The IPL 2026 retention list was announced on November 15, with all teams reducing their squads before the mini auction. Now, the main question is who will CSK buy, as they look to rebuild for the new season. Everyone will be eager to know the CSK target players and which names could be picked in the auction.
Before the auction, they traded out Ravindra Jadeja and Sam Curran to Rajasthan Royals and traded in Sanju Samson. They also released Rahul Tripathi, Vansh Bedi, Andre Siddarth, Rachin Ravindra, Deepak Hooda, Vijay Shankar, Shaik Rasheed, Kamlesh Nagarkoti, Matheesha Pathirana, Devon Conway, and Ravichandran Ashwin (retired).
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The CSK remaining purse for the IPL 2026 auction is INR 43.40 crore, which is the second-highest among all franchises. Let’s take a look at five players who could be in the CSK IPL 2026 auction targets.
Given the purse that CSK have for the IPL 2026 auction, one of the names that will be in the CSK target players list is Andre Russell. They currently only have Jamie Overton, as they have traded Sam Curran to the Rajasthan Royals.
Russell also brings valuable experience, having played this role for more than a decade with KKR. Along with his power-hitting and ability to finish games, he can also bowl in the death overs, which he has done successfully many times for KKR.
With Ravindra Jadeja traded to Rajasthan Royals, it will be interesting to see who will CSK buy for the same role, since they now need a spin all-rounder. Glenn Maxwell, after being released by Punjab Kings, could be one of CSK IPL 2026 auction targets.
They have retained some spinners in the squad, but after trading Jadeja, they currently do not have a spin all-rounder. Maxwell, even though he hasn’t performed well in the IPL in recent seasons, could still be a smart pick if CSK target him, as he can now play as a finisher, a role he has been doing for Australia recently.
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For now, CSK have only two spinners in their squad, Noor Ahmad and Shreyas Gopal. They will need another spinner because they no longer have their Chepauk specialists for the upcoming season. It will be interesting to see who will CSK buy for this role.
Akeal Hosein could be one of the players on CSK target players list. He is a finger-spinner, while the two CSK spinners are wrist-spinners. He also plays for the Texas Super Kings in Major League Cricket, which is CSK’s sister franchise. One of the advantages of having him is that he can bowl in the power play, something he has done in the past.
CSK have released Rachin Ravindra and Devon Conway. They have only Dewald Brevis as a pure overseas batter in the squad. Based on the players they have retained and traded so far, they might look for an overseas batter who can play in the middle order or as a finisher.
One of the names that could be on CSK IPL 2026 auction targets is David Miller. Although Miller did not have the best season for Lucknow Super Giants, he is still one of the best options available in the auction.
One of the most surprising releases on the retention deadline day was Matheesha Pathirana. He had been part of the franchise for the past four seasons, during which he picked up 47 wickets in 32 matches.
Since the five-time champions have only Nathan Ellis as a specialist pacer and Jamie Overton as a fast-bowling all-rounder, they will need another fast bowler. Pathirana could be among the CSK target players in the IPL 2026 auction, as he is already proven in their setup. With the purse they have, CSK can definitely look to bring him back into the squad.
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