IPL: Chennai Super Kings retain Suresh Raina; Harbhajan Singh released

Chennai - Kedar Jadhav and Murali Vijay’s fate hangs in balance

Suresh Raina will be retained by CSK going into the mini-auction, while Harbhajan Singh (right) has been released. — Twitter

By ANI

Published: Wed 20 Jan 2021, 4:41 PM

Last updated: Wed 20 Jan 2021, 4:46 PM

Chennai Super Kings has decided to retain Suresh Raina going into the mini-auction ahead of the 14th edition of the Indian Premier League. But Kedar Jadhav, Piyush Chawla and Murali Vijay’s fate hangs in balance. Foreign stars like Dwayne Bravo and Faf du Plessis are also set to be retained while Harbhajan Singh has been released and Shane Watson has retired.

Speaking to ANI, sources in the CSK outfit said that the management will take a final call on the likes of Kedar and Chawla before submitting the final list to the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) at 5 pm on Wednesday.

“Raina will definitely be a part of the CSK family. He is an integral member and there was never any doubt on him being retained. It was his personal call to return from UAE and the management was clear that his space needed to be respected. We expect him to fire on all cylinders this time around.

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“As for Kedar, Piyush and Vijay, we will have to see. It is a touch and go situation and a final call will be taken by the senior management before the final list is submitted to the BCCI today,” the source said.

Asked about any other big name who could miss out, the source said that the core would very much remain the same. “Harbhajan has been released as you are aware and Watson has retired. Apart from that, don’t see any big name missing out. Bravo and du Plessis will be with us,” the source pointed.

With the mini-auction inching closer, franchises looking to retain players were asked to complete the process by Wednesday. Former India batsman Aakash Chopra feels ‘Dad’s Army’ CSK has heavily relied on senior players in the past and the time has come to introduce young guns in the side.

Mahendra Dhoni-led CSK had a dismal outing in last year’s IPL. The Chennai based franchise finished at the seventh position in the points table. Chopra said CSK need to change their strategy and must retain last year’s match-winners like Shardul Thakur and Ruturaj Gaikwad.

“As the deadline for the IPL Player Retention process approaches, I feel now would be the right time for CSK to shed their ‘Dad’s Army’ tag and introduce young talent in the team,” Chopra said on Star Sports show ‘IPL: Retention Special’.

“Mahendra Singh Dhoni has relied heavily on senior players who have performed in the past, but he along with the CSK think-tank need to change their strategy. They would certainly need to retain last year’s match-winners like Ambati Rayudu, Shardul Thakur and Ruturaj Gaikwad,” he added.