IPL 2025 Best Predicted Playing 11 for Chennai Super Kings (CSK)
Ruturaj Gaikwad to lead the team in our best predicted playing 11 for Chennai Super Kings (CSK) for IPL 2025.
It’s IPL 2025, and one of the most successful franchises in the history of the Indian Premier League, the Chennai Super Kings will be heading into the tournament to register their sixth IPL title. 2023 was their most recent successful title victory, and for the record, since 2008, MS Dhoni has always been a part of an IPL final every alternate year. That means, in all likelihood, we may see CSK as one of the finalists this time again.
But does Chennai Super Kings have a trophy-winning squad this time too? Well, they certainly do. It’s surprising how CSK management finds a way to buy value-for-money players in the IPL 2025 Auction. So, be it Devon Conway for 6.25 Cr, Rachin Ravindra for 4 Cr, Sam Curran for 2.4 Cr, or Hooda for 1,7 Cr, CSK somehow get lucky, or know exactly the players other teams may not have the interest in going after.
But if we analyze the strategy of CSK, they don’t go after the high-profile players. They select players that fit their management’s ideas of bringing the best out of any player they buy. So, be it Conway, Rachin, Tripathi, Hooda, Ashwin, or Khaleel, all these players do have quality, but aren’t the most high-profile names out there. But the moment they enter CSK, they are automatically upgraded.
There is actually something in the DNA of CSK that gets the best out of any player who plays for them. There have been numerous examples of this case, and the credit should go to MS Dhoni for utilizing a player based on his strength, and management for always backing their players even during their failures. Having said that, let’s look at the best predicted playing 11 for Chennai Super Kings (CSK) for IPL 2025.
IPL 2025 Official Squad List for Chennai Super Kings (CSK)
Batters: Andre Siddharth, Rahul Tripathi, Ruturaj Gaikwad & Shaik Rasheed
WKs: Devon Conway (o), MS Dhoni & Vansh Bedi
All-rounders: Anshul Kamboj, Deepak Hooda, Jamie Overton (o), Rachin Ravindra (o), Ramakrishna Ghosh, Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Sam Curran (o), Shivam Dube & Vijay Shankar
Bowlers: Gurjapneet Singh, Kamlesh Nagarkoti, Khaleel Ahmed, Matheesha Pathirana (o), Mukesh Choudhary, Nathan Ellis (o), Noor Ahmad (o) & Shreyas Gopal
IPL 2025 CSK Best Predicted Playing 11
Openers
If we start with the openers, Chennai Super Kings once again have a tried and tested settled opening combination. While Captain Ruturaj Gaikwad will continue to lead the CSK team right from the start, he will have either Devon Conway or Rachin Ravindra as his opening partner. Among the two, Devon Conway will be preferred first, purely for his experience. So, once again, CSK are getting back to their previous opening partners.
Middle-order
Coming to middle-order, CSK will once again invest in experienced but out-of-form players in the form of Deepak Hooda and Rahul Tripathi. In 2024, Ajinkya Rahane and Sameer Rizvi played this role with Ajinkya batting at number 3, and Sameer playing the role of a floater. Whereas in 2025, we should mostly see Deepak Hooda playing at 3 with Rahul Tripathi playing the role of a floater, or vice versa. In addition to these two, Shivam Dube will once again play an important role in tackling the spinners in the middle overs.
Finishers
Coming to the finishers, CSK will not only have the duo of Ravindra and MS Dhoni as the finishers, but they somehow managed to get their old foes, Sam Curran and Ravichandran Ashwin back in the side. While Jaddu and MS will bat at 6 and 7 respectively, supporting them will be Sam and Ashwin at 8 and 9 respectively. With the impact player rule still there, CSK’s batting goes deep till 9, which is an excellent thing.
Bowlers
Finally, coming to the bowling lineup, CSK have three solid pure bowlers in the form of Matheesha Pathirana, Khaleel Ahmed, and Noor Ahmad or Nathan Ellis depending on the pitch type. If CSK play at home or on spin-friendly pitches, Noor Ahmad should be preferred. Whereas for pace-friendly pitches, Nathan Ellis may be preferred. Khaleel Ahmed, a brilliant powerplay bowler should lead the bowling. Whereas death bowling shall be taken care by Matheesha Pathirana and Sam Curran.
In addition to these pure bowlers, CSK have three solid all-rounders to support the bowling. While Ashwin and Jadeja are the spin all-rounders in the side, Sam Curran is the pace all-rounder in the side. Overall, CSK have a brilliant mix of bowlers that can bowl in the powerplay, middle-overs as well as death overs. What’s more, they can also use the likes of Deepak Hooda or Shivam Dube to bowl a few overs.
IPL 2025 Best Predicted Playing 11 for Chennai Super Kings (CSK)
Ruturaj Gaikwad (c), Devon Conway, Deepak Hooda, Shivam Dube, Rahul Tripathi, Ravindra Jadeja, MS Dhoni (wk), Sam Curran, Ravichandran Ashwin, Noor Ahmad, Matheesha Pathirana & Khaleel Ahmed (Impact Player)
IPL 2025 Alternate Playing 11 Options for CSK:
#1: Nathan Ellis for Noor Ahmad
Chennai Super Kings invested in the right pacers and spinners in the squad for IPL 2025. Among the Overseas options where teams usually have limitations, CSK can use one of Noor Ahmad or Nathan Ellis depending on the pitch they are playing. At home or spin-friendly pitches, CSK can play Noor Ahmad. Whereas for pace-friendly pitches, CSK can play Nathan Ellis. Thus, CSK get proper 4 pacers on pace-friendly pitches.
#2: Pace Bowling Backups
While Khaleel Ahmed should be the pace bowling for CSK as the Indian pacer, they do have solid backups in case Khaleel Ahmed is injured or out of form. Among the options that CSK can look for, they have the likes of Anshul Kamboj, Mukesh Choudhary, and Kamlesh Nagarkoti. However, one can definitely say the amount of pace backups that the Chennai Super Kings have in 2025 are less superior than what they had in 2024.
#3: Vijay Shankar for Deepak Hooda
If we observe the CSK think tank they have been following a template. With a few positions fixed like the openers, Shivam Dube, and Finishers, CSK usually want a good batting all-rounder for the number 3 position. The template is once again the same this time with Deepak Hooda and Vijay Shankar available for this role. While Deepak should be see first preference, Vijay can come in whenever required. Even Rachin can play this role if CSK are able to manage their Overseas backups.
Thanks for reading! What’s your strongest playing 11 for CSK for IPL 2025? Please email your thoughts to business@cricalytics.com
Adesh Kothari is the founder of AK4Tsay1 Cricalytics with over 20 years of experience following Cricket.
Cricket to him is like what Football is to Lionel Messi, Singing is to Lata Mangeshkar, Dancing is to Michael Jackson, and Acting is to Clint Eastwood.
Besides his effervescent love for Cricket, Adesh is an MBA by qualification.
