He will fit nicely in the CSK setup.
Chennai Super Kings (CSK) will search for an off-spin all-rounder in the upcoming IPL 2026 auction since Ravichandran Ashwin has retired from the tournament. While not many quality options will be available, CSK can opt for a West Indies veteran, Roston Chase, who has seen a drastic rise as a T20 player.
Chase looks CSK-coded player, someone who is bankable and adds value with both bat and ball to balance the squad. In 2025, the Caribbean all-rounder has 581 runs at an average of 29.05 and a strike rate of 138 in 25 T20 innings, including four fifties.
Additionally, he has snared 23 wickets at an average of 22.69 and conceded only 7.98 runs per over in 23 innings, comprising a best of 3/26. In the ongoing New Zealand T20I series, he is currently the leading wicket-taker, with five scalps at 11.80 runs apiece in two outings.
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Roston Chase was always a quality bowler, but his recent improvements have made him a more defensive spinner, someone who can vary pace and trajectory precisely. His batting capabilities are well-documented, and he has lately ensured batting quicker than before, as reflected in his strike rate this year.
If we look at the current squad, CSK have Dewald Brevis, Noor Ahmad, and one or both of Matheesha Pathirana and Nathan Ellis as sure overseas retentions ahead of the IPL 2026 auction. Their middle order still needs an all-rounder to replace the likes of Deepak Hooda and Vijay Shankar, who were mediocre last season.
That’s where Roston Chase fits in the XI because he is naturally a middle-order batter who can be flexible with his batting position. This year, he has batted at every position from No.3 to 8 in T20s, even though his best has come at No.4.
As a bowler, he can be more than a matchup option who can bowl in the powerplay and middle overs – a role CSK expected from Ashwin last season. Obviously, Chase is better suited to bowl against LHBs, but his defensive skills have made him useful even against negative matchups, and a precise use can extract the best out of him.
For now, Roston Chase in CSK looks a tough prospect, but the franchise has historically opted for a few experienced players. Then, they also have the space to accommodate him, not only because Ashwin retired but also due to the blunders they made in the mega auction.
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