The defending champions, Chennai Super Kings (CSK), have once again made history by acquiring the in-form Kiwi batter, Daryle Mitchell, for the upcoming IPL 2024.
The much-glamorized IPL auction for the upcoming season recently took place in Dubai. According to BCCI sources, over 1165 players were initially in contention, but eventually, 333 names were finalized for the gala auction.
While all teams aimed to rejig their squads for better balance and effectiveness, all eyes were set on the defending champions, CSK. Known for making smart auction moves throughout IPL history, their credit for overwhelming success and consistent performance goes to their backroom strategy and talks, ensuring the selection of the best playing 11 every time they set foot on the ground.
Most Expensive CSK Players in IPL
The Chennai Super Kings (CSK) stand tall as one of the most successful franchises in the history of the Indian Premier League (IPL). With their consistent performance and formidable track record, CSK has become a cricketing powerhouse, earning admiration and respect across the league. Every cricketer aspires to don the iconic yellow jersey and be part of the CSK legacy, a team synonymous with success.
However, not every dream translates into reality, as only a select few fortunate players secure the coveted opportunity to represent CSK. The team management, renowned for their strategic prowess, identifies key players they believe will contribute significantly to CSK’s continued success. These players make the cut and command a noteworthy price tag during the IPL auctions.
Being part of the CSK squad is not just about donning the team colours; it’s an acknowledgement of talent, dedication, and a commitment to excellence. As we eagerly await the upcoming IPL season, let’s take a closer look at the elite group of players whom the Chennai Super Kings coveted and invested in, symbolizing the team’s unwavering pursuit of greatness.
Ben Stokes 16.20 crores (2022)
Ben Stokes is the most expensive player for CSK in the history of IPL. The English all-rounder was made a part of the CSK star lineup in 2022. Almost all IPL teams were ready to spend a lot of money to buy Ben. Eventually, CSK had the last laugh as they successfully negotiated the deal and signed him for a huge 16.20 crores.
However, things didn’t turn out well for the player and the franchise. Ben Stokes was not able to live up to his full potential for the Chennai-based franchise. After featuring in the initial few games where he underperformed, he was sidelined because of an injury and couldn’t make a comeback in the season.
Currently, Ben Stokes has undergone surgery and will be unavailable for the 2024 season of the tournament. Ben has been playing in the IPL since 2017, participating in 45 matches, scoring 935 with two centuries and two fifties. He also has 28 wickets to his credit.
Daryl Mitchell 14 crore (2023)
In 2023, ahead of the 17th edition of the IPL, Chennai splurged some cash to buy their joint second-costliest player in the history of the tournament. They managed to rope in the power-hitting Daryl Mitchell from New Zealand. The idea behind the acquisition was very simple. Since they had to let go of Ben Stokes and Jamieson, both nursing injuries, there was a huge void left in the pace-bowling all-rounder’s department for the team.
Hence, Daryl Mitchell was bought for 14 crores, which made him the second most expensive player for CSK in IPL.
That is where Daryl Mitchell fits perfectly. He can be a handy bowler if need be, but what he brings with him is great hitting power, especially against spin bowlers. And if you are going to play half of your games at Chepauk, then you definitely need to be on point against spin bowling. Mitchell can do that, certainly.
He showed great and produced a good run of form in India’s recently concluded ODI World Cup. Hence, when his name showed up, Chennai Super Kings were instantly in the business of acquiring his services.
Deepak Chahar 14 crore (2022)
CSK fans’ memories are still fresh. Deepak Chahar was CSK’s most expensive pick in the IPL 2022. Dhoni-led CSK had to spend 14 crores to buy Deepak Chahar. There were intense bidding wars between CSK, RR, and DC (Delhi Capitals) as all these three teams were looking forward to including Deepak in their squads.
The Agra-born pacer is known for his unique ability to swing the ball both ways. Deepak has already scalped 72 wickets from 73 IPL matches he has played so far. Furthermore, Chahar has been handy with the bat in hand as well. Both for Chennai and India, he has played some very crucial knocks, further bolstering his importance as well as pricetag.
Since 2018, Deepak has risen above all odds, proving himself to be the go-to man for CSK. He has picked around 70 wickets for the yellow jersey until now. Although recent years have seen him being marred by injuries, The player is a real fighter and is expected to perform well in IPL 2024, too.
