Chennai Super Kings (CSK) has already started their preparations for the upcoming Indian Premier League season (IPL 2026). They are definitely going to make a few signings from the mini auction table. But what about the captaincy? Who will lead the team during IPL 2026? 

As of now, Ruturaj Gaikwad is the captain of the multi-time IPL-winning franchise. But is he capable enough to lead CSK from the front? Last season he played only 5 matches before being knocked out of the tournament due to injury. In those five matches, the batter scored 122 runs in 5 innings at an average of 24.40. He smashed two half centuries as well. His ability to anchor the innings and accelerate when required made him one of the most reliable cricketers of the format. 

According to some of the latest claims, the CSK management can take a look at his captaincy as well. It was claimed that Gaikwad's captaincy may have been under scrutiny. But, at this point, who can be considered as the captain in place of Gaikwad? Last season when Ruturaj was out of the campaign due to injury, MS Dhoni again took over the charge and led the team. Though, that did not help the team to recover from the bad patch. 

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Who will be the captain of CSK for IPL 2026?

Chennai Super Kings finished the season as the worst team of the campaign. They accumulated only 8 points from 4 wins in 14 matches. They were the 10th team in the points table of the 10-team tournament. Despite those devastating stats, CSK made some positive moves as well by signing the young players like Ayush Mhatre and Dewald Brevis. Which reflected their desire to invest in the young prospect.

As of now, it is unlikely to see MS Dhoni back in the captaincy. But there are chances to see changes in the leadership role. Some of the young prospects from the squad can be handed over the vice captaincy role. 

Did Chennai Super Kings (CSK) already finalize the list of players who can be released ahead of the IPL 2026 auction? For the last couple of days the question has been hovering around cricket fans on social media platforms.

A recent media report claims multiple names of cricketers who can be released by the franchise before the auction. The list of probables contains some big names as well. When the speculations about CSK's probable retention list were at their peak, the franchise updated their bio on their official social media account, suggesting the followers not to believe in rumors; the final decision is yet to be made. Now, another report about the topic has arrived.

The latest report also suggested that the multi-time IPL franchise is yet to reach a final decision about the players who they want to release ahead of IPL 2026. To finalize the list, it is reported that Chennai Super Kings captain Ruturaj Gaikwad, MS Dhoni, and head coach Stephen Fleming can soon have a meeting together to chalk out their future plans. It is also claimed that after their discussions, N Srinivasan will give final approval; before his final approval, nothing is concrete. 

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Speculations around Chennai Super Kings ahead of IPL 2026 mini auction

According to the report published by Cricbuzz, as of now, December 13-15 is considered the probable window for the IPL 2026 auction. Ahead of the auction, which will be a mini auction unlike a mega auction held last season, all of the franchises will have to finalize the names of the players they are willing to retain and release.

In the mini auction, there can be multiple high-profile names in search of a new team. According to the report, the date for the retention deadline can be November 15.

IPL 2025 was a very bad season for Chennai Super Kings. They finished last in the 10-team standings and did not qualify for the playoffs for the second year in a row. They started the season with a win over Mumbai Indians but then went through a losing streak. MS Dhoni had to take over as captain after Ruturaj Gaikwad missed the season due to injury.

Looking ahead to IPL 2026, the five-time champions may change their team. They could let go of some players, including Sam Curran, Deepak Hooda, Vijay Shankar, Rahul Tripathi, and Devon Conway, according to Cricbuzz.

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CSK Responds to Player Release Rumours

Chennai Super Kings (CSK) quickly reacted to the rumours by joining the “we’ve updated the bio” trend on X (formerly Twitter).

“Nothing’s official till you see it here,” says CSK’s updated bio, after reports suggested they might release several players ahead of the next season.

CSK signed Sam Curran for Rs 2.5 crore at last year’s IPL mega auction. He played five matches, scoring 114 runs at a strike rate of 135.71 and took only one wicket. Curran has played for two IPL teams so far – CSK and Punjab Kings.

Players in the release plans as of now:

CSK; Hooda, Vijay Shankar, Ashwin, Conway, Curran, Tripathi

DC: Starc & Natrajan

KKR: Venkatesh Iyer

LSG: Mayank Yadav, David Miller, Akash Deep

RR: Sanju Samson, Theekshana, Hasaranga

{TimesNow} pic.twitter.com/mSy4oR1Q9K

— Sergio (@SergioCSKK) October 10, 2025

IPL 2026 Auction Details

The IPL auction for 2026 may be held in the second or third week of December. The IPL Governing Council has not confirmed the date yet, but December 13-15 is the likely window.

