New Delhi, Nov 19 (NationPress) Former Indian cricketer Anil Kumble shared his insights on the Chennai Super Kings' decision to trade Ravindra Jadeja to the Rajasthan Royals, expressing both surprise and curiosity regarding whether the all-rounder might take on a leadership role at his new team.

During the IPL Retention Show on JioStar, Kumble elaborated on CSK's need for a strategic overhaul post-Jadeja's exit, stating, "CSK is likely to construct their batting lineup around captain Ruturaj Gaikwad, Dewald Brevis, and Shivam Dube in the top order. They must transition away from their veteran players, as evidenced by Jadeja's trade to the Rajasthan Royals."

He further emphasized the necessity for CSK to bolster their bowling attack after letting go of Pathirana, highlighting Nathan Ellis as a key overseas fast bowler, while also pointing out the need for an Indian spinner to fill Jadeja's shoes, alongside additional Indian fast bowlers to support Khaleel Ahmed. A further overseas fast bowler would also strengthen their lineup, he noted.

Kumble expressed satisfaction in seeing Ruturaj Gaikwad resume captaincy following his absence last season due to injury, suggesting he should continue as an opener for the team to secure necessary stability.

"It's fantastic to see Ruturaj Gaikwad back in charge of the Chennai Super Kings after his injury in the last tournament. My clear recommendation is for him to take the opening position. Although they have Sanju Samson and the promising Ayush Mhatre, Ruturaj is ideally suited to open for CSK. His leadership and top-order batting will provide the stability the team needs," Kumble remarked.

Kumble also touched on Jadeja's move to the Rajasthan Royals and their potential interest in considering him for captaincy, stating, "Jadeja's return to the Rajasthan Royals is a significant shift. Typically, CSK retains their players, especially someone of Jadeja's caliber who has had a longstanding relationship with the franchise. I was taken aback by their decision. However, Sanju Samson's arrival at CSK is indeed a positive development for them."

"Interestingly, Jadeja has also decreased his salary from 18 crore to 14 crore. The pivotal question is about captaincy - could Rajasthan extend that opportunity to Jadeja? They need to identify a new captain. They have various choices - Riyan Parag led them in a few matches last season, Yashasvi Jaiswal has always aspired for captaincy, young Dhruv Jurel possesses the right temperament, and there's overseas option Sam Curran. Thus, Ravindra Jadeja becomes an intriguing candidate for their leadership role.

CSK's decision to release Matheesha Pathirana, Devon Conway, and Rachin Ravindra, alongside trading Jadeja to RR, signals a major restructuring for the upcoming IPL auction. Former cricketer Saba Karim also commented on CSK's retention strategy, expressing surprise at the release of their ace pacer Matheesha Pathirana.

"I was quite astonished by CSK's choice to part ways with Pathirana. They invested significantly in him, mentored him, and he performed admirably for them multiple times. He has experience in global T20 leagues and has bowled against elite batters. Although he didn’t conclude the last season strongly, he's a young talent they could have further developed. The releases of Devon Conway and Rachin Ravindra were expected after their underwhelming performance, but now CSK must revamp their entire squad, as all three released players were regulars,” Karim stated.

On CSK's decision to endorse Gaikwad as captain and their auction strategy, Karim added, "Confirming Ruturaj Gaikwad as captain after announcing the retention list is a strategic move. The intention was to eliminate speculation regarding Sanju Samson leading the side. They have made it clear they trust Ruturaj Gaikwad's leadership skills and should provide him a couple of years to develop the team."

Expressing his insights on what the team should focus on entering the auction, Karim stated, "Their top order is relatively settled. What they actually require now is to heavily invest in quality spin options capable of taking wickets. Besides Noor Ahmad, I don’t see anyone in the lineup suited for that role. With Nathan Ellis onboard, it’s crucial for them to finalize their spin combination, particularly considering Chennai's pitches. And as Anil (Kumble) pointed out, perhaps another fast bowler who can take wickets would complete their squad."