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Why CSK letting go of Rachin Ravindra was a bad move, one they might regret

Aakash Saini

Rachin Ravindra [Source: AFP Photo]Rachin Ravindra [Source: AFP Photo]

Rachin Ravindra became one of the 12 cricketers to be released by the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) franchise last month ahead of the IPL 2026 auction. Set to make some big changes at the bidding event, the CSK owners and team management might well be prepping up for some big recruits as they aim to heal the scars of IPL 2025, where they finished at the bottom of the 10-team points table with mere four wins in 14 games.

Among the releases, Rachin Ravindra’s exit stood out, not because he was a superstar yet, but because the talented New Zealand batter had already demonstrated enough spark to warrant some patience. Here, we analyze why the CSK franchise letting go of Ravindra just after two seasons was a bad move, one they might regret as early in next year’s IPL 2026 itself.

Rachin Ravindra was far from a failure in IPL 2025

CSK roped in Rachin Ravindra back in late-2023 for the IPL 2024 season following his breakthrough Cricket World Cup 2023 performance in India. Scoring his runs at a strike rate of above 160, the talented New Zealander was retained by the franchise for the following season in 2025.

Rachin Ravindra started off his IPL 2025 campaign with a splendid 65* for CSK against Mumbai Indians, an innings that helped his team secure a comprehensive four-wicket win. The left-hander also top-scored for the CSK in their very next game, this time with a brisk 41 against RCB in Chennai.

A failure against Rajasthan Royals on March 30 seemingly halted his momentum, as Rachin Ravindra made just three runs in two innings before smearing a swift 23-ball 36 against Punjab Kings in a high-scoring cracker.

All in all, Ravindra minted 191 runs in just eight innings of the IPL 2025 season at an average of 27.28 and a strike rate of nearly 130, marking numbers that do not necessarily constitute as a “failed” season. Moreover, a couple of innings or so would have put his overall IPL 2025 tally between 350 to 400 runs if he had played all 14 games of the season for CSK, thus putting him above CSK’s actual leading run-makers of IPL 2025 like Shivam Dube (357 runs) and Ravindra Jadeja (301 runs).

A proven performer in Indian conditions

Rachin Ravindra shot himself to unprecedented stardom with his prolific 2023 World Cup campaign in India. In 10 matches of the tournament, the cricketer scored 578 runs at a prolific average of 64.22 and with a strike rate of 106.44.

Apart from his ODI excellence, Rachin Ravindra has also made 309 runs in 10 Test innings between the years 2021 and 2024 at an average of 38.62. He was a crucial member of the New Zealand side that thrashed India 3-0 in late-2024.

Rachin Ravindra stats in India

Criterion
Tests
ODIs
IPL
Innings101018
Runs309578413
Average38.6264.2224.29
S/R60106.44143.90

Moreover, Rachin Ravindra also had a remarkable debut IPL season of 2024, where he scored 222 runs in 10 innings at a breathtaking strike rate of 160.86. It was a below par IPL 2025 that truly factored in his exit from the team ahead of the IPL 2026 auction.

A long-term asset who needed nurturing

At the age of 26, Rachin Ravindra served as a potential long-term asset for the CSK franchise who required assistance and nurturing instead of an overall snub. For a franchise built on continuity, trust, and the slow shaping of talent, Ravindra’s release feels strangely out of character. His age profile, adaptability across formats, and proven comfort in Indian conditions suggested a player who only needed time, not abandonment.

With the IPL 2026 auction now looming, CSK may well find themselves watching another team unlock the very trajectory they were too quick to let go, a scenario that could turn this release from a strategic decision into a lingering regret.