Rachin Ravindra Spent two seasons at Chennai Super Kings (CSK) but could not do justice to his potential. He was roped in by the five-time champions for Rs 1.8 crore ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 mega-auction. This happened when he took the field during the 2023 ODI World Cup and became the fourth highest run-scorer at the age of just 23.
The left-handed batsman had a disappointing performance, scoring 222 runs in 10 innings at an average of 22.20. However, he scored at a strike rate of 160.87. CSK remained confident in his abilities and retained him for Rs 4 crore for the 2025 season using the RTM card.
However, Ravindra once again failed to make it count, scoring just 191 runs in eight matches at an average of 27.29 and a strike rate of 128.19. CSK finally lost their patience and released him ahead of the IPL 2026 mini-auction.
Will releasing Rachin Ravindra cost CSK dearly?
With the release of Ravindra, Rs 4 crore has been emptied from CSK's purse. Is this a good move? With the emergence of Ayush Mhatre midway through the season, CSK found themselves with a talented batsman who could attack the bowlers right from the start. Ravindra, who opened the batting for the former champions, was dropped from the team and was replaced by middle-order batsman Dewald Brewis. The South African batsman played some brilliant innings after his arrival.
Ruturaj Gaikwad missed most of the last season after getting injured. He will return to the team and take a place at the top of the order along with Mhatre. Another batsman who is set to bat at the top of the order is Sanju Samson, who has been traded by Rajasthan Royals to CSK. So, with the Indian top order already set and Brewis playing as the overseas batsman in the middle, Ravindra will have to spend most of the time on the bench.
If CSK wants to pick a backup for Brevis, they can consider players like Liam Livingstone or Glenn Maxwell, who are not only renowned middle-order hitters but also under-rated spinners.
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