Former Chennai Super Kings star Ravichandran Ashwin believes Tim Seifert could be an amazing fit at CSK in the upcoming IPL. Seifert has set the CPL 2025 by storm and will be amongst the many in the IPL 2026 Auction. The Kiwi keeper went unsold last year, but was later picked by Royal Challengers Bengaluru as a temporary replacement later in the season.
He could be an amazing fit at CSK – Ashwin hails Tim Seifert
Chennai Super Kings had a season to forget in IPL 2025. The 5-time champions were slow off the blocks and struggled throughout the campaign despite MS Dhoni’s return to captaincy. While the Men in Yellow addressed a few of their issues with their replacement signings, CSK have gaps to plug in their squad. Ashwin, who recently retired, believes Tim Seifert could be a valuable addition.
“There’s a guy who’s caught my attention. He could be an amazing fit, especially for a team like CSK. Last year Josh Inglis got a lot of praise, and this year I think it is his second birth. He plays for St Lucia Kings, opens the batting, keeps wicket and is a good fielder. He’s batted really well for the past two years – I’m talking about Tim Seifert,” Ravichandran Ashwin said on his YouTube channel.
“Even today he scored a century in 40 balls. They were chasing 202 and needed 52 off 42 balls with 9 wickets in hand. He could have easily batted through to get his hundred. But one striking feature was he hit a 6 on 87, and then another to get to 99 before taking the single. Scoring a century in T20 is not easy and he did so batting selflessly,” he added.
Seifert scored the joint-fastest century in CPL history against Antigua and Barbuda Falcons. He helped St Lucia Kings plunder 92 in the powerplay and finished with 125 off just 53 balls. In his last 8 innings, the 30-year-old has failed to score 30 only once, with three half-centuries and a century.
CSK’s New Zealand connection
“I’m mentioning CSK because should they not retain Devon Conway or Rachin Ravindra, and they need an experienced opener. CSK have always gone with experience at the top – Shane Watson, Faf du Plessis, Dwayne Smith, Brendon McCullum. Seifert has the experience and has played in a variety of leagues and is a New Zealander. So given the factors, I think Seifert will get a bid in the auction and CSK could be one of the teams to go after him,” Ashwin concluded.
With Stephen Fleming as head coach, CSK have always preferred to have New Zealanders among their ranks. The likes of Scott Styris, Tim Southee, Brendon McCullum, Mitchell Santner, Daryl Mitchell and Jacob Oram have all featured for MS Dhoni’s side. Seifert could join that list, and hope to get his IPL career on track.
The 30-year-old has played only 3 games with little impact. A veteran of 282 T20s, Seifert has a strike rate of 134.18 and averages more than a six every innings. The Kiwi ace could be a point of difference at the top, with CSK opting for an ultra aggressive approach to catch up with the rest of the teams. Seifert has often batted lower down the order as well, with that flexibility likely to aid any CSK attempt to get him on board.
Editor's Pick
Cricket
How Virat Kohli's 100 in Ranchi resulted in tickets for IND vs SA 3rd ODI getting sold out instantly
Top Stories
