The franchise experienced one of their worst seasons in 2025.
After a mediocre last season, Chennai Super Kings (CSK) must have some tricks up their sleeve for the upcoming IPL 2026 retention deadline and the following auction. Amid the CSK trade news, the franchise looks keen on letting go of Ravindra Jadeja in exchange for Rajasthan Royals captain, Sanju Samson. However, they still need to determine the CSK Released Players 2026 List.
As far as the last season is concerned, the Super Kings experienced everything that they had not in the previous seasons of the IPL. Ruturaj Gaikwad, the skipper, got injured mid-season, adding to the already existing woes that the team management was dealing with. To add to that, the team kept going downhill and lost 10 out of the 14 matches to end at the bottom of the table.
There have been numerous debates about the franchise stretching the tenure of MS Dhoni year after year, despite his contributions declining. Having said that, MS Dhoni remains the face of the franchise and is expected to lead the CSK retention list yet again. However, the team would hope for a much better season in 2026.
After languishing at the bottom of the points table in 2025, chopping and changing players would be a given for the franchise in order to yield the desired results. And hence, here at three big players who would be at the receiving end of the CSK Released Players 2026 List.
Acquired in 2024 by the five-time IPL champions, the all-rounder from New Zealand has given his best shot each time he has stepped on the field. But somehow, his performances have not been able to make the headlines in the newspapers of the franchise, and that would be a concern.
In the last season, Rachin Ravindra featured in eight fixtures, yielding 191 runs at an average of 27.28 with a solitary fifty. Having said that, his strike rate declined drastically this season (128.18) as compared to what it was in 2024 (160.86). He was impressive when he burst onto the scene for the Men in Yellow last year, but lost his touch over the next season.
Another factor that will play a very strong hand in Rachin Ravindra not being a part of the CSK retention list would be the clogged top-order. The franchise has backed youngsters like Ayush Mhatre and Urvil Patel to the hilt, which leaves little room for the all-rounder from New Zealand.
The 34-year-old top-order batter from New Zealand pretty much sails in the same boat as his teammate mentioned above. Though his standout performance in IPL 2023 was an excellent success for CSK, his performances in 2025 did not show any promise.
In 16 fixtures in IPL 2023, Conway racked up 672 runs with an average of 51.69, including six half-centuries. Striking at 139.70, the Kiwi player could not put a foot wrong in the season. But he was ruled out of the 2024 season due to a fractured thumb, and the 2025 season went downhill.
The problem for Conway is very similar to why Rachin Ravindra will find his name in the CSK Released Players 2026 List. With the top order being clogged, there is no space for the Kiwi top-order batter in the XI. In six appearances, he scored 156 runs at an average of less than 30.
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The English all-rounder is pretty much the kind of player who would fit the CSK ideology. For a long time in their initial years, the Men in Yellow believed in stacking all-rounders in their XI. The likes of DJ Bravo were instrumental in their plans.
As far as Sam Curran is concerned, the 27-year-old has had a very ordinary season. Curran has juggled between two franchises in his IPL career till now, namely Punjab Kings (PBKS) and the Super Kings. However, he is yet to find a strong footing with either of the teams, and is probably on the verge of being on the CSK Released Players 2026 List ahead of the next season.
In the previous season for CSK, he played in five games, scoring 122 runs at an average of 22.80, including just a solitary fifty. To make matters worse, Curran was able to scalp just one wicket in the five matches, which would not work in his favour at all.
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