuddha Bhattacharjee

Shreyas Gopal [Source:@HustlerCSK/x.com]Shreyas Gopal [Source:@HustlerCSK/x.com]

With Chennai Super Kings struggling in the ongoing IPL 2025 season, having secured just 2 wins from 10 matches so far, the franchise faces a crucial opportunity to test new talent. While the playoff hopes are over, the remaining matches offer a perfect platform to evaluate untested players who could form CSK's core for the future. 

The franchise's typically sharp talent identification and development system needs to shift focus toward the following five underutilized players who deserve their chance in the spotlight before the season concludes.

1. C Andre Siddharth

With CSK's top-order batters struggling to provide consistent starts and injuries creating further challenges, Andre Siddharth has yet to receive a single opportunity in the playing XI. Known for his aggressive stroke play and adaptability across multiple batting positions, Siddharth could offer CSK much-needed flexibility in their batting approach for the remaining matches.

His ability to counter both pace and spin effectively makes him an ideal candidate for Chennai's traditionally spin-friendly Chepauk surface. With the team lacking batting momentum in the powerplay (7.60 run rate), Siddharth's fearless approach could inject much-needed energy at the top of the order. Given CSK's current predicament, blooding this young talent now could pay dividends in both the short and long term.

2. Shreyas Gopal

CSK's decision to keep Shreyas Gopal on the bench throughout the season so far is particularly puzzling given their bowling struggles. With 55 wickets across 10 matches, CSK's attack has lacked penetration, especially in the middle overs.

Gopal, with his deceptive leg-breaks and useful googly, could provide variety to complement spinners like Noor Ahmad and Ravindra Jadeja. Additionally, his lower-order batting prowess would strengthen a tail that has often collapsed under pressure. His experience in previous IPL seasons makes him a ready-made solution rather than a development project for the future. With playoff hopes diminishing, now is the perfect time to see what Gopal can offer.

3. Kamlesh Nagarkoti

One of CSK's glaring weaknesses in the tournament so far has been their powerplay bowling economy of 9.24 runs per over. Despite this vulnerability, Kamlesh Nagarkoti—once heralded as India's next pace sensation—hasn't been given a single opportunity to showcase his express pace.

While injury concerns have hampered his career progression, Nagarkoti's raw pace and ability to extract bounce from docile surfaces could offer CSK a point of difference. The team's reliance on Khaleel Ahmed and Matheesha Pathirana as their primary pacers has become predictable as the tournament has progressed, making Nagarkoti's continued exclusion even more perplexing. The remaining matches present an ideal opportunity to assess if he can be a long-term pace option.

4. Vansh Bedi

Vansh Bedi for CSK [Source: @ShuhidAufridi/x.com]Vansh Bedi for CSK [Source: @ShuhidAufridi/x.com]

With MS Dhoni in the twilight of his illustrious career, grooming a successor should be among CSK's priorities. Vansh Bedi, an aggressive middle-order batter and competent wicketkeeper, represents the ideal candidate for this succession plan, yet hasn't played a single match this season.

Bedi's reputation for explosive hitting in domestic cricket could provide CSK with finishing firepower beyond Dhoni and Shivam Dube. His continued exclusion from all 10 matches so far suggests a missed opportunity to prepare for an inevitable transition. With the playoff race over for CSK, the remaining fixtures offer the perfect chance to test Bedi's mettle at the IPL level and assess his readiness to step into larger responsibilities.

5. Ramakrishna Ghosh

Balance is crucial in T20 cricket, and Ramakrishna Ghosh's prowess as a bowling all-rounder might address CSK's structural issues. Their reliance on specialist bowlers with limited batting ability has created a long tail that has been exposed in several tight chases, yet Ghosh remains unused.

His medium-pace bowling, combined with his ability to strike clean blows in the lower order, could provide CSK with valuable depth in the remaining fixtures. His adaptability across different phases of the game makes him an asset worth testing immediately rather than waiting for next season. Introducing Ghosh now would give the management tangible evidence of his capabilities under pressure against IPL-quality opposition.