Everything About 19-Year-Old Kartik Sharma Whom CSK Bought For Rs. 14.2 Cr

CSK's acquisition of Kartik Sharma and Prashant Veer for 14.2 cr. each, shattered Avesh Khan's 2022 record, who joined LSG in 2022 for 10 cr.

Everything About 19-Year-Old Kartik Sharma Whom CSK Bought For Rs. 14.2 Cr

CSK have acquired uncapped Indian batting talent Kartik Sharma for INR 14.2 crores, at the 2026 IPL auction. (via One Cricket)

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Once mocked as the ‘Daddy’s Army’, Chennai Super Kings seemed to have significantly altered their strategy for IPL 2026, having assembled a team of young guns. The five-time champions splurged big in the mini-auction on uncapped wicket-keeper batter Kartik Sharma for a whopping INR 14.2 crores.

Finishing at the bottom of the IPL table for the first time since the tournament’s inception, CSK endured a forgettable 2025 season. Chennai struggled throughout, while also losing captain Ruturaj Gaikwad early in the season due to an injury, which ultimately forced MS Dhoni to return to the helm as captain. All of it pointed towards a major transition, starting with Ravindra Jadeja’s surprise trade to the Rajasthan Royals.

While Jadeja and English all-rounder Sam Curran moved to RR, Chennai acquired the services of ace Indian opener Sanju Samson in exchange for a sum of INR 18 crores. Ahead of the mini-auction, veteran spinner R. Ashwin also announced his retirement from the IPL, freeing up major funds.

The Men in Yellow looked to go big in the auction with a massive purse of INR 43.40 crores, while also retaining star players like Dhoni, Gaikwad, Ayush Mhatre, Dewald Brevis, Shivam Dube, Noor Ahmad and others.

While it was expected that the franchise would go after experienced players, CSK had something different in mind. They shelled out INR 14.2 crores for 19-year-old wicket-keeper Kartik Sharma, making him the joint-most expensive uncapped player in IPL history, at par with another one of CSK’s 2026 acquisitions, Prashant Veer. Sharma had triggered an intense bidding war between KKR, LSG, SRH, and CSK. 

A right-handed batter, Kartik Sharma has been in great form over the past year, after he finished as Rajasthan’s leading run-getter in the 2024-25 Vijay Hazare Trophy, with 445 runs in nine matches. In the two Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy seasons that he has featured in, Sharma has accumulated 334 runs across 11 innings at an impressive strike-rate of 162.92. The 19-year-old’s 2024 Sher-e-Punjab exploits, where he scored 457 runs in 10 innings at a strike-rate of 168.01, make him a promising prospect. 

Notably, Kartik Sharma revealed that he idolizes CSK icon MS Dhoni, a player whom he might effectively replace in the coming years. The young Rajasthani-born player added that he was left in tears after the bidding ended, after being initially sceptical of his chances of being picked. 

CSK’s massive auction splurge: How the five-time champions will rebuild their line-up for IPL 2026

Chennai Super Kings had a massive purse ahead of the 2026 IPL mini-auction. The franchise acquired a total of nine players in the auction, spending a total of INR 41 crores to build a squad of 25 players, including 17 Indian stars and eight overseas picks. 

CSK playing XI
CSK will be fielding a new look playing XI for the 2026 IPL season, with several new acquisitions. (via Indian Express)

CSK initially went big for Australian all-rounder Cameron Green, but lost out to Kolkata Knight Riders, who picked him for INR 25.20 crores. The five-time champions then broke the bank to sign Kartik Sharma and Prashant Veer, while also adding spinner Rahul Chahar in the mix. CSK then completed their squad by signing Akeal Hosein, Matt Henry, Zakary Foulkes, Matthew Short, Sarfaraz Khan and Aman Khan. 

It is important to look at how the Men in Yellow might line up for the upcoming IPL season. Ayush Mhatre and Sanju Samson are expected to open the batting, followed by skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad, Shivam Dube and Dewald Brevis. Prashant Veer is expected to slot in as the finisher, alongside MS Dhoni. In bowling, CSK might look towards Anshul Kamboj, Noor Ahmad, Nathan Ellis and Khaleel Ahmed.

Meanwhile, Kartik Sharma, Urvil Patel, Matt Henry, and Akeal Hosein might be among the impact player options. Nonetheless, the Chennai Super Kings’ side looks all set to make it big, with their squad comprising a mix of young as well as experienced players.

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