Ravindra Jadeja 9.8 crores (2012)
Counted amongst one of India’s finest batting all-rounders, Ravindra Jadeja has been one of CSK’s indispensable team members since his inclusion in the squad in 2012. Barring a couple of seasons—IPL 2016 and IPL 2017—when Jadeja represented Gujarat Lions at IPL, he mostly represented the yellow jersey throughout his IPL career.
In the 2011 IPL season, he was one of the most expensive picks for CSK. He was bought for a whopping 9.8 crores at that time. But it all paid off well as CSK won the tournament, beating MI in the final. Since then, Jadeja has become a part of the cult in Chennai Super King’s team.
After MS Dhoni and Suresh Rains, the only name that is associated with longevity in the CSK team is that of Jadeja. And over the years, his performance has paid off as well. Jadeja has scored 2692 runs throughout IPL, plus 152 wickets.
Jadeja is single-handedly responsible for the fifth title that Chennai Super Kings won in the 2023 season. In the final game against Gujarat Giants, the India allrounder kept everyone on the edge of their seat as he helped his team chase down 16 runs in the final over of the game. He smashed a 6 and a 4 in the last two balls of the game to win the season for his team.
Krishnappa Gowtham 9.25 crores (2021)
Krishnappa Gowtham was CSK’s surprise pick at the IPL 2021 auction. The team spent over 9.25 crores to bring him on board. Krishna is known for his sharp off-spin bowling and useful lower-order batting. But despite all the hype, Krishna couldn’t justify the expectations built around him. He has played 35 T20 matches and picked up 21 wickets. However, it’s also true that he didn’t get enough opportunities to prove his potential in this tournament yet.
Moeen Ali
Moeen Ali has been associated with CSK since 2021. Previously, he regularly played for RCB. In 2021, Moeen was bought by CSK for Rs. 8 crores. Moeen Ali proved his mettle out in the middle during the IPL 2021 season for CSK, scoring 357 runs and picking up 6 crucial wickets, helping men-in-yellow bounce back at crucial times.
In the last three seasons, the English allrounder has turned into someone who is indispensable. He has been the backbone of the middle order of CSK’s batting lineup. He has the capacity to play the game according to the requirements of the situation. He will score at pace when the opposition is at the top, but when the chips are down, he will look to sail out the turmoiled time and then take his chances.
Ali has scored a total of 725 runs for CSK in the last three seasons. Apart from that, he has also managed to claim 23 wickets to his name, making him one of the most valuable assets to the team.
Kedar Jadhav 7.8 crores (2018)
Chennai Super Kings (CSK) bought Kedar Jadhav for 7.8 crores in the IPL 2018 auction. In that season, the player sustained a very grave injury in the very first game he featured. Although he won the game for his team, he was ruled out for the rest of the tournament.
Chennai went on to win that tournament, but Jadhav didn’t make a comeback to the side. Though Kedar is immensely talented, unfortunately, he couldn’t perform consistently well in this hyper-competitive championship. Jadhav played in 95 IPL matches, scoring over 1200+ runs and four fifties to his credit.
Andrew Flintoff 7.5 crores (2008)
Former English skipper Andrew Flintoff played only one IPL season, and he was the most expensive pick for his side. CSK paid a huge sum of money amounting to Rs. 7.5 crores to bring him to the squad, but Flintoff didn’t play much in that season due to injury. Following this season, he announced his retirement from the IPL.
In Conclusion
CSK has been known for its cautious approach when it comes to picking up players. It would be interesting to see how CSK’s top picks this year, including Rachin Ravindra, Shardul Thakur, Daryl Mitchell, and Mustafizur Rahman, among others, play for the team. Can the defending champions once again lift the trophy at IPL 2024? Well, only time knows this answer! Till then, enjoy the game.
FAQ
Who is the most expensive player for CSK in IPL history?
Ben Stokes of England became the most expensive player ever bought by Chennai Super Kings in IPL. He was bought for an absolutely insane amount of 16.5 crores in the 2022 auction.
Who is the most expensive Indian player bought by CSK in IPL?
Deepak Chahar is the most expensive Indian player that was ever bought by CSK. In the 2022 auction, Chennai went all out for the Indian bowler and paid a stupendous amount of 14 crores to acquire the services of the bowler.
Who is CSK’s most expensive player from 2023 auction?
Daryl Mitchell of New Zealand became the most expensive player from 2023 auction. He was bought for a total of 14 crores, making him the joint second-highest paid player to represent Chennai Super Kings.
