It is still not clear if Dhoni will play in IPL 2026 or if it will be his last season.
In the Indian Premier League (IPL), teams can trade players before the auction. This means one team can give a player to another in return for a different player, money, or both. These trades can only happen during a set time and must be approved by the player and the IPL Governing Council. The trade window will stay open until one month before the IPL 2026 mini auction.
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Chennai Super Kings might look to make a trade. Since it is not clear if MS Dhoni will play in IPL 2026 or will that be his last season, the team could start searching for someone who can take his place, mainly as a finisher in the last few overs.
One of the options CSK can look at is Rahul Tewatia, who is a proven finisher in the IPL. In the last two or three seasons, his main role has been to come in, play quick cameos, and finish games for Gujarat Titans. He can also bat a bit higher in the order, although for GT he usually bats lower. CSK could benefit by having Rahul Tewatia in their team. His role at GT is also similar to Dhoni’s — coming in down the order and finishing games.
In return, GT could get a player like Sam Curran or Jamie Overton, as they need a fast-bowling all-rounder who can bat in the middle or lower order. Someone like Sam Curran would be useful for them since their middle order still lacks experience. If it is not a player-for-player trade, Tewatia could also be traded for cash.
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Another option could be Ashutosh Sharma, who has shown his talent in the last two IPL seasons — in 2024 for Punjab Kings and in 2025 for Delhi Capitals. He is proving to be a reliable finisher in the tournament. He has shown that he can change the game from tough situations, and this is the kind of player CSK might need as Dhoni’s replacement.
Ashutosh is still young at 26, and if CSK takes him, he can be a good long-term player for them. The trade can happen with cash or by swapping a player. If it is a player swap, CSK can offer someone like Rachin Ravindra. Since Faf du Plessis is 40 and Jake Fraser-McGurk has not been consistent, Rachin could be a good option at the top.
Marcus Stoinis could be a good option for CSK to try and trade from Punjab Kings. He did not do well in IPL 2025, scoring only 160 runs in 13 matches. For Punjab Kings, he batted lower in the order and did not get to face many balls. He plays for Texas Super Kings in Major League Cricket, so there is a franchise connection, and CSK might target him for a trade with Punjab Kings.
This might be the right moment for CSK to bring in Marcus Stoinis, either by spending money or through a player exchange. Since he has retired from ODI cricket, Stoinis is now focused only on T20 matches. He still has a few good years left and can be a solid finisher for CSK. If it turns into a player swap, Punjab Kings could look to get someone like Jamie Overton in return.
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