‘We will try to get him back,’ - CSK CEO reveals strategy ahead of IPL 2026 mini auction

The 5-time IPL champions, Chennai Super Kings (CSK), will enter the mini auction with the second-highest purse value, INR 43.4 crores. They have released most of the players from the squad and are looking for some talented players to fill up the gaps. The good news for the fans would be MS Dhoni's presence for one more season in the tournament. He is also retained by the franchise.

However, the Men in Yellow have made some tough decisions in the form of trading Sam Curran and Ravindra Jadeja to Rajasthan Royals (RR) in exchange for Sanju Samson. While some fans have predicted that this might be Dhoni's last season since the team has now gotten a dedicated keeper-batter in the form of Samson, it will be interesting to see CSK's playing XI.

Ahead of the IPL auction, CSK have released Matheesha Pathirana, Devon Conway, Rachin Ravindra, Rahul Tripathi, Deepak Hooda, Vijay Shankar, Shaikh Rasheed, Andre Siddarth, Kamlesh Nagarkoti, and Vansh Bedi. Speaking about the players, CSK CEO Kasi Viswanathan has opened up about the franchise's strategy.

"We wanted to enter the auction with a substantial purse. We had already made tough calls by trading out Jadeja and Curran. Sanju Samson came at ₹18 crore. Given the kind of combination we are trying to build, the management collectively felt that a bigger purse would give us a better chance to construct a stronger squad," Kasi told RevSportz.

One of the most shocking releases of CSK was Matheesha Pathirana, the death over specialist. Despite not being consistent in the previous season, he was more like an asset to the team for his outstanding bowling towards the end of the games. His wide yorker length balls have been extremely difficult for the batters to play. CSK CEO also spoke about the player and revealed that they might buy him back but it will depend on the auction.

Cricket fans in India can watch the India vs. South Africa, 2nd Test online from November 22 on JioHotstar, accessible via OTTplay Premium.