TL;DR
- Chennai Super Kings are revamping their squad for IPL 2026 after a last-place finish in IPL 2025.
- CSK released players like Devon Conway, Vijay Shankar, and Matheesha Pathirana to free up funds.
- The team retained core players and confirmed trades including Sanju Samson, Ravindra Jadeja, and Sam Curran.
- Noor Ahmad's retention is confirmed following his strong performance in the 2024 season.
Chennai Super Kings are preparing for a strategic revamp ahead of the IPL 2026 mini-auction after a disappointing IPL 2025 season.
Finishing at the bottom of the table forced the five-time champions to rethink their squad structure.
Add AllSportsPeople as a preferred news source
The franchise have preserved some of their core while freeing up financial flexibility to chase high-impact players at the upcoming auction.
Chennai Super Kings let go of players before the IPL 2026 mini-auction.
CSK released several players in the final list that was confirmed by the IPL retention deadline.
The question of which Chennai Super Kings (CSK) players will be let go for the IPL 2026 auction is a topic of much speculation.
After a disappointing season that saw them finish last in the standings, the team with five championships is anticipated to let go of a few players. This move will enable them to secure better talent for those spots in the IPL 2026 auction.
Devon Conway, a batter from New Zealand, might depart the franchise following a three-year tenure. Vijay Shankar and Rahul Tripathi are among those who have been returned to the auction pool, enabling the franchise to increase its available funds.
More: MS Dhoni’s ex-teammate reveals wish amid Sanju Samson trade rumours before IPL 2026 mini auction
With Ravichandran Ashwin's retirement, the team's financial resources have been substantially increased, potentially allowing them to explore acquiring high-profile players such as Cameron Green.
Matheesha Pathirana and Rachin Ravindra, overseas players, are among the CSK players let go before the retention deadline, alongside Indian batsmen such as Deepak Hooda, joining Conway.
- Devon Conway
- Rahul Tripathi
- Vijay Shankar
- Kamlesh Nagarkoti
- Rachin Ravindra
- Deepak Hooda
- Matheesha Pathirana
- Ravichandran Ashwin (retired: ineligible for retention)
- Ravindra Jadeja (traded to RR)
- Sam Curran (traded to RR)
CSK kept players before the IPL 2026 mini-auction
CSK retained their core group of players, and again, the final list will only be officially confirmed by the IPL retention deadline.
Fans can then get a clear picture of which stars will continue to form the backbone of CSK's squad for the 2026 mini auction.
The Chennai Super Kings' player retention list for IPL 2026 is a topic of much speculation.
Supporters shouldn't anticipate a significant overhaul of the team roster, considering the restricted player pool for the auctions. Most of the current lineup is expected to stay the same.
Noor Ahmad's retention has been confirmed, following his remarkable 24-wicket performance during the 2024 season, as per recent updates.
- Andre Siddharth
- Ayush Mhatre
- Dewald Brevis
- Ramakrishna Ghosh
- Shivam Dube
- MS Dhoni (wk)
- Urvil Patel (wk)
- Anshul Kamboj
- Khaleel Ahmed
- Mukesh Choudhary
- Nathan Ellis
- Noor Ahmad
- Shreyas Gopal
CSK's trade agreement before the IPL 2026 smaller auction
The franchise has officially confirmed the trade deal that includes Sanju Samson, Ravindra Jadeja, and Sam Curran. Both the Chennai Super Kings and Rajasthan Royals have finalized the transaction, meaning Sanju Samson will now wear the Chennai Super Kings' yellow jersey.
The CSK team's roster as it stands prior to the player retention cutoff.
The Super Kings allocated ₹ 119.95 crore during the most recent mega auction, concluding with ₹ 0.05 crore remaining in their budget. Below is the 24-player squad they assembled.
- Andre Siddharth
- Ayush Mhatre
- Dewald Brevis
- Jamie Overton
- Ramakrishna Ghosh
- Shivam Dube
- MS Dhoni
- Urvil Patel
- Anshul Kamboj
- Khaleel Ahmed
- Mukesh Choudhary
- Nathan Ellis
- Noor Ahmad
- Shreyas Gopal
- Sanju Samson
- Gurjanpreet Singh
RELATED LINKS:
- Virat Kohli IPL 2026 team, salary: Will the former India captain retire or look for a transfer?
- The deadline for IPL 2026 player retention is approaching. Teams must submit their lists of retained players before the mini auction takes place.
- IPL 2026 Auction: Date, Players List, Rules & Mini-Auction Preview
- All the latest cricket news
- All IPL-related news