The last two IPL auctions were held overseas – in Saudi Arabia (2025) and Dubai (2024). All 10 franchises must announce their retained and released players by November 15.

Australia all-rounder Cameron Green is expected to be a top pick at the auction. Many teams are interested in him. Green has played for Mumbai Indians and Royal Challengers Bengaluru but missed last season due to injury.

There is always speculation on Hardik Pandya and his franchise ahead of any season of the Indian Premier League (IPL). In his career, the all-rounder has featured in two franchises, the Gujarat Titans and Mumbai Indians. If his social media posts are to be believed, then the inclusion of a new franchise can’t be eliminated. The all-rounder is always an important aspect on any side. 

Hardik Pandya has overall smashed 2749 runs in 140 innings at an average of 28.34 and a strike rate of 146.92 with the help of 10 half-centuries at the best score of 91 runs. With the ball, the right-arm pacer collected 78 wickets in 107 innings at an average of 31.94 and a strike rate of 20.8. In the last IPL season, he cracked 224 runs at a strike rate of 163.50 and picked up 14 wickets at 24.42.

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Hardik has posted his picture, which suggests that he could feature in a new franchise for the upcoming IPL. He appeared to be coming out of a yellow car while he had put a yellow love sign. The fans reckoned that the veteran could join the Chennai Super Kings for the IPL 2026.

Hardik Pandya to join Chennai Super Kings for IPL 2026? Cryptic post sparks speculation

The Super Kings didn’t enjoy a great last season when they finished at the bottom of the points table for the first time in their history. MS Dhoni, the five-time IPL-winning captain, led the franchise after the first couple of weeks when their appointed leader, Ruturaj Gaikwad, was ruled out of the competition due to injury.

Hardik Pandya posting Yellow Stories just before IPL retentions. 😭 pic.twitter.com/KWrZNVMCqC

— Selfless⁴⁵ (@SelflessCricket) October 10, 2025

If Hardik comes into the Super Kings, then it will bring a different balance for the franchise, besides opening up another option for the captaincy. The news has got life, especially due to the close relationship of the veteran with Dhoni on and off the field.

As of now, Hardik is injured and missed the final of the Asia Cup 2025 against Pakistan in Dubai. The severe injury has also kept him out of the three-match ODI series and five-match T20I series against Australia down under, starting next week. If he recovers well in time, then he could return for the home South Africa series.

The five-time champions of the Indian Premier League, Chennai Super Kings (CSK), didn’t go through a great season in 2025, even in the leadership of their successful leader, MS Dhoni, who took over the responsibility after their first-choice leader, Ruturaj Gaikwad, was ruled out of the season from the third week. For the very first time in history, CSK finished at the bottom of the points table. 

There is speculation on whether Dhoni would make himself available for the new season, having featured in the last IPL edition as an uncapped player for a price of INR 4 crore. However, the reports have claimed that the franchise is going to release several players ahead of the next mini auction, which is expected to be held in the second and third week of December.

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Among the players reportedly on the release list are Deepak Hooda, Vijay Shankar, Rahul Tripathi, Sam Curran, and Devon Conway. The franchise already has a purse of INR 9.75 crore following the retirement of Ravichandran Ashwin from the league. 

Chennai Super Kings to release Sam Curran and Devon Conway ahead of IPL 2026 auction

The left-arm pace bowling all-rounder of England, Sam Curran, who got back to his old franchise for a price of INR 2.40 crore, smashed 114 runs in five innings at a strike rate of 135.71 with one fifty while picking up just one wicket at an economy rate of over 11. That’s the same case with Conway, who collected only 156 runs in six innings at a strike rate of 131.09 in the previous season.

None of the Indian batters were successful in the middle order for the Super Kings, and that never helped them to gain success against the spinner, which at the end put pressure on their lower order to deliver on every single occasion.

The IPL 2026 auction is expected to be held between December 13 and 15, as the teams are asked to provide their list of retentions by November 15. The last two editions’ auction was held outside India in Dubai (2023) and in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia (2024). There is, however, no news on where the upcoming auction will take place.

