IPL franchise and major team, Chennai Super Kings, are all prepped up for a strategic revamping much ahead of the IPL 2026 season mini auction. This came after a rather disappointing 2025 season, wherein they finished at the bottom of the table. This came as a slap on the face as the five time champions were forced to rethink and decide on the overall squad structure.
This article will focus on CSK retained players 2025, the mega auction, the players list and more.
CSK Core Team 2025
Chennai Super Kings had begun the 2025 season with a pretty clear intention, preserve the formidable tribe whilst smartly supplementing the core with fresh talent. The five-player retention core, including Ruturaj Gaikwad, Ravindra Jadeja, Shivam Dube, Matheesha Pathirana and MS Dhoni, form the literal backbone of CSK. Their leadership, experience, and pace in equal measures have helped them in the previous years, as they continue to help navigate the mega auction landscape.
More importantly, they form the foundation for the team, and this foundation allows CSK to bid selectively in order to bring depth, bat to bowl versatility and more.
CSK Retained Player 2025 Mega Auction
CSK’s retention strategy ahead of the 2025 mega auction shows a balanced mix of loyalty, youth, and a lot of vision mixed with foresight. The 2025 season was indeed challenging for them, but after a tough season, the franchise has made its decision. CSK has retained 18 players, thus preserving a loyal continuity to the backbone whilst also freeing up space for aggressive bids.
CSK Players 2025 List – Retained Core Crew
| Batsmen | Name: 1. Deepak Hooda (explosive middle-order option, despite modest returns in 2025) 2. Dewald Brevis (A long term investment with high-ceiling South African records) 3. Shivam Dube (Retained for his death-over-six hitting firepower) |
| All-Rounders | Name: 1. Rachin Ravindra (Considered top-order stability with a prowess for left-arm spinning) 2. Ravindra Jadeja (Irreplaceable asset for spin, fielding and finishing) 3. Sam Curran (death bowling with lower-order utility) |
| Wicket-keeper | Name: 1. MS Dhoni (true heartbeat of CSK – leadership, with composure and clutch play) |
| Bowlers | Name: 1. Matheesha Pathirana (Death over X-factor, and a future asset) 2. Noor Ahmad (Mystery spinner with middle-overs control) 3. Khaleel Ahmed and Mukesh Choudhary: left arm swing options 4. Nathan Ellis: Death bowler 5. Anshul Kamboj: Pacer with potential |
Apart from this, there are some uncapped talents like Ayush Mhatre, Shaik Rasheed, Andre Siddharth, Ramakrishna Ghosh, and Urvil Patil. They are the youth pipeline for depth and flexibility.
Released Players for CSK 2026: The Tough Call
Despite the retained players, CSK did have to bid adieu to several players this season to inject fresh blood. The releases reflect a rather pragmatic lull of underperformers and non core assets after a grim season of 10 losses in 14 games. The released players include:
- Devon Conway (Batsman): Injuries are hampering his rhythm
- Rahul Tripathi (Batsma): Middle order mainstay but inconsistent returns
- Vijay Shankar (All-rounder): Utility player but all-rounder contributions did not do justice
- Jamie Overton (All-rounder): Imported from England, but was limited by a lack of fitness
- Kamlesh Nagarkoti (Bowler): Plagued by injuries hence unable to fulfil his true potential
- Ravichandran Ashwin (Bowler): He retired post 2025, and this automatically freed up a slot. He was not released from the team.
- Gurjapneet Singh: Seeking opportunities elsewhere.
Trade Rumors: The Jadeja Curran Samson Saga Unveiled
- No CSK off-season indeed comes without drama. In fact, there has been a blockbuster trade with the Rajasthan Royals – Jadeja and Curran for Sanju Samson is reportedly in a rather advanced stage.
- Both parties have consented, and forms are signed, but IPL rules on overseas slots and RR’s purse have stalled this trade.
- If approved, Samson could inject middle-order aggression, whereas CSK ends up gaining a captaincy heir.
- There have been names that are speculative, like Pathirana, but Dhoni has vetoed, and it seems quite firm.
CSK’s current squad before the retention deadline
Chennai Super Kings have spent INR 119.95 crores in the last mega auction in 2025 and were left with just INR 0.05 crores in their purse. The names listed below include the 24 member roster that they had built in 2025:
- Andre Siddharth
- Ayush Mhatre
- Rahul Tripathi
- Shaik Rasheed
- Devon Conway
- Deepak Hooda
- Dewald Brevis
- Jamie Overton
- Rachin Ravindra
- Ravindra Jadeja
- Ramakrishna Ghosh
- Sam Curran
- Shivam Dube
- MS Dhoni
- Urvi Patil
- Anshul Kamboj
- Kamlesh Nagarkoti
- Khaleel Ahmed
- Mukesh Choudhary
- Matheesha Pathirana
- Noor Ahmad
- Nathan Ellis
- Shreyas Gopal
Conclusion
The CSK player 2025 list certainly paints a picture of true resilience and adversity. As the mega auction unfolds in Saudi Arabia, we can expect Gaikwad and his team to target batting depth and express pace. Names like Travis Head and Jofra Archer are on the radar, and Dhoni’s leadership certainly demands silverware, and this reset feels like the spark that might have been missing in the last season.
For fans, this is a call of faith. The Yellow Army that bleeds for CSK is rebounding stronger. Will the retentions pay off? Or will the auctions rewrite the entire script and bring back its lost glory? Stay tuned, CSK is nowhere near done.