Former India cricketer Sanjar Manjrekar feels that it will be very unlikely for Chennai Super Kings to go after young batting sensation Rachin Ravindra in the IPL 2024 Auction. Ravindra was one of the star performers in the recently concluded ODI World Cup. The southpaw played a pivotal role in New Zealand’s journey to the semi-final. He scored 578 runs in 10 games at a sublime average of 64.22, which included three centuries and two half-centuries.
The southpaw has set INR 50 Lakh as his base price as he is expected to start a bidding war and break the bank in the players’ auction. The 24-year-old is also a handy bowler and can be picked as an all-rounder in any franchise.
However, Manjrekar feels that defending champions Chennai Super Kings might not target Ravindra in the auction as they have a settled opening pair in Ruturaj Gaikwad and Devon Conway.
“As a reserve batter, if it doesn’t cost too much after seeing how the auction goes. But I don’t see Mahendra Singh Dhoni changing his opening combination because they got virtually 80 percent of their runs from there,” Manjrekar told Star Sports.
Ravindra played the anchor role for New Zealand in the ODI World Cup as Manjrekar feels that player like him wont’ make much of an impact in the middle-order when it comes to the shortest format of the game.
“Batting in the middle order in the IPL will be tough for a guy like Rachin. He had to be in the top three and top two. If you ask me, to make the kind of impact at number four and five in the IPL for somebody like him will be tough. I don’t think they will be looking at that. They’ve got their foreign players,” added Manjrekar.
Meanwhile, the former cricketer suggested another destination for Ravindra – Royal Challengers Bangalore – but that too only in the case if Faf du Plessis vacant his opening slot for him and bats at number 3.
“RCB. If they decide to Faf du Plessis can bat at number three, then they have Rachin Ravindra and Virat Kohli. That’s something they could do,” said Manjrekar.
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