Chennai Super Kings: 5 CSK players could be released ahead of IPL 2026 auction

Chennai Super Kings (CSK) Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 The performance was disappointing, leaving the franchise to finish bottom (10th place) of the points table for the first time in their history.

Inconsistent batting and outdated approach from CSK batters

The CSK batting unit was plagued by an outdated and conservative approach, especially in the Powerplay, which was their main weakness. CSK were known for having the worst Powerplay run-rate in the entire tournament, often failing to take advantage of the field restrictions. The opening partnerships were unstable and did not provide a solid platform, with frequent changes in the opening pair. In a season where other teams consistently breached the 220-run mark, CSK struggled to demonstrate the required high-octane aggression, often getting stuck in the middle overs.

While Shivam Dubey was their leading run-scorer (357 runs), his strike rate was lower than the previous season and the overall firepower was lacking. Other key hitters such as Rachin Ravindra And Devon Conway severely underperformed. The inability to adapt to the modern T20 template, which requires fearless batting from the outset, meant their totals were often below par, putting enormous pressure on the bowling unit.

Chennai Super Kings’ bowling woes and auction missteps

The bowling attack, traditionally a strength of CSK, lacked both sharpness and consistency, a problem exacerbated by what critics called auction missteps and the failure of experienced players.

The much-vaunted spin attack, which usually dominated on their home ground Chepauk, was ineffective. Marquee spin signings such as Ravichandran Ashwin managed only a handful of wickets despite being the star all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja also had an unusually quiet season with both bat and ball. The pacers struggled to supplement the spin attack, especially in the death overs where the team conceded a high run-rate. The absence of a clear pace spearhead and the over-reliance on a few individuals such as the impressive spinner Noor Ahmed (CSK’s leading wicket-taker with 24 wickets) meant the attack was often toothless. The auction strategy, which saw the team pick up several aging or inconsistent players rather than aggressive young talent, left the side unbalanced and lacking in game changers, resulting in a predictable and easy to exploit bowling line-up.

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Five crucial players CSK could consider releasing before the IPL 2026 auction:

1. Deepak Hooda

Acquired for INR 1.70 Cr in 2025 auction, expectation for an all-rounder Deepak Hooda It was up to him to provide essential stability and firepower in the middle order. His campaign, however, was a season of profound struggle. In seven matches, his total runs barely reached a minimum of 31, with a high score of just 22. This lack of output was reflected in his remarkably low average of 6.20 and slow strike rate of 75.61. Hooda’s inability to inject pace or consistency into the innings contributed significantly to the team’s overall poor performance.

2. Sam Curran

The left-armed all-rounder Sam Curran returned to the CSK setup for INR 2.4 Crore, and his season was a study in contrasts. Giving a memorable flash of his aggressive batting to earn the team’s highest score of the season, he scored a whopping 88 runs off 47 balls against Punjab kings, his contribution with the ball was severely limited. In the five matches for which detailed statistics are available, he claimed just one wicket at an extremely high average of 133 and a precious economy rate of 11.08. Despite his bowling problems, his attacking strokeplay earned him a ‘Super Sixes’ award in one match, highlighting his rare moments of individual impact.

3. Devon Conway

The so-called ‘productive’ New Zealand opener, Conway, has been a colossal failure this campaign. After being re-signed as a ₹6.25 Crore charge, he immediately went ‘injury sidelined’ and delivered absolutely nothing when the team desperately needed him. He managed to scrape together a paltry 156 runs in the only six matches he was available for, and while the consistency was there, his strike rate of 131.09 was criminally low. His so-called ‘reliable basis’ was completely meaningless and served only as a rare, frustrating fragment of individual performance that did nothing to stop the wider turbulence and dismal performance of the team.”

4. Rahul Tripathi

The batsman of the highest order, Rahul Tripathiwas an INR 3.40 Crore acquisition which failed to kick off its debut season for CSK. He visibly had difficulty translating his usual aggressive intentions into meaningful scores. This difficulty became painfully apparent in a remarkably slow innings against KKR, where he worked 16 runs from 22 balls, an effort that was cited as one of the slowest knocks of the season. His overall initial contributions were minimal, yielding just 46 runs at a strike rate of less than 100, marking a frustrating and difficult campaign for the new signing.

5.Vijay Shankar

The all-rounder Vijay Shankar returned to CSK for INR 1.2 Crore, operating mainly as a middle-order batsman. His season was marked by a noticeable lack of urgency, especially when the team was involved in chases. His conservative approach reached a low point in a crucial match against Capitals of Delhiwhere he registered the slowest half-century of the season, taking 43 balls to reach the fifty-run mark. This cautious batsman, even in partnership with MS Dhoni, was identified as a contributing factor to the team’s defeat, limiting his positive impact on the beleaguered CSK campaign.

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IPL 2025 performance statistics (CSK players)