Former India spinner R Ashwin has shared his thoughts on which players Chennai Super Kings should target in the upcoming IPL 2026 mini auction.
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Ashwin, who recently announced his retirement from the IPL, believes the franchise will focus on strengthening their finishing options and bowling attack.
Speaking on his YouTube channel, he pointed out three specific players who could fit perfectly into the CSK setup.
Which players does R Ashwin think CSK should target in IPL 2026 auction?
Ashwin feels CSK’s main priority should be finding a strong finisher and reliable bowlers for both pace and spin.
He mentioned that if available, David Miller, Mohammad Shami, and Rahul Chahar are three players Chennai should consider.
"I know there is a lot of talk about Cameron Green to CSK, but I think they will target two players in particular. One is David Miller, if he is released, and the other is Mohammad Shami, who will probably be released. Another one could probably be Rahul Chahar," R Ashwin said.
All three cricketers had underwhelming outings in IPL 2025 as Miller and Shami barely featured for their sides, while Chahar played just one match.
READ: CSK IPL 2026 retention and released players list before mini auction
Why does Ashwin feel CSK need a strong finisher for the next season?
The former off-spinner also questioned Chennai’s lack of attention toward their finishing department.
Ashwin used Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) as an example, highlighting how their smart investment in Tim David and Romario Shepherd at base prices turned out to be a winning move.
"This trade is wonderful for CSK and Samson in terms of brand identity, opportunity to take over as captain, a top-order keeper-batter, so everything fits. But, the state the team is in, what did they need? They needed a power hitter and a finisher. RCB are smiling in the corner because they have Tim David and Romario Shepherd for base prices. I think Dinesh Karthik and the rest of the support staff will be smiling," R Ashwin added.
With MS Dhoni’s power-hitting phase nearly over and Jadeja possibly leaving, CSK currently lack a proven finisher and according to Ashwin, the team still has not solved its biggest problem yet.
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