Chennai Super Kings are one of the best teams in the IPL’s history. CSK joined the competition in 2008 and have won the IPL title four times so far. Their most recent championship win came in the year 2021. Playing under the captaincy of MS Dhoni, CSK have been brilliant in almost every season.
One of the main reasons behind the Chennai Super Kings’ success has been the team’s ability to back the players and transform them into match-winners. The following six CSK match-winners you might not remember were signed by the franchise at their base price in the auction room:
1. Ruturaj Gaikwad
Many great Indian batters have been part of the Chennai Super Kings team in the Indian Premier League. But the first Indian to win the Orange Cap for the Chennai Super Kings was Ruturaj Gaikwad. CSK had signed him for his base price of INR 20 lakh only.
2. Imran Tahir
South African leg-spinner Imran Tahir joined the Chennai Super Kings in 2018 after the franchise signed him for his base price of INR 1 crore. In 2019, Tahir was the winner of the prestigious Purple Cap award.
3. Josh Hazlewood
Australian pacer Josh Hazlewood played an important role in the Chennai Super Kings’ IPL 2021 championship win. The right-arm fast bowler joined CSK ahead of the 2020 season after the franchise signed him for INR 2 crore base price.
4. Dwayne Bravo
Not many fans may remember that when the Mumbai Indians released Dwayne Bravo ahead of IPL Auction 2011, CSK signed him for his base price of USD 250,000 at the mega auction. It was one of the best buys made by Chennai.
5. Ben Hilfenhaus
Ben Hilfenhaus is the second Australian pacer to feature on this list. The Chennai Super Kings bought him at his base price of USD 100,000 at the 2011 auction. He picked up wickets regularly for the team and became an impact player.
6. Michael Hussey
Michael Hussey entered IPL Auction 2008 at a base price of USD 250,000 and was signed by CSK at the same price. Hussey was the first centurion for Chennai in IPL, and he even won the Orange Cap award.
