CSK told to 'trade' Ravindra Jadeja after MS Dhoni’s ‘we're looking at auction’ admission: ‘Makes no sense’
Ravindra Jadeja has struggled to contribute both with the bat and ball this season for Chennai Super Kings
Chennai Super Kings slumped to another low on Tuesday. For the second time in IPL history, CSK suffered 10 defeats in a single season, having done the same in 2022 as well. They lost to the Rajasthan Royals by six wickets in New Delhi. The side will next head to Ahmedabad for their final game in the season, against the Gujarat Titans on May 25.
Ahead of Tuesday's game, captain MS Dhoni admitted that Chennai, the first side to be eliminated from the race to the playoffs, is already looking ahead to the next season. Hence, they aimed at the remaining games to lock in on their combination and keep an auction strategy ready.
"Need to figure out which individual will do well in which slot next year. Need to work on our bowling. Once we were out of the tournament, we wanted to find the answers for the next year. Need to look into the combination and a couple of players we can pick in the auction," he had said at the time of the toss at the Arun Jaitley Stadium.
After the match, former India cricketer Aakash Chopra bluntly advised Chennai to get rid of Ravindra Jadeja, as their move to send him up the order in the last few games was deemed irrational. Speaking to ESPNCricinfo, he reckoned Dewald Brevis was better suited at No. 4.
Chopra also felt Chennai should release the New Zealand duo of Devon Conway and Rachin Ravindra and rather look for a more destructive batter in the mini-auction that will be held later this year for the 2026 season of the IPL.
"I would say probably trade him (Jadeja). You have Dewald Brevis as your No.4. Bat him at No.4. This is a stop-gap arrangement with Devon Conway and Ayush Mhatre and Urvil Patel at 3. There is a mini auction in between, if you are releasing Rachin Ravindra and Devon Conway, it's common sense that you will find somebody who can be an absolute banker and destructor at the top," he said.
"Why would you want Ruturaj Gaikwad to bat with somebody who will not go hammer and tongs? Have Urvil Patel at 3, rather have one more guy. Either get a finisher or top order overseas batter with Dewald Brevis apart from Noor Ahmad and Matheesha Pathirana. Sam Curran at 3 and Jadeja at 4 won't make sense."
Jadeja has struggled to contribute this year, scoring just 280 runs in 13 matches, with two fifties, and picking up only eight wickets at an average of 38.38.