Ravichandran Ashwin, a legendary spinner known for his sharp cricketing brain, has the potential to become an outstanding head coach in the Indian Premier League (IPL). Ashwin announced his retirement from international cricket in December last year and also stepped away from IPL on August 27, completing the 2025 season with Chennai Super Kings (CSK). For years, he has been acknowledged for his performances on the field, as well as for having a thorough understanding of the game and solid tactical reasoning, which makes him larger than many modern-day cricketers.

Ashwin has consistently displayed his analytical side through interviews and through his popular YouTube channel, where he provides fans with a unique view of sports — showing his ability to dissect strategies, assess match situations, and innovate. For any IPL franchise looking to hire Ashwin as their head coach, players will surely benefit from the opportunity to learn some of his insights and development opportunities. With this in mind, CricTracker examines three franchises that could target Ashwin, the Madras-born cricketer, as their next head coach.

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3. Kolkata Knight Riders

While Ravichandran Ashwin has never donned the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) colors, he could be a credible candidate to replace former KKR head coach Chandrakant Pandit since the latter departed from the franchise post-IPL 2025. KKR, as a franchise, have always appreciated gifted spinners in their squad, and Ashwin's specialty could assist KKR with its existing spinners, while identifying and developing new talent in the long term. His strategic understanding and experience could enable spinners to perform consistently under pressure, an invaluable resource for KKR to leverage for its three-time champion team in the coming seasons.

For Ashwin, adapting to KKR would not pose significant challenges, especially given that he played alongside Varun Chakaravarthy at the Dindigul Dragons in the 2025 Tamil Nadu Premier League. KKR were IPL champions in 2024; however, there were missed opportunities during the mega-auction, which ultimately paid off. Ashwin's knowledge about players could help the franchise tactically address these weaknesses for IPL 2026 and perhaps once again help KKR challenge for the title.

2. Rajasthan Royals

Rahul Dravid was appointed as the head coach of Rajasthan Royals for IPL 2025, but the first-ever champions had a disappointing season and placed ninth overall. At the end of the season, the franchise had offered him a larger role within the team regarding restructuring for the following season. After receiving this, Dravid decided to step away from the role and subsequently relinquished the responsibilities of head coach, leaving the Royals with the task of obtaining a suitable replacement to lead the organization back to competitiveness in future IPL seasons.

Ravichandran Ashwin, who played with the Rajasthan Royals between 2022 and 2024, is certainly a prime candidate for the role. Given his experience and understanding of the team, he could provide valuable advice and support to young emerging players involved in the setup like Wanindu Hasaranga, Maheesh Theekshana, Kumar Kartikeya, and Riyan Parag if they remain with the team for IPL 2026 and beyond. Ashwin can provide tactical thinking, leadership qualities, and additional knowledge for the Royals to help rejuvenate and build the team around, making him an ideal outcome for the responsibility of succeeding the T20 World Cup champion coach.

1.Chennai Super Kings

When Ashwin and IPL are mentioned in the same breath, the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) come to the mind immediately. Ashwin was a big part of the franchise from 2009-2015 and he was pivotal in getting the franchise to back-to-back titles in 2010 and 2011. Ahead of IPL 2025, Ashwin returned to the "Men in Yellow" after being picked up for INR 9.75 crore, rekindling his association with the franchise where his IPL career blossomed. His history with the franchise would lend itself even more to a flexibility in a possible future leadership role. 

However, CSK has vanquished the last few seasons. Even though Stephen Fleming has been head coach of CSK since IPL 2, the franchise has not qualified to the playoffs the last two years and their first finishes dead last in the 2025 season. Rumors even suggest an overhaul of sorts may be based on recent seasons. If CSK parts ways with Fleming, Ashwin would be a logical candidate to engage as the head coach in new circumstances due to his solid understanding of not only the team and the management but also the culture of the CSK franchise.

Former India cricketer Robin Uthappa revealed some shocking facts from his days with Chennai Super Kings (CSK). The former cricketer said that out of stress, he developed a smoking habit when he was associated with CSK during the IPL 2021 season. 

In a recent podcast, Uthappa said that he was in pain from the inside, as he had to sit on the bench for most of the match. In IPL 2021, CSK was the winner of the tournament, but Uthappa got very few chances to do little as a first XI cricketer. As a professional cricketer, he was prepared for every situation from the outside, but from the inside, he was struggling with himself. To ease excessive pressure, he started to smoke. 

