CSK retained him for INR 13 crore before the previous auction.
Chennai Super Kings have made a shock move by keeping Matheesha Pathirana among the CSK released players 2026. They retained him for INR 13 crore before the mega auction and put ample faith in his abilities, but things have gone downhill since the poor IPL 2025.
Pathirana took 13 wickets at an average of 32.61 and conceded 10.13 runs per over in 12 innings last season. A major issue was his lack of control with that slingy action, as the Sri Lankan pacer bowled several loose deliveries from time to time.
Additionally, Stephen Fleming expressed his disappointment with the change in release points, which he attributed to one of the reasons for Pathirana’s wayward bowling. Additionally, he has been highly injury-prone, forced to be on the sidelines for most of the time, which has also impacted his accuracy and progress.
Still, CSK should have thought again before the decision, given that not many offer death-over skills like Pathirana, who, at best, can nail his yorkers better than most others and vary his pace at times. Maybe the franchise can’t carry such a vulnerable player, especially since he hasn’t shown signs of improvement even after the season, but might still go after him in the IPL 2026 auction.
Now that Matheesha Pathirana is confirmed among the CSK released players 2026, the five-time champions will free a reasonable INR 13 crore to spend on other options. They will also release the likes of Devon Conway and Rachin Ravindra, and will enter the auction with a big budget.
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After Sanju Samson’s acquisition, CSK’s top order is settled, and they now require someone for the middle and lower middle order. Cameron Green will fit nicely since he can be flexible with his batting position and also contribute with the ball – a player type CSK need after parting ways with Sam Curran and Jamie Overton.
They have Nathan Ellis as a death-over specialist, but might look for another one in the auction because the likes of Khaleel Ahmed and Anshul Kamboj can be vulnerable at the death. The only issue is that the options will be limited, and CSK might have to go after Pathirana again, according to ESPNcricinfo.
Another slot is for a quality finger spinner who can also contribute with the bat, and CSK might have to look in the overseas department. Hence, releasing Pathirana makes more sense since he was also taking an overseas spot in the squad, apart from a big sum.
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