They have INR 43.40 crore of budget to work with.
Chennai Super Kings will head into the IPL 2026 auction with the second-biggest budget and multiple spots to fill. It would be interesting to see who could be the CSK targets at the mini auction, which will be held on December 16.
Five-time champions had a disastrous season earlier this year, finishing at the bottom of the table. In the aftermath, they made some major calls, bringing in Sanju Samson via a trade in exchange for Ravindra Jadeja and Sam Curran. Another big decision CSK made was to let go of Matheesha Pathirana. They have a remaining purse of INR 43.40 crore, only behind the Kolkata Knight Riders. As they look to rebuild the squad, one of the CSK targets would be to bring in an overseas finisher.
Chennai Super Kings pivoted towards the future in the middle of the previous season and made some exciting signings that will serve them for years. They brought in Ayush Mhatre, Urvil Patel, and Dewald Brevis into the squad and retained them for the next edition.
With MS Dhoni’s age restricting him to just two overs, the lack of a proper finisher was one of the major worries for CSK in the previous season. They will look to address that by targeting an overseas middle-order batter. Andre Russell and Glenn Maxwell not registering for the auction has reduced the options in the market. But the Super Kings have the purse to fight for top players. Let’s take a look at three overseas middle-order batters who could be in the CSK targets.
Cameron Green is expected to be the most expensive player in the IPL 2026 auction. The Australian all-rounder could have CSK and KKR engage in a bidding war for him. After all, he is the type of player that most IPL franchises are always desperate for. Green not only can bat anywhere in the batting order but also offers good value with his fast bowling.
Just focusing on his batting, Green has been in excellent form in the shorter format. He has scored 258 runs from eight innings this year at an average of 43 while striking at 168. Although he has batted slightly higher up for Australia, Green has the experience of playing as a finisher in the IPL.
If they fail to acquire Green, Liam Livingstone could be next on the CSK targets. The England all-rounder had a disappointing campaign for RCB in the previous edition and was released. However, he has found his form since and is likely to be in high demand.
Since the conclusion of the IPL 2025, Liam Livingstone has scored 583 runs at an average of 53 while striking at an excellent rate of 171. He blasted 82 not out off 35 deliveries in his most recent outing in the ILT20. He could be a good fit in the CSK line-up and offers dual value with the ball.
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David Miller is another finisher who is likely to be amongst CSK targets at the IPL 2026 auction. The South African veteran had a terrible season for Lucknow Super Giants earlier this year. He was expectedly released before the retention deadline.
However, Miller is still one of the best finishers in the world. Form may not be on his side currently, but he brings immense experience with him. Not to mention, he can smash both spin and pace. Miller has a proven record in the IPL and could fit well in the CSK batting unit.
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