'I Feel CSK Will..'- Sunil Gavaskar Predicts How MS Dhoni's Team Will Fare In IPL 2024
MS Dhoni after guiding CSK to IPL 2023 win [X.com]
Former Indian captain Sunil Gavaskar has backed defending champions Chennai Super Kings (CSK) to make it to the playoffs in the upcoming IPL 2024 season. The cricketer-turned-commentator believes that the CSK franchise covered all aspects at the IPL 2024 auction and also cited their past performances and consistency in the tournament behind his bold prediction.
Sunil Gavaskar speaks on CSK’s IPL 2024 prospects
Indian cricket legend Sunil Gavaskar thinks that the CSK management strengthened their bowling core and added essential batting reserves to the line-up after Ambati Rayudu's retirement at the IPL 2024 auction back in December 2023.
According to Gavaskar, the MS Dhoni-led CSK side will be heading into the IPL 2024 season with a good blend of youth and experience and are currently one of the leading contenders to make it to the playoffs. While speaking with Star Sports, he said:
“If you see the purchases they did at the auction table, the aspects they had to strengthen, it seemed like they lacked a little in bowling last year and in batting also they had to strengthen the middle order slightly after Ambati Rayudu's retirement, they have done all that. They have a good mix of youth and experience.”
The former Indian captain added that CSK has already qualified for the playoffs 12 times out of the 14 editions they have participated in and hailed their consistent run throughout the tournament's rich history. Gavaskar stated:
“I feel CSK will definitely come in the top four as always. You cannot say any team 'definitely yes' as favorites. However, the way the Chennai Super Kings have performed for so many years, they have qualified in 12 of the 16 editions. So it's likely to happen for the 13th time.”
Back in November 2023, CSK retained franchise veterans MS Dhoni and Ravindra Jadeja alongside Moeen Ali, Mitchell Santner, Deepak Chahar, Shivam Dube, as well as Sri Lankan bowling prodigies Mahesh Theekshana and Matheesha Pathirana.
At the auction in UAE on December 19, the team management made further additions by acquiring Rachin Ravindra, Daryl Mitchell, Mustafizur Rahman and Shardul Thakur.
As MS Dhoni and his troops gear up for the forthcoming IPL 2024 season, here is a look at their entire squad for the tournament.
CSK Squad for IPL 2024
MS Dhoni (c), Moeen Ali, Deepak Chahar, Devon Conway, Tushar Deshpande, Shivam Dube, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Rajvardhan Hangargekar, Ravindra Jadeja, Ajay Mandal, Mukesh Choudhary, Matheesha Pathirana, Ajinkya Rahane, Shaik Rasheed, Mitchell Santner, Simarjeet Singh, Nishant Sindhu, Prashant Solanki, Maheesh Theekshana, Rachin Ravindra, Shardul Thakur, Daryl Mitchell, Sameer Rizvi, Mustafizur Rahman, Avanish Rao Aravelly
 "Aakash Saini")
