Chennai Super Kings have quite a few boxes to tick at the IPL 2026 auction after releasing a host of players. The five-time champions registered a historic low in the previous season as they finished at the rock-bottom of the points table. In an attempt to revamp the side, CSK traded Ravindra Jadeja and Sam Curran to RR for a top-order Indian batter in the form of Sanju Samson. And among the releases were the Kiwi duo of Devon Conway and Rachin Ravindra apart from other players. Ahead of the IPL 2026 mini-auction, let’s take a look at some of the players that CSK should target.
Players CSK should target in IPL 2026 auction
With Rs 43.4 crore left in their purse, CSK will enter IPL 2026 mini-auction as one of the few teams with most money left. They have quite a few gaps to fill, which could cost them quite a bit. For starters, the team needs a proper finisher, something that they lack at this point of time.
This option could very well be Andre Russell, who has been released by KKR. His prowess with the bat and ability to strike maximums is very well known. And this is something that CSK lacks at this point of time. His addition to the side could solve the team’s woes in the middle-order.
| Player | Type |
| Andre Russell | Overseas all-rounder |
| Glenn Maxwell | Overseas all-rounder |
| Matheesha Pathirana | Overseas fast-bowler |
| Rahul Chahar | Indian leg-spinner |
| Ravi Bishnoi | Indian leg-spinner |
Another gap that CSK need to fill desperately is the void created by Jadeja’s departure. For years, he has been the go-to all-rounder for the side, getting wickets whenever the team required him to and also scoring runs in the same breath. While there are hardly any all-rounders in the calibre of Jadeja available in the auction pool, a player that CSK could target could be ‘Big Show’ Maxwell, who was released by PBKS after a sub-par performance in IPL 2025. Not that he can be considered as a like-for-like replacement for Jadeja, but the Aussie can sure as well be handy for CSK with both bat and ball.
Pathirana was released by CSK but reports stated that the team wouldn’t mind buying him back at the IPL 2026 mini-auction. He has been an integral part of the side and his bond with the team management and MS Dhoni could very well help him find his way back into the side, albeit at a lesser price.
Rahul Chahar and Ravi Bishnoi are two options that CSK could look at to replace Ravichandran Ashwin who retired from IPL earlier this year. While both are leg spinners, CSK desperately need a spin partner for Noor Ahmad, especially since Ashwin and Jadeja are both gone. The only option they have left at present is Shreyas Gopal, who did not play a single game in IPL 2025.
CSK squad before IPL 2026 auction
Players Retained: 15
Players Released: 12
IPL 2026 Auction Purse Remaining: INR 43.4 crore
Slots remaining: 9 (4 overseas)
MS Dhoni, Dewald Brevis, Vansh Bedi, Ayush Mhatre, Urvil Patel, Shivam Dube, Jamie Overton, Anshul Kamboj, Ramakrishna Ghosh, Mukesh Choudhary, Khaleel Ahmed, Noor Ahmad, Nathan Ellis, Shreyas Gopal, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Gurjapneet Singh
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