The Chennai Super Kings are willing to go a different path in this auction. Without banking on the senior players, CSK chose to go with young prodigies and roped in two highly rated juniors Karthik Sharma and Prashant Veer at 14.2 crore each. Both young talents are now practising in the CSK nets. Reports from the CSK tent came that Kartik Sharma hammered 9 sixes in 20 balls in a practice match and the new left arm spinner Veer is also grinded well. The 20-year-old all-rounder said, as quoted by Sportsstar, “ I can bat in any situation. Just as long as I don’t have to open, I will do it anywhere else.”

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From the first day in the nets to meeting with MS Dhoni, the youngsters felt overwhelmed.

What did MS Dhoni say to the youngsters?

Talking about the first meeting with MS Dhoni, Prashant says, “ Right now, we haven’t spoken much about cricket. He told me to save my money and not spend it unnecessarily.” He also praised the environment of the camp and said as quoted by Sportsstar, “ The environment is very good, and everyone is very supportive. It feels good to mingle with them and play together. It’s a great feeling for me, my family, and my village (Sahajipur, UP). I’m really blessed to be here.”

Meanwhile, the wicket-keeper and hard-hitter Kartik Sharma said that he will learn finishing games from MS Dhoni. Adding to that he said, “ The training setup was very good. I haven’t had such practice before this — great ground (CSK High Performance Centre) and very good wickets.”

Prashant Veer on comparison with Ravindra Jadeja

The left-arm spinning all-rounder addressed inevitable comparisons with Ravindra Jadeja, choosing instead to stay grounded in his own journey. He emphasised that trying to replicate Jadeja’s role or achievements would only add unnecessary pressure, given the immense contributions Jadeja has made to both his franchise and the Indian team. Rather than getting caught up in expectations, he remains committed to trusting his own skills, preparation, and playing style. By focusing on what has worked for him so far, he aims to continue growing as a cricketer without being burdened by external comparisons or the weight of replacing an established star.

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CSK will play their first match against the Rajasthan Royals on March 30.