'Thought for sure whether Jadeja is overpriced' - Aakash Chopra opens up on CSK's retentions ahead of IPL 2025 auction

Former India opener Aakash Chopra has given his opinion on Chennai Super Kings (CSK) retention decisions ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 auction. He particularly addressed the discussion surrounding Ravindra Jadeja's INR 18 crore price tag.

The five-time champions have made five retentions, including Ruturaj Gaikwad (INR 18 crore), Ravindra Jadeja (INR 18 crore), Matheesha Pathirana (INR 13 crore), Shivam Dube (INR 12 crore), and MS Dhoni (INR 4 crore). This has left them with a purse of INR 55 crore for the upcoming mega-auction. Chopra also shared his views about the debate around Jadeja's retention value. 

"There was a thought for sure whether Jadeja is overpriced because his T20 numbers are not incredible. Even if you see for Chennai, he has made important contributions but they haven't been so huge that you would say it's 18-crore worth. However, he is a very important player for Chennai," Chopra said on his YouTube channel.

"Chennai wants to keep their family together. Sometimes it is more than the money and you won't get this skill set. Axar Patel is there and he is already retained. After that, you can find Krunal Pandya or Mushir Khan but the same quality isn't there. So I feel retaining Jadeja was the right decision," he continued.

They have secured eight overs of bowling: Aakash Chopra

Notably, during the IPL 2024 season, Ravindra Jadeja contributed 267 runs at a strike rate of 142.78 and bagged eight wickets with an economy rate of 7.85. Gaikwad, retained for the same amount, justified his price tag by finishing as the second-highest run-scorer with 583 runs at a strike rate of 141.16.

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The former Indian cricketer also mentioned that CSK's retentions have secured crucial aspects of their game plan. The batting lineup consists of Gaikwad opening, Dube's six-hitting ability (396 runs at a strike rate of 162.29 in 2024), and Dhoni's finishing prowess (161 runs at a striking 220.54).

"They have secured eight overs of bowling. There are four overs of Matheesha Pathirana - four overs at the death, absolute gold dust, and four overs of Ravindra Jadeja, which will be bowled in the middle overs. They are not bowled with the new or old ball. His quota is finished by the 13th or 14th over," Chopra concluded.