INTERVIEW
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Chennai Super Kings returned to a spin-heavy template after a while. When the fans thought the auction couldn’t get any better, the five-time Indian Premier League (IPL) winners added the veteran leg-spinning all-rounder Shreyas Gopal.
The leg-spinner has been in outstanding form in domestic cricket over the past year, bringing to CSK a blend of experience, tactical acumen, and versatility. Shreyas played a crucial role in Kerala's success during the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT) 2023/24, claiming 12 wickets at an impressive average of 16.1 in a campaign that saw them reach the knockouts.
He carried this momentum into the Maharaja T20 League, where he excelled for the Mangaluru Dragons, taking seven wickets and contributing 95 runs with the bat. These consistent performances opened the door for Shreyas’ maiden stint with CSK, a franchise renowned for transforming players’ careers.
“Absolutely, it's a franchise that is one of the most favourites for many players. Obviously, coming and playing for CSK is very overwhelming,” Shreyas told Cricket.com in an exclusive chat.
“I'm excited to be a part of it. It's one of the franchises I have always dreamt of playing for, and that opportunity has come. I'm grateful for it. They have some of the best names in world cricket. We don't need to name any; we all know it. I can't wait to meet them, pick their brains, and learn much more from them."
With how CSK set themselves up at the auction, the 31-year-old didn’t expect the five-time IPL winners to bid for him.
“CSK in particular, no, I didn’t expect that. But when you look back, they always have a right-arm wrist spinner in their squad. If they picked me, I must be doing something right—bowling and batting well. CSK is known for picking the best players, and I’m thrilled to be part of the setup.”
In Shreyas, what CSK have got for themselves is an ultimate ‘team man’, an ethos that has been at the core of the franchise’s past success. Since his selection, Shreyas has already showcased his form and ability, taking a five-wicket haul against Sikkim and scoring an impressive 36 off 22 balls against Saurashtra in the ongoing SMAT season.
“As a professional, you must be ready to play any role. Whatever role is going to be given, whether it is attacking or slightly defensive, even if you have to bowl two overs in a game or three overs or one over, it doesn't matter,” Shreyas added.
“It's about creating an impact on what the franchise wants from you. I need to be very flexible because I feel I'm skilled enough to deliver whatever they expect,” he insisted.
Having been in the same dressing rooms with legends like Sachin Tendulkar, Harbhajan Singh, Rohit Sharma, Rahul Dravid, and Jos Buttler, the all-rounder is now looking forward to rubbing shoulders with one of the country’s greatest ever in MS Dhoni.
“If I have to make a list of what I have to learn from him [MS Dhoni], I think I can write a book on it. Those many points may be found. So every moment over there with him will be such a big learning for me,” Shreyas lauded MSD.
“It's going to be something that I can definitely take back and pass it on to people back home. Obviously, it's going to be a great learning experience for me. And if I can put that into my cricket, it will take my game to the next step.
“He [Dhoni] understands the game better than almost anyone. So, if he says certain things, I'm sure he will be very specific about it. So it's going to be great conversations. The learning will be immense, and I couldn't be more grateful to share the dressing room with him.”
Karnataka → Kerala → Karnataka, a unique journey
In August of 2023, Shreyas shocked the domestic fans when he announced a move to Kerala, seeking green pastures and regular game time. It was quite a bold move, but it was necessary to toughen up the all-rounder.
“It was obviously, as you said, a bold move. I've come back a much tougher person. Because when you go as a professional, everything is on your shoulders. Whether it's batting, bowling, or fielding, you'll have to be okay to be bowling 35-40 overs, and you'll have to be okay with batting at No. 4 & No. 5,” he reflected on his journey with Kerala.
Whilst he scored 135 runs and picked up 12 wickets in last year’s Vijay Hazare Trophy, his impact was profound in red-ball, where he averaged 38.86 with the bat and picked up 16 wickets with the ball.
“Even if you get a 100, they'll expect you to bowl a second or third over, and you'll have to bowl 35 overs. So, there is nothing like a break. But as I said, you toughen up over there. I’m quite grateful for that opportunity Kerala gave me,” he said.
“I learnt a lot, made some great friends, and we qualified to the knockouts in two formats. It was a great experience for Kerala, and I learned a lot. I came back a much tougher person and shared my experiences in Kerala with the boys in Karnataka. I think it’s been a great experience.”
But he returned to Karnataka after a solitary year in Kerala, and it didn’t take the 31-year too long before leaving his imprint on his home state’s fortunes. In his first Ranji Trophy 2025 clash after return, the right-handed batter batted time to save them from the blushes with an unbeaten 60 against Madhya Pradesh, where he trusted his defence.
