IPL 2024 | What you need to know about MS Dhoni led Chennai Super Kings: new CSK players, CSK IPL schedule

IPL 2024 Chennai Super Kings team prep: Captain and wicket keeper MS Dhoni training with the team. CSK has six new players in the squad this year, including allrounders Daryl Mitchell and Rachin Ravindra. (Photo credit: Rohan Mishra Image source: X/@ChennaiIPL)

Defending Indian Premier League (IPL) champions Chennai Super Kings (CSK), led by Mahendra Singh Dhoni, will be keen to have another crack at the title in IPL 2024 - the 17th edition of the Indian Premier League, the world's richest cricket league.

CSK have won the IPL title five times (2010, 2011, 2018, 2021, 2023), and reached the knock-off stage 12 times out of the 14 editions they've participated in. 2024 may become MS Dhoni's final season in the CSK, and a victory would be a fitting tribute.

(Dhoni will still be playing in a No. 7 CSK jersey. MS Dhoni chose the number because he was born on 7/7/81 [8-1 = 7]. The BCCI retired the No. 7 India jersey ahead of the IPL, to honour Dhoni - who led India to two World Cup victories.)

CSK, owned by Chennai Super Kings Cricket Ltd - a subsidiary of India Cements, bought six new players for Rs 30.4 crore at the December 2023 IPL auctions in Dubai; Rs 14 crore went to New Zealand batsman Daryl Mitchell alone since they had to find a middle-order batter to replace the retired Ambati Rayudu. Mitchell's World Cup 2023 record of 552 runs escalated his chances.

17th Tata IPL: CSK new players 2024

New Zealander Rachin Ravindra (left-hand bat, slow left arm bowling) will debut in the Indian Premier League this year, with the Chennai Super Kings. The batting allrounder has 214 runs across 20 T20Is so far. CSK got Ravindra in the December 2023 mini-auction for Rs 1.8 crore. Devon Conway is undergoing a thumb surgery and is all but ruled out of the IPL. Ravindra, 24, a World Cup star who smashed 578 runs, is an automatic choice to replace him as opener.

CSK paid Rs 8.4 crore to obtain the services of uncapped batter Sameer Rizvi from Uttar Pradesh on the basis of his performances in the hyperlocal UP T20 League and BCCI's Syed Mushtaq Ali T20. The right-hander Rizvi could be a surprise package.

Shardul Thakur won the IPL with CSK in 2018 and 2021, and will be returning to his old franchise for the new season. His recent Ranji Trophy century (109 off 105 balls) is already a talking point in the build-up to the league.

2024 IPL: CSK playing 11 (probables)

Rachin Ravindra, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Daryl Mitchell, Ajinkya Rahane, Mitchell Santner, Shivam Dube, MS Dhoni (c; wk), Ravindra Jadeja, Shardul Thakur, Deepak Chahar, Mustafizur Rahman.

17th Indian Premier League: CSK match schedule

The Chennai franchise will play the opening match of IPL 2024 against the Royal Challengers Bangalore, on March 22, 8 pm (IST). The IPL 2024 schedule has been announced for 21 matches. CSK's other scheduled matches begin at 7.30 pm (IST):

vs Gujarat Titans: March 26

vs Delhi Capitals: March 31

vs Sun Risers Hyderabad: April 5