Indian bowler Ravichandran Ashwin suggested that a bidding war might just unfold between Chennai Super Kings and Gujarat Titans for the powerful middle-order batsman Shahrukh Khan during the IPL 2024 players auction in Dubai on December 19.
Shahrukh, formerly with the Punjab Kings, has been released ahead of the upcoming auction after three seasons with the franchise, presenting an attractive option for teams in need of a hard-hitting middle-order player. Having played 33 matches and scoring 426 runs at a notable strike rate of 134.81, Shahrukh’s potential acquisition has generated significant interest.
Given that both CSK and Gujarat Titans have released key players like Stokes and Hardik respectively, Shahrukh Khan emerges as an ideal fit for the middle-order, adding considerable excitement to the auction. Ashwin also speculated that CSK might be willing to forgo Mitchell Starc in favor of securing Shahrukh Khan.
CSK has a history of favoring Australian pacers in the IPL, and having Starc in their squad could strengthen their relatively inexperienced bowling lineup. Ashwin suggested that CSK might take the calculated risk of missing out on Mitchell Starc to secure the local presence and prowess offered by Shahrukh Khan.
“I can definitely see a war between CSK and Gujarat for Shahrukh Khan. Gujarat have let go of Hardik Pandya, Gujarat needs a player who can finish the innings. CSK might even take a chance of missing out on Mitchell Starc to get Shahrukh Khan because they don’t have a local player or a presence,” said Ravichandran Ashwin on his YouTube channel.