Two games later, against Bihar, Shreyas architected a really important win for Karnataka as the win ensured that they stayed alive in the Ranji Trophy. With Bihar battling for a draw, skipper Mayank Agarwal turned towards the leg-spinner to impact the game, and he responded in fine fashion, with eight wickets in the clash.
“If you had followed the match, I bowled about 25 or 26 overs in two sessions. So that's right through. I bowled 21 or 22 overs straight without a break. That kind of challenge is what makes red-ball cricket still the best. You take it upon yourself to give everything and leave no stone unturned,” he reflected upon the Bihar clash.
What’s it like to be back home?
“Obviously, it feels great. It feels like home. It definitely feels like home. For whoever is playing for their home state, it's an absolute pride. It is the same with me. It is the best feeling,” he said.
But the hunger is such that the 31-year-old believes ‘30 wickets and 400-500 runs’ would be an ideal return for him.
“I want to get about 30 wickets, and close to 400-500 runs would be ideal. I have yet to get off to the best start with the bat. I hope to develop some more scores and some more performances for myself and the team,” he added.
Adaptability with the bat and the ball in the IPL
If you have tracked Shreyas’s journey over the years, you’d know how it has been quite a rollercoaster. A career that initially started as a batter, the 31-year-old has seen multiple iterations to now become a bowling all-rounder.
But despite being a bowling all-rounder these days, the hunger remains with the bat for the 31-year-old.
“When I get the bat, I want to make as many runs as possible. With the ball in my hand, I want to pick as many wickets as possible. If you look at it in T20 format, I'm a bowling all-rounder; that’s what I would bracket myself into,” he said.
There’s a clear demarcation of how his role has changed with the bat in the shortest format. While his ‘power-hitting’ is definitely a work-in-progress, as he himself attests, he has worked closely alongside several top coaches from the state and with former cricketers to gain an insight into power-hitting.
“Trying to understand my game and my strengths in batting is significant, especially in T20 cricket,” he said. “And being able to strike at a decent strike rate is obviously the most important thing in this format. I'm trying to be innovative and challenging myself. It's taken many hours with the bat and hard work."
Luckily for Shreyas, the journey towards power-hitting will now take him to the legendary figure of Dhoni, who has almost made a living out of knocking the ball over the boundary ropes.
“Going into CSK, we have Mahi Bhai there. So, learning from him will be absolute gold for me,” he asserted.
No longer are leg-spinners just wicket-taking options in the 21st century; they are now assessed on a broader set of criteria, like consistency, ability to contribute with the bat, and sharpness in the field. In recent IPL seasons, successful wrist spinners like Rashid Khan, Ravi Bishnoi, Rahul Chahar and Piyush Chawla have demonstrated the value of a three-dimensional skillset.
“Yeah, it [the role for leggies] has changed a lot in the last few years. So, you should have a proper game plan. Sometimes, you are expected to get a wicket, and sometimes try and hold runs. You need an understanding of what is required.
“It's important that I understand what the batsman is trying to do and be smart about it. You have to lower your trajectory, bowl slightly slower on some wickets, slightly faster on some wickets, a side spin on some wickets, and over spin on some wickets. So, each one challenges your skill set.
“But at the end of the day, a good ball is still a good ball. You still have to understand what your team needs in a situation, be it powerplay or at the death.”
Luckily for Shreyas, he has the excellent company of Jadeja and Ashwin, two veterans in the spin-bowling department. The 31-year-old from Bengaluru is looking forward to picking the brains of Ashwin, an offie known for being a ‘mad scientist’, purely due to how he continues reinventing his game.
“He's [Ashwin] very different in his ideas, views, and operating methods. So, if you really want to think outside the box, I think he sits right up there. I remember him speaking about having different actions for certain formats,” Shreyas spoke with almost a very curious voice.
“Some things like that do stick with people. And then when such great cricketers say those things, you want to know why they said it, and you're very intrigued by those things. And why not? You can take a leaf out of anything that he says. Not just this, but in general, how to bowl to certain batsmen and how he plans a dismissal.”
So, what’s that particular area where Shreyas would be chewing off Ashwin’s mind?
Plotting dismissals.
“I've also heard that he plans a lot of dismissals, even in T20 cricket. That's a fantastic thing. You probably get 24 balls and 5-6 balls maximum to a batsman or seven to a batsman. To be able to plan a wicket in those things is something very special. I want to pick that out-of-the-box thing from him, and I will be picking his head.”
It is now very clear what the visiting teams should expect at the Anbuden, tracks that will be spinners’ paradise. CSK couldn’t have found a better team man to compliment the strong spin trio, considering his age and profile.
For Shreyas, these three months of experience, rubbing shoulders with some of the biggest names in world cricket could just be one of the best gigs of his life and potentially a ‘career-changer’, something only CSK can do.
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