The Chennai Super Kings (CSK) endured yet another disappointing campaign in the 2026 Indian Premier League (IPL). The Men in Yellow missed out on the playoffs for the third season running and are in desperate need of an overhaul.
Considered to have had a poor mega auction, the Super Kings’ retentions didn’t pan out as expected. Their purchases in the previous IPL auction didn’t work very well either, and they clearly need to make wholesale changes if they are to become one of the title contenders again.
On that note, here are three CSK players who must be released after IPL 2026.
#3 Ruturaj Gaikwad
It’s highly unlikely that CSK will release Ruturaj Gaikwad, but it’s definitely a possibility that must be considered. The Super Kings have Sanju Samson ready to take over as skipper, while names like Ayush Mhatre are available to open the batting.
Gaikwad doesn’t offer much to the CSK team. While a solid T20 batter overall with barely any holes in his game, the Chennai skipper just does not seem able to fix his intent issues at the top of the order. He had one of the worst-ever batting seasons in IPL history during the recently concluded campaign, with his lack of aggressiveness single-handedly costing the team several points.
Gaikwad’s leadership and in-game tactics have left a lot to be desired as well. It’s unlikely, but on merit, the ₹18-crore retention must be released.
#2 Rahul Chahar
Rahul Chahar played just one game for CSK in IPL 2026. That one game was enough to confirm what many already knew – his current level of bowling isn’t fit for the IPL, particularly on a contract worth more than ₹5 crore.
Noor Ahmad is the Super Kings’ premier spinner, and backups cannot be costing so much. Chahar, moreover, hasn’t done justice to his potential for quite a while now, with his control lacking on several occasions. He also doesn’t offer much in terms of usage across phases and batting.
#1 Prashant Veer
Signed for a whopping ₹14.2 crore at the IPL 2026 auction, Prashant Veer was barely trusted by CSK throughout the tournament. He sent down only a handful of overs and found himself out of the playing XII very often.
Veer is still a capable talent who could fill the void left behind by Ravindra Jadeja, but his price tag makes it very difficult for CSK to construct a solid roster filled with talented backups. The left-arm spinner surely won’t go for as big an amount this time around, and the Super Kings must attempt to buy him back instead of being stuck with a difficult contract that gives them no wiggle room.
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Edited by Sai Krishna