Rumours of a Washington Sundar CSK trade have sparked massive discussion among fans and insiders alike ahead of the IPL 2026 auction. The Chennai-born all-rounder is reportedly on the radar of his hometown franchise, but how close is the move to becoming reality?
The Washington Sundar CSK trade chatter has grown ever since reports from Samayam Tamil claimed that Chennai Super Kings and Gujarat Titans were in advanced discussions for a potential deal worth ₹3.2 crore, the same price GT paid at the IPL 2025 auction.
The story gained momentum when a close aide of Ravichandran Ashwin, former Tamil Nadu player K Vignesh, part of the Dindigul Dragons setup in TNPL, hinted that the Washington Sundar to CSK move was “real and confidential.” The source claimed that communication from within the “Gujarat Tamilians” circle — players like Sai Sudharsan, Sai Kishore, or Shahrukh Khan — confirmed that the trade talks were progressing behind closed doors.
For CSK, this would be more than a tactical signing. After a wooden-spoon finish in IPL 2025, the five-time champions are determined to reinforce their all-round core. A Washington Sundar CSK trade gives them a powerplay spinner who bats in the top seven, exactly the missing link that cost them four narrow defeats last season.
As speculation went viral, former India and CSK off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin addressed the Washington Sundar CSK trade buzz on his YouTube channel.
“I reached out to Washi [Washington Sundar], called him, and talked. We talk a lot. He asks a lot about the off-spin bowling. He talks in a really inquisitive way. He had built a really good rapport. So I asked him, ‘Hey, is this [Washington Sundar to CSK trade] really happening?’. He told me that last year, he didn’t play all the matches fully, but he really enjoyed playing there. He added that his whole cricket aspect had improved well at Gujarat Titans. He was very happy with the team and he said that he thinks his chances will grow. He added that unless and until they communicated at the franchise level, he has no idea about it, but he is very happy with where he is in life,” Ashwin shared on his channel.
Ashwin explained that IPL trades happen for two reasons, all-cash or player swaps with CSK historically known to avoid player trades.
“A franchise comes in to do a trade for some reason, which could be for two reasons. One, it’s an all-cash deal, or it has to be a player swap. Now, Gujarat Titans has been one of the most successful new franchises, if not the most successful franchise since they came, I don’t see any reason why they’d want to give away a player like Washington Sundar. That doesn’t add any strength to their team. Even if they had to give Washington away, what player would they want in return? No player has ever been given by CSK historically. So no player is coming in, so it’s all about an all-cash deal. Now, you’ll say Mumbai Indians got Hardik Pandya—and it was an all-cash deal. But that was a case where the player was talking and interested, the player was in trust, so he was able to move. In this case, the player isn’t looking to move.”
While Ashwin acknowledged that a Washington Sundar to CSK deal would make sense “from the player’s point of view,” he stressed that Gujarat are unlikely to weaken their successful setup unless the player himself pushes for it.
That said, if Sundar truly wants a homecoming, the IPL 2026 mini-auction might offer the perfect route rather than a pre-auction trade.
Adding to the CSK trade news swirl, another rumour linked Sanju Samson CSK IPL auction 2026 move from Rajasthan Royals. However, Ashwin quickly dismissed that too:
“Sanju Samson’s trade — I told you even back when the talks were happening, he’s staying with Rajasthan.”
While Samson would give CSK a long-term captaincy option, Samson’s tie up with Rajasthan Royals and long-term association make a trade highly improbable, despite there being rumored disagreements with former head coach Rahul Dravid, who has since ended his tenure at RR.
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Ashwin’s conversation partner, K. Vignesh, threw another name into the mix — South African power-hitter Donovan Ferreira. Ferreira is now the stand-in captain of the South Africa T20I side playing a series in Pakistan. Yet Ashwin quashed that idea as well.
“Look, Mumbai Indians or CSK never trades a player mid-season, right? That’s the logic—your team shouldn’t get stronger, whether mine does or not, your team just can’t get stronger. That’s why IPL-level trading or mid-season transfers don’t happen. Ferreira is in the peak of his career. He’s like the Adani stock in Covid times. His stocks have risen massively now. 5 years back he was a value pick. Now, his value is high and you will need to pay really high to get someone at the peak of his powers,” Ashwin quipped.
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