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The Chennai Super Kings have been the golden standard of how a franchise backs its players to get the best out of them for the longest time. However, the poor performances since clinching their 5th title saw a massive paradigm shift in their Retention strategy. Letting go of Ravindra Jadeja, for example, was something no CSK fan had imagined in their wildest dreams.
Now, with the IPL 2026 Mini Auction less than a week away, their management has a lot of work ahead of them to craft a superteam from the names available at the Auction. But first, let's take a look at who they have released ahead of the Auction, along with players they still have on their roster and a few new faces.
CSK Players released
Ravindra Jadeja (traded to RR), Andre Siddarth, Deepak Hooda, Devon Conway, Rachin Ravindra, Matheesha Pathirana, Sam Curran (traded to RR), Kamlesh Nagarkoti, Rahul Tripathi, Shaikh Rasheed, Vansh Bedi, Vijay Shankar
CSK Players retained
MS Dhoni, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Sanju Samson (traded in from RR), Ayush Mhatre, Dewald Brewis, Shivam Dube, Urvil Patel, Noor Ahmad, Nathan Ellis, Shreyas Gopal, Khaleel Ahmed, Ramakrishna Ghosh, Mukesh Choudhary, Jamie Overton, Gurjapneet Singh, Anshul Kamboj
Auction Purse and Slots
CSK's IPL 2026 Mini Auction Strategy
With a massive purse of over ₹43 crore, CSK’s top priority will be landing a "gun" overseas all-rounder to fill the void left by Sam Curran. They have the financial muscle to go hammer and tongs for explosive match-winners like Liam Livingstone or Cameron Green. To further balance the batting, targeting a seasoned finisher like David Miller is a smart move. His experience would take a significant load off MS Dhoni’s shoulders, allowing the legend to bat more freely without the pressure of finishing every game alone.
Also Read: Can David Miller be CSK's Saviour with Russell, Maxwell Out of the Race for IPL 2026?
Sanju Samson-Ravindra Jadeja swap deal was a masterstroke from CSK's POV as they got a batter-keeper to take over responsibilities from MS Dhoni, who can now play just as an Impact player.
On the bowling front, the management needs to find a reliable overseas seamer to back up Nathan Ellis, ensuring their death bowling remains potent throughout the tournament. While this looks like a major rebuild on paper, CSK enters this mini-auction with both the money and the clarity to build a superteam. If they secure these specific targets, the Yellow Army is in for an exciting season ahead.