"In 2021, when I was playing for CSK, I was part of the team, and I was not getting to play. Obviously internally it was very stressful and internally emotionally very challenging for me. And when you play for the team, it means you want to make sure that your energy, your value addition, and what you want to do for the team do not interfere. So I was able to manage that, but at the back end I was in quite a lot of pain. So as a coping mechanism I started smoking in the 2021 IPL," the former keeper-batter said during a podcast. 

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He wanted to quit the habit and did that. One day, Uthappa was having a conversation with his child. Neale, his son, read the warning and read the warning on a cigarette packet. That was the moment when Uthappa decided to quit the habit of smoking.

A conversation with son changed Robin Uthappa's mind

"In 2023 I had a conversation with my son when it started off as a one-off thing, and it went up to around four to five cigarettes. So in 2023, at the end of 23, maybe 26 December, I was also thinking, in fact, on 20 December I had also told Sheetal that, yaar, I am doing this, but I don’t even like that I am doing it, but it has become a habit. So I told her, "Yaar, maybe I will quit right now, within a week." I have the ability to start and go off something cold turkey completely. But I have the ability to do that. Where it came from I don’t know, but I have that ability in me," he added. 

Robin played IPL 2021 and IPL 2022 with Chennai Super Kings. In 2021, when CSK won the league, Uthappa participated in only 4 matches and scored 115 runs, including a half century. In the following season, he played 12 matches and scored 230 runs. 

Dewald Brevis, the most costly player in SA20 history, is excited to join Pretoria Capitals for the upcoming Season 4. In an interview with SA20, he spoke on moving away from MI Cape Town and beginning a new chapter in his own town of Centurion, and how great it is to come back to SuperSport Park, and the memories he shared around that stadium when he grew up there.

Brevis was the headline story at the SA20 player auction, with Pretoria Capitals securing his services for INR 8.3 crore, making him the costliest signing in the league’s history. The move reunites him with familiar South African faces and adds explosive firepower to an already strong Capitals lineup.

The young star said, “I’m very excited. You always reflect back, and I think it was a special three years I had with MI Cape Town. We had our ups and downs, and it was amazing what we did in the last year. I’ll always remember that. But this is a new chapter for me. To be with Pretoria, I’m super excited. It is my hometown. I know SuperSport Park very well—it’s very close to my heart. The ground where me and my brother grew up watching cricket, running around the field, playing next to the field. To be able to be there now, I’m really excited. I can’t wait to see the team, get together with them, and just make memories and have fun.”

Brevis on Pretoria Capitals, SA20 Growth, and Fans

On joining the Pretoria Capitals squad, Brevis said, “I think it’s great. It’s great to have Lungi Ngidi there, we’ve spent a lot of time together. It started in Bangladesh, and we’ve got good memories. Then Lizaad Williams, and a lot of our local guys. I’m so happy for Connor Esterhuizen as well. He’s a great player, and he’ll do great for us. If you look at all the overseas players, I think we’ve got a well-balanced team: a strong batting lineup, power-hitters, guys that will love SuperSport Park. If you look at Rutherford, Andre Russell, it’s a great all-round team. I’m very excited to see how the boys go and how they enjoy playing there, because it’s a beautiful place to bat and play cricket.”

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He also spoke about the growth of the SA20 league: “SA20, every year it just gets better. And that’s exactly what’s going to happen. Season 4, the competitive levels will rise, the quality, everything just gets better. The competition, I think, will be even tighter. The teams are always balanced and competitive, and it’s T20 cricket. The conditions in South Africa are some of the best, you get all kinds of conditions. If you play at the coast, Cape Town, everywhere it’s different. That variety is very cool, and it’s what SA20 has to offer. And I think the crowds, I can’t wait for that again. It’s a great time of the year, and it’s going to be lots of fun.”

On why fans should attend, he added, “People would also love to come and watch because everyone is on holiday, relaxed. So why not come and relax next to the cricket field? We’ll take the bit of pressure, and everyone can enjoy. As a youngster, when it was Test cricket, I was always next to the field or watching on TV. Now it’s a privilege to be able to play during that time and to have your family there next to the field. So, it’s very exciting times.”

The Indian opener and the captain of the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) from the Indian Premier League (IPL), Ruturaj Gaikwad, has replied to MS Dhoni’s comment on the franchise’s batting future ahead of the 2026 edition. Dhoni, during the previous season, felt that the Super Kings didn’t have much skill and fire in the batting department.

