CSK Predicted 11: The Chennai Super Kings (CSK) have made a momentous change in their strategy following the failure to reach the playoffs for two consecutive seasons in IPL 2024 and 2025, which included the franchise’s first-time wooden spoon finish last year.
Monickered the ‘Dad’s Army’ for choosing experienced and 30-plus-aged players, CSK now have let go of their philosophy to embrace youth and plenty of players in their late teens and 20s.
Before the IPL 2026 auction, CSK released experienced players like Rahul Tripathi, Vijay Shankar, Devon Conway, and Deepak Hooda, while R Ashwin retired. Further, CSK traded away Ravindra Jadeja and Sam Curran to Rajasthan Royals in a bid to rope in Sanju Samson.
The five-time champions also surprisingly let go of Matheesha Pathirana.
In the auction, the franchise known to avoid splurging big money on less-tested players shelled out INR 14.2 cr each on 20-year-old Prashant Veer and 19-year-old Kartik Sharma, the pair having a combined experience of only 21 T20 matches.
CSK also purchased Matthew Short, Nathan Ellis, Sarfaraz Khan, Zak Foulkes, Matt Henry, Akeal Hosein, Aman Khan, and Rahul Chahar in the auction apart from Kartik and Veer.
Who is Nathan Ellis’ replacement in CSK?
Australian fast bowler Nathan Ellis has been ruled out of the IPL 2026 due to a hamstring injury. CSK have picked left-arm Australian speedster Spencer Johnson as Ellis’ replacement. But Spencer is recovering from a back injury and will be available to join the CSK squad around April 21-23.
Some exuberance was seen last season as Dewald Brevis, Ayush Mhatre, and Urvil Patel lit up the crowd with their eye-catching shots.
Ruturaj Gaikwad will continue as the captain, but Samson will hog the limelight following his feat of three consecutive half-centuries that helped India win the T20 World Cup. MS Dhoni, as always, remains the headlining act in any CSK match.
When and against whom is CSK’s first match of IPL 2026?
CSK will play their first match of IPL 2026 on March 30 against the Rajasthan Royals in Guwahati.
Talking about CSK’s playing XI (or XII), these nine players are certain to start in CSK’s opening fixture: Mhatre, Gaikwad, Dhoni, Samson, Dube, Brevis, Noor, Henry, and Khaleel. CSK may debate over who opens with Mhatre – Samson or Gaikwad. The Kerala opener is likely to get that slot given his recent exploits in that role at the T20 World Cup.
It is unlikely that both Kartik and Prashant will feature in CSK’s lineup in the first match, with Prashant likely to get the nod as a left-arm spin-bowling all-rounder. Sarfaraz or Urvil could get a game ahead of Kartik in the middle order.
Jamie Overton and Akeal Hosein could be fighting for one spot; the call between them would be made depending on the pitch.
Coming to the Impact Player, Khaleel is very likely to be the bowling Impact Player, who would be swapped with either Mhatre or a middle-order batsman.
One very interesting school of thought is that CSK might deploy MS Dhoni as their Impact Player in IPL 2026. Dhoni’s knee fitness isn’t great, and now that CSK have Samson in the side, they don’t need Dhoni to extend his wicket-keeping workload.
Dhoni anyway would be used as a specialist finisher. Then, CSK might as well use him as an Impact Player and give absolute autonomy to Gaikwad on the field. That, though, would not sit well with the fans and broadcasters.
IPL 2026: CSK Predicted 11 and Impact Player for CSK vs RR?
Sanju Samson, Ayush Mhatre, Ruturaj Gaikwad (c), Dewald Brevis, Sarfaraz Khan/Kartik Sharma/Urvil Patel, Shivam Dube, MS Dhoni (wk), Prashant Veer, Jamie Overton, Matt Henry, Noor Ahmad, Khaleel Ahmed (Impact Player)
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