IPL 2024 Auction: Memes explodes as Chennai Super Kings snap Rachin Ravindra, Shardul Thakur & Daryl Mitchell

In what has sparked massive excitement among fans of Chennai Super Kings, the MS Dhoni-led franchise bought New Zealand stars Rachin Ravindra and Daryl Mitchell and also snapped Indian all-rounder Shardul Thakur during the IPL 2024 auction held in Dubai on Tuesday.

Also read: IPL 2024 Auction: Cummins becomes most expensive player in IPL history; memes as SRH buys him for Rs 20.50 cr

Indian-origin Rachin Ravindra was sold to CSK for a mere Rs 1.8 crore, leaving several fans surprised. The bidding war for Ravindra initiated between CSK and DC before PBKS joined in at Rs 1.1 crore. However, CSK ultimately emerged victorious in the auction. Ravindra made the headlines during the ODI World Cup 2023 in India where he scored 578 runs in 10 innings to end as the fourth-highest run-getter of the competition. Having featured in 18 T20Is for New Zealand, Ravindra has gathered 145 runs with an average of 13.18 and an impressive strike rate of 117.88. Additionally, Ravindra offers the ability to contribute with left-arm fingerspin in the bowling department and can also be utilized as a lower-order batsman when required.

Chennai Super Kings also secured the services of India all-rounder Shardul Thakur for Rs 4 crore during the IPL 2024 auction. Thakur, a two-time IPL winner with Chennai Super Kings in 2018 and 2021, was part of Kolkata Knight Riders in the previous season after being signed for Rs. 10.75 crore. Playing 11 games in 2023, he contributed with 113 runs and seven wickets. Having also played for Delhi Capitals and Kings XI Punjab, Thakur boasts a total of 86 IPL appearances, scoring 286 runs and claiming 89 wickets at an average of 28.76.

Chennai Super Kings also secured the signing of New Zealand all-rounder Daryl Mitchell for Rs 14 crore during the IPL 2024 auction. In a prolonged bidding war, Delhi Capitals and Punjab Kings were initially involved, with DC eventually withdrawing. CSK entered the competition after a considerable wait, engaging in a back-and-forth battle with PBKS, who ultimately opted out of the race.

Daryl Mitchell emerges as a potential successor to English all-rounder Ben Stokes, who was released by CSK before this auction. Following his noteworthy performance in the ODI World Cup earlier this year, where he amassed 552 runs at an impressive average of 69.00 and a strike rate of 111.06, teams showed a willingness to invest in the Kiwi all-rounder. 

Mitchell, having been part of the Rajasthan Royals in 2022, played two matches after being acquired by the franchise at his base price of Rs. 75 lakh. Despite going unsold in the previous year's auction with a base price of Rs. 1 crore, the 32-year-old has garnered attention in the current bidding. With a T20I average of 24.86 in 56 matches for New Zealand, Mitchell brings a valuable middle-order batting option to the table.

Also read: IPL 2024 Auction Live: Complete list of players SOLD and UNSOLD here; how 10 teams performed

A meme fest exploded on X, formerly Twitter, after CSK snapped these three key players for the upcoming IPL season. Several fans noted that Rachin Ravindra's pick for just Rs 1.8 crore is a steal deal. "Rachin is a bonus, Daryl Mitchell was the key buy," said Stephen Flemming during the break.

Here's a look at CSK fans' reaction: