From mighty Andre Russell to former LSG player Ravi Bishnoi, five players CSK should target in IPL 2026 auction
Chennai Super Kings have plenty of boxes to tick in the IPL 2026 auction after releasing a host of players. The five-time champions recorded an all-time low the previous season by finishing last in the points table. In an attempt to revamp the team, CSK swapped Ravindra Jadeja and Sam Curran to RR for a top-order Indian batter in the form of Sanju Samson. And among the outings were the Kiwi duo of Devon Conway and Rachin Ravindra, among other players. Ahead of the IPL 2026 mini-auction, let’s take a look at some of the players CSK should target.
Players CSK should target in IPL 2026 auction
With Rs 43.4 crore remaining in its purse, CSK will enter the IPL 2026 mini-auction as one of the few teams with the most money remaining. They have many gaps to fill, which could cost them dearly. For starters, the team needs a good finisher, which they lack at this point.
That option could very well be Andre Russell, who was released by KKR. His prowess with the bat and his ability to hit maximums is very well known. And that is something that CSK is lacking at the moment. His addition to the team could solve the team’s problems in the middle order.
| Player | Type |
| Andrew Russell | Versatile abroad |
| Glenn Maxwell | Versatile abroad |
| Matheesha Pathirana | Overseas fast bowler |
| Rahul Chahar | Indian leg spinner |
| Ravi Bishnoi | Indian leg spinner |
Another gap that CSK desperately needs to fill is the void created by Jadeja’s departure. For years, he was the team’s all-rounder, getting wickets whenever the team asked him to and scoring runs in the same breath. While there are hardly any all-rounders of Jadeja’s caliber available in the auction pool, one player that CSK could target could be ‘Big Show’ Maxwell, who was released by PBKS after a lackluster performance in IPL 2025. Not that he can be considered as an equal replacement for Jadeja, but the Australian can certainly also come in handy for CSK with both bat and ball.
Pathirana has been released by CSK, but reports indicate that the team would not hesitate to buy him back in the IPL 2026 mini-auction. He has been an integral part of the team and his links with the team management and MS Dhoni could very well help him find his way back into the team, albeit at a lesser price.
Rahul Chahar and Ravi Bishnoi are two options that CSK could consider to replace Ravichandran Ashwin who retired from the IPL earlier this year. Although both are leg-spinners, CSK desperately needs a spin partner for Noor Ahmad, especially since Ashwin and Jadeja are both gone. The only option left for them at present is Shreyas Gopal, who has not played a single match in IPL 2025.
CSK squad ahead of IPL 2026 auction
Retained players: 15
Players released: 12
Remaining IPL 2026 auction purse: INR 43.4 crores
Remaining slots: 9 (4 overseas)
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