CSK Retained & Released Players List for IPL 2026 – A Fresh Start for Yellow Army

The Chennai Super Kings (CSK), one of the most successful franchises in Indian Premier League (IPL) history, has announced its list of retained and released players ahead of 2026 season. A substantial overhaul is in process after CSK’s disappointing 2025 campaign – where they finished last, this year. The 2026 retention a release list will show you who the franchise wants for it’s young core moving forward, and who it did not keep or trade. Let us take a detailed look.

Why This Retention Decision Matters

1. Worst 2025 season: CSK’s performance in IPL 2025 was their worst-ever. They slogged through most matches, and were able to fetch only a couple of victories. It was all too obvious: a rebuild was necessary.
2. Squad balance: Auctions give teams the freedom to balance their squad afresh — throw in young blood, get that bit more balanced with experience, rejig overseas slots and redefine roles (batsmen bowlers all-rounders wicketkeepers).
3. Strategic trade moves: Beyond retain and release, CSK have traded – the big message is that they brought in a new star, which suggests that they are planning very differently from earlier.

So, their 2026 retention list is not a mere list of players — it’s indicative of CSK’s revised approach and the blueprint they have already put in place for a comeback.

CSK Retained Players – 2026 Squad (So Far)

The players that CSK has decided to retain (or acquire through trade) form the backbone of their 2026 squad. Here is the confirmed retained list (with retained price, where applicable).

Player	Nationality / Notes	Retained Price / Status
Ruturaj Gaikwad (c)	Indian	₹18.00 crore
MS Dhoni (WK)	Indian	₹4.00 crore
Ayush Mhatre	Indian	₹0.30 crore (30 lakh)
Dewald Brevis	South African	₹2.20 crore
Urvil Patel	Indian	(Retained — status)
Shivam Dube	Indian (All-rounder)	₹12.00 crore
Jamie Overton	English (Overseas)	₹1.50 crore
Ramakrishna Ghosh	Indian	(Retained — status)
Noor Ahmad	Afghan (Spinner, Overseas)	Retained — status
Khaleel Ahmed	Indian (Pacer)	₹4.80 crore
Anshul Kamboj	Indian (Pacer)	₹3.40 crore
Gurjapneet Singh	Indian	₹2.20 crore
Nathan Ellis	Australian (Overseas)	₹2.00 crore
Shreyas Gopal	Indian	₹0.30 crore (30 lakh)
Mukesh Choudhary	Indian	₹0.30 crore (30 lakh)
Sanju Samson (traded in from another team)	Indian (Wicket-keeper/Batter)	Trade-in at ₹18.00 crore

Purse left: Including these retentions and trades then, CSK have ₹43.40 crore remaining for the Auction in 2026.

This list is a mixed bag of experience, youth, Indian and overseas players — an indicator that CSK want to form more well-balanced and accommodating team for IPL 2026.

CSK Released / Traded Players Ahead of 2026 Auction

CSK was also fearless in its approach following what it calls ‘retirement’ of Cricketers and released or traded quite a few, including some big names. Here is the list of released / traded players.

Player	Nationality / Notes	Status / Remarks
Ravindra Jadeja	Indian (Legendary All-rounder)	Traded out
Sam Curran	English (All-rounder)	Traded out
Matheesha Pathirana	Sri Lankan (Pacer)	Released
Devon Conway	New Zealand (Batter/WK)	Released
Rachin Ravindra	New Zealand (Batter)	Released
Rahul Tripathi	Indian (Batter)	Released
Deepak Hooda	Indian (All-rounder/Batter)	Released
Vijay Shankar	Indian (All-rounder)	Released
Shaikh Rasheed	Indian (Uncapped Batter)	Released
Andre Siddarth	Indian	Released
Vansh Bedi	Indian	Released
Kamlesh Nagarkoti	Indian (Pacer)	Released

“It is a clear sign about where CSK are heading to and the team building they are looking at such as Jadeja, who has been an all-time favourite.

Major Highlights and Key Moves

The Blockbuster Trade — Sanju Samson In, Jadeja & Curran Out

The primary headline from the CSK retention exercise is the trade-off involving Sanju Samson (in) and Ravindra Jadeja and Sam Curran (out). This could well be one of the biggest trades in CSK history.

• Why this trade matters:Jadeja was a mainstay in CSK for over 10 years —a good all-rounder, who has the experience of winning matches and an outstanding outfielder. It is also a generation change to trade him.”
• What Samson offers: A good wicket-keeper batter, strong leadership skills and youthful exuberance. CSK is probably looking at building for the future while slowly handing over the captaincy.

