Inside CSK’s IPL 2026 Auction Puzzle: Dhoni’s Team Looks to Reset After a Turbulent Season
CSK enters the IPL 2026 auction with a major rebuild plan, targeting key all-rounders and spinners to restore balance after a disappointing 2025 season.
CSK prepares for a crucial IPL 2026 auction as the team rebuilds its core after a tough season.
Chennai Super Kings enter the IPL 2026 mini-auction facing one of the most defining rebuilds in their history. The Dhoni influence remains, but the squad now resembles a team caught between generations—led by Ruturaj Gaikwad, supported by Sanju Samson and Urvil Patel behind the stumps, and powered by young talent like Dewald Brevis. Yet, the balance that once defined CSK has visibly thinned.
Armed with the second-largest purse—₹43.40 crore for nine slots, including four overseas places—the franchise must replace heavyweights Ravindra Jadeja, Sam Curran, Devon Conway, R. Ashwin, and Matheesha Pathirana in a single auction cycle.
Batting Heavy, Bowling Light
CSK’s retained core leans strongly toward batting: Gaikwad, Samson, Shivam Dube, Brevis, MS Dhoni, and domestic options like Ayush Mhatre and Urvil Patel. Their bowling, however, looks functional rather than threatening, built around Noor Ahmad, Shreyas Gopal, Nathan Ellis and a group of Indian seamers.
This places three key decisions at the center of CSK’s 2026 strategy:
Targeting Ravi Bishnoi as spin anchor
Choosing between Cameron Green and Venkatesh Iyer as the main all-rounder
Keeping Liam Livingstone as the fallback in case Green’s price spirals
Ravi Bishnoi: CSK’s Non-Negotiable Pick?
Trading Jadeja and Curran for Samson solved wicketkeeping depth but left CSK without a strike left-arm spinner and a lower-order all-rounder. In this context, Ravi Bishnoi emerges as one of the most valuable Indian options at the auction.
The 25-year-old wrist-spinner offers:
A strike spin option suited for Chepauk
An Indian starter freeing overseas slots
Long-term value as a core bowler
With limited elite Indian spin available, Bishnoi is expected to command ₹9–11 crore—still a justifiable spend for CSK’s new roadmap.
Green vs Iyer: The All-Rounder Dilemma
CSK must also decide the kind of all-rounder they want shaping their XI.
Cameron Green
One of the most in-demand players, Green fits CSK’s template as a top-order enforcer and seam-bowling option. With the ability to bat No. 3–5 and deliver overs in multiple phases, he represents a long-term structural signing. But with a projected price of ₹16–18 crore, pairing him with Bishnoi could squeeze CSK’s flexibility for death bowling and bench depth.
Venkatesh Iyer
At a more modest expected price of ₹6–8 crore, Iyer offers:
A left-handed top-order option
Sixth-bowling support
A budget-friendly way to balance the right-heavy batting lineup
A Bishnoi + Iyer combination preserves over ₹26 crore for strengthening pace and depth.
Liam Livingstone: The Smart Backup
If the Green bidding war escalates, Liam Livingstone gives CSK a powerful alternative—middle-order firepower plus dual-spin skills perfect for Chepauk. Expected to cost ₹9–12 crore, he allows CSK space to invest in a premium death bowler and additional all-round depth.
CSK's Auction Crossroads
The combinations map out CSK’s auction possibilities:
Bishnoi + Green: High-impact starting XI, thin bench
Bishnoi + Iyer / Livingstone: Stronger squad depth, balanced spend
After finishing with the wooden spoon in 2025, this auction marks a critical moment for CSK. Whether they chase star power or structural depth may define how quickly the franchise returns to its championship standards.
