Amid growing speculation surrounding Rishabh Pant’s future in the Indian Premier League (IPL), Chennai Super Kings (CSK) CEO Kasi Viswanathan has provided insight into the franchise’s plans ahead of the IPL 2025 mega auction.
Rishabh Pant, along with fellow high-profile Indian cricketers KL Rahul and Shreyas Iyer, is set to enter the mega auction, which will be held later this month in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. The three stars, all former captains of their respective franchises, have registered for the auction in the INR 2 crore price category.
Rumors about CSK’s interest in Pant began circulating shortly after India’s T20 World Cup victory. A media report from Dainik Jagran sparked the buzz, hinting that Chennai was keen to sign the talented wicketkeeper-batter for IPL 2025. These rumors intensified when Delhi Capitals, Pant’s current franchise, did not retain him in their squad ahead of the auction.
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CSK’s Stance on Rishabh Pant Auction Rumors
During a conversation with former CSK player Ambati Rayudu on Provoke TV, Kasi Viswanathan responded to the growing speculation about Pant’s potential move to CSK. While he did not completely rule out the possibility of bidding for Pant, Viswanathan emphasized that the franchise’s primary focus would be on retaining its core lineup from the 2024 season. “We had discussions with Ruturaj [Gaikwad], the captain, MS [Dhoni], and coach Stephen Fleming before deciding on retentions,” Viswanathan shared. “The players who have helped the team grow and stabilize over the years are crucial for the team’s future success.”
CSK Retentions and Auction Strategy
CSK made key decisions about player retentions, ensuring that essential players such as Ruturaj Gaikwad, Ravindra Jadeja, Shivam Dube, Matheesha Pathirana, and MS Dhoni were secured for the 2025 season. By retaining these players, CSK has strategically focused on maintaining a strong and cohesive squad. However, this has left the franchise with a reduced auction purse of INR 55 crore, which Viswanathan admits could limit their ability to sign top-tier players like Pant, Rahul, or Iyer. “It was easy to decide on our retentions – Gaikwad, Jaddu, MS, Dube, and Pathirana – but we knew that doing so would impact our auction budget. We will still try, but competing with other teams for the best Indian players could prove challenging with our limited purse,” he stated.
Likely CSK Auction Moves
Despite the tight purse, Viswanathan outlined CSK’s likely approach for the 2025 IPL auction. The franchise is expected to focus on reacquiring overseas players who were part of the squad last season, including Rachin Ravindra, Devon Conway, and Maheesh Theekshana. In addition, Indian players such as Deepak Chahar are also likely to be targeted in the auction. Moreover, CSK still holds a Right-to-Match (RTM) card, which could be used strategically to retain a previous squad member should another franchise make a bid.
CSK’s Priorities for IPL 2025
CSK’s approach for IPL 2025 is centered on continuity, with the aim of retaining a stable and successful team structure. The franchise believes in maintaining a core group of players who have been pivotal to CSK’s success over the years. While the possibility of acquiring high-profile players like Rishabh Pant remains, CSK’s strategy appears to lean more towards consolidating its current squad and focusing on players who have already contributed to the team’s growth.