Balanced Core — Mix of Youth, Experience, Domestic & Overseas

CSK’s retentions show that they are looking for a combination:

• Experience: Experience in the form of captains and senior players, such as Ruturaj Gaikwad, MS Dhoni, Shivam Dube.
• Young & Upcoming: Dewald Brevis, Ayush Mhatre, Gurjapneet Singh.
• Bowling Depth: They have pacers like Khaleel Ahmed, Anshul Kamboj, and overseas players Jamie Overton and Nathan Ellis.
• Spin & All-round choices: Noor Ahmad (young spinner) and batting all rounders, to provide with options in different conditions.

This rebuilding mantra indicates CSK is looking at a long-term stability and not just immediate recovery.

Auction Purse & Flexibility

CSK 2026 squad With ₹43.40 crore still in their purse, CSK have a good amount to spend In the Mini-auction next year. This purse allows them the freedom to focus on those key personnel — whether it’s an impactful batsman, a top-quality bowler or a finisher all-rounder.

Looking at the number of slots that are there (after releases and trades), CSK might be actually positioned to hunt in a aggressive manner in the auction.

What This Means for CSK & Their Fans

• Farewell to some greats — but the start of something new: Releasing Jadeja, Curran and others may hurt fans — but it also paves way for fresh talent and energy. The Sanju Samson trade is evidence that CSK are planning for the future.
• Opportunities for the youngsters: That Dewald Brevis, Ayush Mhatre, Gurjapneet Singh will have another season — affording them an opportunity to nail down a place in the starting XI.
• Emphasis on balance and flexibility: The side is less reliant on its top order — batting, bowling and all-round depth are balanced. For a long, competitive season that is critical.
• Highest expected expectations from the auction strategy: With ₹ 43.4 crore remaining in the purse, CSK may look at plugging holes — a death-over specialist bowler, spinning all-rounder into backup or a big-hitting finisher? Fans will watch closely.

Overall, 2026 looks like a “rebuild + re-strategize” season for CSK — not just trying to bounce back, but laying groundwork for consistent success.

Possible Challenges Ahead

• Team chemistry: With so many changes, this team will take time to form an identity. New players must be settled in swiftly.
• Players who have pressure on them: Senior players, and it’s another level of influence for new trade-in stars. Expectations will be high.
• Auction gamble: The uncertainty of auction outcomes, no matter the size of your purse. Overpaying or choosing the wrong profiles could undermine long-term plans.
• The seed for consistency, not surprise: CSK will require to invest on consistency — a timely good show here and there doesn’t always win one matches. A well rounded team necessitates decent amounts of ‘team’ work.

What Fans Should Watch for in IPL 2026

1. Who walks into CSK’s playing XI – especially overseas slots and final combination.
2. Young or recently acquired players — can they handle the pressure?
3. How smart a trade-in Sanju Samson is — both in the batting order, behind the stumps and perhaps even as a leader.
4. Auction signings — the strengths CSK will have in players they acquire with remaining purse. Their decisions will specific the future of the team.
5. Team balance in games — whether CSK delivers on their flexibility (pace, spin, batting depth and finishers) or over-rely too much on a few stars.

Read More: CSK vs MI Head to Head in IPL, Records, Stats & Results / CSK vs PBKS Head to Head in IPL- Stats, Records

Quick Summary

• CSK has retained 16 players (including trade-in) and released/traded more than 12 players going into IPL 2026.
• Among the big moves are bringing in Sanju Samson and omitting Ravindra Jadeja and Sam Curran.
• With purse worth ₹43.40 crore, CSK heads to auction with bendability in squad.
• The new squad represents a blend of experience + youth + balanced skill sets — which reflects planning, not hacking — suggesting we’re putting thought into our reboot.
• For fans 2026 season could be knothole-peek at new era — read along: Expect experimentation, some surprises, a long-term plan (not just an immediate title push, although that is still the goal)..

Concluding Thoughts

The “CSK Retained & Released Players List for IPL 2026” is the new start of Chennai Super Kings. No franchise lasts forever in the success stakes without some change — and CSK’s adventurous overhaul suggests they are ready to evolve. Goodbyes hurt, especially to legends, but it sure felt like there was a hunger — a thirst — to rebuild, restructure and rise again. For fans, it might be a season of optimism, waiting and thrill.

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