Predicting CSK’s Best Playing XI Ahead of IPL 2026 

CSK CEO Kasi Viswanathan confirmed 44-year-old MS Dhoni will feature in every IPL 2026 match, though his specific role remains a team decision.

Predicting CSK’s Best Playing XI Ahead of IPL 2026 

CSK will be aiming to make a strong comeback in IPL 2026. (via Hindu)

In Short
  • Chennai Super Kings aim for a comeback in IPL 2026 after finishing last in 2025.
  • Ruturaj Gaikwad will lead the team, hoping to recover from an injury that affected his previous season.
  • CSK has made significant player acquisitions, including Sanju Samson and Kartik Sharma, to strengthen their squad.

The upcoming 2026 IPL season will be crucial for five-time champions Chennai Super Kings, aiming to stage a comeback. Led by Ruturaj Gaikwad, CSK will be focused on returning to the top four after failing to qualify for the playoffs for the second consecutive season. 

A difficult chapter in CSK’s storied history, IPL 2025 marked the first time that the franchise finished at the bottom of the points table, after managing just four wins from the 14 matches. CSK lost five matches at their iconic home ground, Chepauk.

Their season was also marred by an injury crisis, which saw captain Ruturaj Gaikwad ruled out due to a hairline fracture, while MS Dhoni returned to lead the team.

Following the 2025 disaster, CSK seems to have undergone a transformation. The franchise, even before the auction, secured the services of Sanju Samson from Rajasthan Royals in a trade deal, which also saw long-time star Ravindra Jadeja and Sam Curran move the other way. The franchise spent a combined INR 28.4 crores on acquiring uncapped players; Prashant Veer (14.2 cr) and Kartik Sharma (14.2 cr).

Apart from that, CSK also bought a host of talented players like Rahul Chahar, Matt Henry, Akeal Hosein, Matthew Short, Zakary Foulkes, and Sarfaraz Khan. Here is a look at the five-time champions’ predicted playing XI for the 2026 IPL season. 

Ruturaj Gaikwad

Captain Ruturaj Gaikwad confirmed that he is set to open the innings. While his 2025 IPL campaign was cut short due to an injury, Gaikwad will be hoping to return to his run-scoring form, with his confidence at a high after scoring his maiden ODI hundred vs. South Africa. The 29-year-old has scored 2,502 runs in 71 IPL innings, at a remarkable average of 40.35. 

Sanju Samson

Gaikwad’s opening partner and the most talked-about player in India right now, Sanju Samson, will be the most pivotal figure of CSK’s batting unit. The 31-year-old star comes off the back of a record-breaking 2026 T20 World Cup campaign, where he was named POTS for scoring 321 runs in just five matches, at an average of 80.25 and a strike-rate of 199.37. 

Ayush Mhatre

Another player who arrives in Chennai after having won an ICC tournament, Ayush Mhatre might slot in at no.3. Traditionally an opener in the shortest format, the 18-year-old prodigy, however, succeeded while batting at no.3 during a victorious U-19 WC-winning campaign this year. In IPL 2025, he scored 240 runs in seven innings, including a superb 94 against RCB.

Kartik Sharma

One of CSK’s biggest summer acquisitions, Rajasthan’s Kartik Sharma is being viewed as a long-term successor to MS Dhoni, and is likely to bat at no.4. At just 19 years old, Sharma is known for his six-hitting abilities, and even finished as the joint-highest six-hitter of the 2025-26 Ranji Trophy season, where he also scored 331 runs at an average of 55.17. 

Dewald Brevis

Compared to the legendary AB de Villiers, South African sensation Dewald Brevis has earned the nickname ‘Baby AB’ for his remarkable 360-degree hitting abilities. He is set to bat at no.5, and his recent displays include a mind-blowing century in the 2025-26 SA20 final. In T20Is in 2025, the 22-year-old scored 464 runs in 17 games, at an average of 30.93. 

Shivam Dube

A member of two T20 WC-winning teams, Shivam Dube will be CSK’s finisher-in-chief. The all-rounder, who is also the team’s designated spin-hitter, is also a handy bowler. While he had an underwhelming 2025 IPL campaign, scoring 357 runs at a strike-rate of just 132.22, he played a key role at the 2026 World Cup, scoring 235 runs at a strike-rate of 169.06.

Prashant Veer

Another one of CSK’s uncapped players, Prashant Veer, is expected to slot in at no.7, highlighting the team’s batting depth. A hard-hitting all-rounder who also bowls spin, Veer is seen as a replacement for Ravindra Jadeja. The 20-year-old had a stunning UP T20 League campaign, where he scored 320 runs and picked up eight wickets for Noida Super Kings. 

MS Dhoni

Completing the batting order is former Indian captain MS Dhoni. His role at CSK has evolved into a unique blend of finisher, mentor, and icon, with the 44-year-old being the oldest player in IPL 2026. Questions, however, remain over whether Dhoni will play as a wicketkeeper throughout, or as an impact substitute, to make way for the younger emerging talents. 

Jamie Overton/Anshul Kamboj

CSK are thin in bowling this summer, and with Australian Nathan Ellis ruled out of the season, it has left a massive void at the death. In such a scenario, experienced English all-rounder Jamie Overton might get the go-ahead after having picked up nine wickets at the 2026 T20 World Cup. He will, however, face stiff competition from Haryana pacer Anshul Kamboj. 

Noor Ahmad

The mystery spinner from Afghanistan, who finished as the second-highest wicket-taker in IPL 2025, Noor Ahmad, was the highlight of CSK’s campaign last summer. The 21-year-old is expected to lead the spin department, and is the highest-paid foreign player in the team. His form however, is concerning, given he did not pick up a single wicket at the 2026 T20 WC. 

Matt Henry

New Zealand speedster Matt Henry will have a role to play at CSK during IPL 2026. While his greatest strength is his ability to extract movement with the new ball, CSK might also have to utilize him as a death bowler. Henry also enjoyed a decent T20 World Cup campaign, taking ten wickets in eight matches, to help the Kiwis to the final of the tournament. 

Impact Player – Khaleel Ahmed

An IPL veteran, Khaleel Ahmed is expected to be the third pace bowling option. He finished as CSK’s second-highest wicket-taker last summer, picking up 15 wickets in 14 matches, but was expensive as he gave runs away at an economy rate of 9.58. In the IPL, he has picked up 89 wickets in 71 matches at an average of 26.16, including four three-wicket hauls. 

  • Ruturaj Gaikwad (C)
  • Sanju Samson
  • Ayush Mhatre
  • Kartik Sharma
  • Dewald Brevis
  • Shivam Dube
  • Prashant Veer
  • MS Dhoni
  • Jamie Overton/Anshul Kamboj
  • Noor Ahmad
  • Matt Henry
  • Khaleel Ahmed (Impact Player)

Beyond them, CSK’s bench is noteworthy. The team has many in-form players such as Sarfaraz Khan, Urvil Patel, Ramakrishna Ghosh, Rahul Chahar, Shreyas Gopal, and Gurjapneet Singh. Meanwhile, Spencer Johnson has been roped in as Nathan Ellis’ replacement.

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