🏆 PLAY DREAM11 IPL 2026 — GET ₹100 BONUS
No franchise in IPL history has ever captured a sixth title — but Chennai Super Kings are determined to make 2026 the year it finally happens. With MS Dhoni in the twilight of his extraordinary career, captain Ruturaj Gaikwad providing calm leadership, and the explosive new addition of Sanju Samson at the top of the order, CSK arrive at IPL 2026 with what many analysts believe is their most balanced squad in several years. Coach Stephen Fleming is still at the helm — and his record at CSK speaks for itself.
🏆 CSK's record: 5 IPL titles (2010, 2011, 2018, 2021, 2023), the joint-most in IPL history alongside Mumbai Indians. Brand value: $235 million. Home: MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai (Chepauk).
FULL CSK SQUAD 2026
CHENNAI SUPER KINGS — FULL SQUAD 2026
| Player | Role | Nationality |
|---|---|---|
| Ruturaj Gaikwad (c) | Opener | India |
| Sanju Samson | WK-Batter | India |
| Ayush Mhatre | Batter | India |
| Dewald Brevis | Batter | South Africa |
| MS Dhoni (wk) | WK-Batter/Finisher | India |
| Shivam Dube | All-rounder | India |
| Prashant Veer | All-rounder | India |
| Kartik Sharma | All-rounder | India |
| Matthew Short | All-rounder | Australia |
| Akeal Hosein | Spinner | West Indies |
| Noor Ahmad | Spinner | Afghanistan |
| Khaleel Ahmed | Fast Bowler | India |
| Nathan Ellis | Fast Bowler | Australia |
| Matt Henry | Fast Bowler | New Zealand |
| Anshul Kamboj | Fast Bowler | India |
| Mukesh Choudhary | Fast Bowler | India |
| Jamie Overton | All-rounder | England |
| Shreyas Gopal | Leg Spinner | India |
| Rahul Chahar | Leg Spinner | India |
| Gurjapneet Singh | Fast Bowler | India (Uncapped) |
| Sarfaraz Khan | Batter | India |
| Aman Khan | All-rounder | India |
| Urvil Patel | Batter/WK | India |
| Ramakrishna Ghosh | All-rounder | India |
| Zak Foulkes | Fast Bowler | England |
THE SANJU SAMSON FACTOR
The most significant addition to CSK's 2026 squad is Sanju Samson. The Kerala-born wicketkeeper-batter is one of the most feared power-play hitters in T20 cricket. His inclusion at CSK — alongside Gaikwad's steady accumulation, Dewald Brevis's explosive power, and Shivam Dube's middle-order muscle — gives the Yellow Army an unprecedented batting arsenal. ESPNcricinfo noted that "Sanju Samson's entry and the change in planning made CSK splurge on Prashant Veer and Kartik Sharma" — suggesting the franchise has completely redesigned their batting philosophy around his addition.
PROPOSED BEST PLAYING XI
ESPNcricinfo's projected best XII: Sanju Samson (wk), Ayush Mhatre, Ruturaj Gaikwad (c), Shivam Dube, Dewald Brevis, Kartik Sharma, Prashant Veer, MS Dhoni (wk), Nathan Ellis, Matt Henry / Akeal Hosein, Noor Ahmad, Khaleel Ahmed. The dual wicketkeeper setup (Samson and Dhoni) adds flexibility — Samson bats high in the order while Dhoni finishes.
CAN CSK WIN A RECORD 6TH TITLE?
Our verdict: CSK are our second-ranked squad heading into IPL 2026, behind only defending champions RCB. The combination of Ruturaj Gaikwad's calm captaincy, Sanju Samson's explosiveness, Dhoni's finishing instinct, and a balanced bowling attack featuring Noor Ahmad's wrist spin, Nathan Ellis's death bowling, and Khaleel Ahmed's swing is a genuinely fearsome combination. However, ESPNcricinfo flagged that "IPL inexperience runs through the middle order and bowling attack" — notably the new signings Prashant Veer (₹14.2 crore, uncapped) and Kartik Sharma (₹14.2 crore, uncapped). If both of those young guns deliver, CSK will be unstoppable. If they don't, there's a middle-order fragility that opponents will target. Either way, this is a team that could absolutely win their record 6th IPL title. 🟡
