3 IPL franchises who can target to sign Ravindra Jadeja amid rift with CSK

Star all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja is one of India’s most accomplished and sought-after players in India across formats. He is known for his flamboyance, athleticism and all-round skill on the field, and fittingly, Shane Warne once called him a “Rockstar”. He is also arguably the best all-round fielder in the world, at the moment.

Jadeja, apart from his stellar career with the national team, is also one of the most successful players in the Indian Premier League (IPL). He won the inaugural IPL in 2008 with Rajasthan Royals (RR) and the 2018 and 2021 IPL with Chennai Super Kings (CSK). He was also the most expensive signing in the 2012 IPL Auctions after being bought by Chennai Super Kings (CSK) for USD 2 million (INR 9.72 crore).

Meanwhile, Jadeja, due to his reported rift with the management, might head out of CSK for the next season, after spending nine years with the franchise. And some of the other franchises would be keen to bring him into their team. But for a proven winner and a high-profile player such as Jadeja, franchises might have to release a few players and recoup some money before spending big bucks.

Here are the three franchises who will target to sign Jadeja in the transfer window/auction:

Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB)

RCB have been one team that have always had superstars in the lineup, whose presence have lifted the group and taken them to the latter stages of the tournament. However, they have always struggled with depth and balance, and have lacked a proper all-rounder in the middle.

Ravindra Jadeja could be a perfect fit in the RCB lineup given that Jadeja, not only can contribute as a frontline spinner, but also has been one of the best finishers with the bat, in recent times. Also, considering the fact that RCB have never won an IPL, having a former winner in the camp could be a lucky charm.

In order to buy Jadeja, RCB might have to let go of players such as David Willey or Shahbaz Ahmed. Willey, who was a big signing in the previous auction, went on to play only four games. Shahbaz, on the other hand, was a regular starter in the team but has a similar role as Jadeja. Hence, Shahbaz might make way for a big signing.

Punjab Kings (PBKS)

PBKS, in the IPL 2022, agonisingly missed out on making the Play-offs, falling short by just two points. They were a fairly young team, led by an inexperienced captain, Mayank Agarwal. A big signing such as Ravindra Jadeja could lift the team and also provide them with experience in the middle.

Like RCB, PBKS have also never won an IPL and have always crumbled in the Play-Offs. Hence, having a three-time winner in the team could be a great influence. PBKS could release players such as Odean Smith and Shahrukh Khan to make way for Jadeja.

Odean Smith, although a talented young all-rounder, did not enjoy a great outing last season and was even dropped from the line-up. Shahrukh was one of the big signings, a couple of seasons ago, but had a below-par IPL 2022. And it could be the end of the duo with PBKS if the franchise go for Jadeja in the next auction.

Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH)

SRH, the 2016 IPL champions, had a dismal season in 2022, finishing in the eighth position, with six wins and eight losses. This came on the back of finishing at the bottom of the table in the season before that. Clearly, something needs to change for the “Orange Army” in the coming season.

With the exit of their long-serving captain and batter, David Warner, the team has been struggling. And the inclusion of a superstar such as Ravindra Jadeja could really give them the much-needed boost. SRH could release players such as Abdul Samad and Shreyas Gopal, who were sidelined for the most part of the previous season.

Samad, a future prospect was tipped for big things but did not quite cut the mustard for SRH in recent seasons. Shreyas Gopal, on the other hand, was not only benched for the lion’s share of games, but his role is also similar to that of Jadeja. And if SRH put their money on Jadeja, it could be Samad and Gopal who might be shown the exit door.

Also read: IPL: 5 times when there was a rift between a player and his franchise.