Chennai Super Kings finished at the bottom of the points table with just four wins in 14 encounters at a net run rate of -0.647. They started with just one win in the first six games before earning just two victories in the last seven games of the group stage of the competition.

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“From him, the support was always there - There was nothing to be shy about & obviously, you know, me missing that tournament and then later on having some replacements (Ayush, Urvil, Brevis) - It really strengthened the squad & then obviously, me joining back again would really strengthen it again. So, I feel that is what he said.” Ruturaj Gaikwad answered on Dhoni’s comment before IPL 2026.

Ruturaj Gaikwad confident of CSK’s developed batting during IPL 2026

The leading run-getter of the IPL for the CSK side was Shivam Dube, who sat at the 23rd rank. The left-handed batter clubbed 357 runs in 14 innings at an average of 32.45 and a strike rate of 132.22 with the help of one half-century at the best score of 50. Only he and Ravindra Jadeja crossed the 300-run mark for Chennai in IPL 2025.

The Maharashtra captain believes that his return to the opening position for the franchise will make it even stronger. On the other hand, he also spoke about his good preparation after not being part of the Indian team during the Men’s T20 Asia Cup 2025 in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

“I had a good time to prepare, especially after not being part of the India A series, and then after that coming back, I decided to work on my red ball game, give it some amount of time, and obviously still working on it, still a long way to go.” The opening and veteran batter of the five-time champions addressed during a recent interaction. 

Chennai Super Kings (CSK) player Dewald Brevis is quickly becoming one of the most exciting cricketers in the world. He is nicknamed 'Baby AB' because he can play shots all around the ground, just like former South African star AB de Villiers. This year, Brevis is living up to that reputation.

After struggling with inconsistencies in the first few years of his career, the 22-year-old finally performed well in the last SA20 and IPL seasons. His performances in the leagues have also made him an important part of the South African team in all formats.

This year came full circle when Brevis spoke with his idol, AB de Villiers, on the latter’s YouTube channel. During the conversation, the CSK batter made several interesting statements. Here are the top five most important statements.

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1. Playing with MS Dhoni in CSK

Young players often have a lot to say when they play for CSK with the legendary MS Dhoni. Brevis spoke highly about the former CSK captain in his conversation with AB de Villiers.

"The one thing that stood out for me about MS is his humbleness and the kind of person he is. Off the field, he always has time for players. His room door is always open, only closed when he is sleeping," said Brevis.

He added, "I found myself sitting in his room a few times, chatting about hobbies or watching cricket. It was amazing to see how he is off the field. Everyone knows what he does on the field, but off the field is special too. I really enjoyed my time there."

Brevis was one of the few bright spots for CSK last season, scoring 225 runs at an average of 37.50 with a strike rate of 180 in six matches.

2. Lessons from the IPL

Brevis said playing in the IPL was challenging at first, especially balancing independence and family. He started with Mumbai Indians (MI) in 2022 and played three seasons with them.

"At the start, I was young and wanted to find my feet. I wanted to show I am grown up and can manage things myself," he said.

He added, "Whatever I do off the field, I like to share with my family and close people. Those small things are important, and you should not punish yourself."

Brevis struggled at MI, scoring only 230 runs in 10 matches at an average of 23, with no half-centuries.

3. Becoming 'Baby AB'

Brevis recalled how he got the nickname 'Baby AB'. After his half-century against India in the 2022 Under-19 World Cup, a friend held a board with 'Baby AB' written on it. "Since then, I never felt pressure. It was a privilege to be compared to AB de Villiers. I have always idolized him and still learn from him," said Brevis. He finished the tournament as the leading run-scorer with 506 runs at an average of over 84 in six innings.

4. Love for Chennai

Brevis spoke about his love for Chennai and batting at Chepauk Stadium. He also mentioned Dharamsala as a beautiful place despite not playing there. "Batting at Chepauk Stadium was incredible, especially my second entry. Chennai is a special place for me," he said. Brevis has also been in great form for South Africa, scoring the second-fastest T20I century off 41 balls in August.

5. An Unknown Truth

Brevis shared a personal side about himself. He said he gets emotional watching movies and would have played Rugby if not cricket. "I do get emotional watching movies. If not cricket, I would have played Rugby. I had to choose between the two," he said. Brevis is currently part of the South African squad in the ongoing ODI series in England.