Revival Plan: 5 Players Who Can Transform Ruturaj And MSD's CSK IPL 2026 Campaign

Probuddha Bhattacharjee

Dewald Brevis and Ayush Mhatre for CSK [Source: AP Photos]Dewald Brevis and Ayush Mhatre for CSK [Source: AP Photos]

After a disappointing IPL 2025 campaign with just 2 wins from 10 matches, Chennai Super Kings face a critical rebuilding phase. With several underperforming players likely to be released, including Deepak Hooda, Ravichandran Ashwin, Mukesh Choudhary, Rahul Tripathi, Nathan Ellis, Rachin Ravindra, and Jamie Overton, CSK must strategically reinforce their squad in the upcoming mini-auction.

The five-time champions need to recapture their winning formula by addressing key weaknesses in their batting powerplay, middle-order acceleration, and death bowling. Crucially, CSK must prioritize buying back Dewald Brevis and Ayush Mhatre, who joined as injury replacements in 2025 but showed tremendous potential. With four overseas slots now available, here are five players CSK should target to restore their IPL dominance in 2026.

1. Dewald Brevis

  • Must Re-Acquire Injury Replacement: As a 2025 injury replacement, Dewald Brevis must be bought back at the auction after demonstrating his exceptional abilities.
  • Middle-Order Firepower: Brevis's explosive batting can solve CSK's middle-overs scoring rate problem, which languished at just 6.82 in IPL 2025.
  • Future Investment: At just 22 years old, the "Baby AB" represents a long-term asset who can eventually become the face of CSK's batting lineup as MS Dhoni transitions out.

2. Ayush Mhatre

  • Must Re-Acquire Injury Replacement: Having joined as an injury replacement in 2025, CSK needs to formally buy back Ayush Mhatre at the auction to secure his promising talent.
  • Explosive Indian Opener: Mhatre's impressive strike rate of 182.35 in limited opportunities highlights his ability to dominate powerplay overs.
  • Local Talent Development: As a young Indian talent, he fits CSK's traditional strategy of nurturing domestic players into consistent performers.

3. Matt Short

Matthew Short [Source: @Cricadium/x.com]Matthew Short [Source: @Cricadium/x.com]

  • Dual-Role Specialist: Matt Short's aggressive opening batting combined with his off-spin bowling provides two skills in one overseas slot.
  • Powerplay Aggressor: His naturally attacking approach can significantly improve CSK's powerplay run rate, which was a modest 7.49 in 2025.
  • Spin Arsenal Enhancement: His off-spin adds valuable variety to CSK's spin attack, complementing Jadeja's left-arm orthodox and Noor Ahmad's wrist spin.

4. Alzarri Joseph

  • Express Pace Option: Alzarri Joseph's consistent 145+ kph deliveries add a missing dimension to CSK's attack, addressing their powerplay bowling average of 37.21.
  • Proven IPL Success: Unlike untested overseas options, Joseph has demonstrated his effectiveness in IPL conditions with previous franchises.
  • Wicket-Taking Ability: His knack for breaking partnerships in the middle overs addresses a critical area where CSK struggled to contain opposition momentum.

5. Gus Atkinson

Gus Atkinson [Source: KnightsVibe/x.com]Gus Atkinson [Source: KnightsVibe/x.com]

  • Rising Pace Talent: Gus Atkinson's combination of raw pace and swing makes him an exciting option for both powerplay and death overs.
  • All-Phase Versatility: His ability to bowl effectively across all phases of the game provides tactical flexibility that CSK lacked in 2025.
  • Lower Auction Price: As a relatively newer name in T20 franchise cricket, Atkinson could represent better value than established stars, allowing CSK to distribute their auction purse more effectively.

With these five strategic acquisitions, CSK can rebuild their squad around a core of retained players including Ruturaj Gaikwad, Shivam Dube, Ravindra Jadeja, MS Dhoni, and Noor Ahmad. The balanced injection of youth and experience, coupled with specific skill sets that address their 2025 weaknesses, could restore Chennai Super Kings to their rightful place as IPL contenders.

The release of underperforming players frees up approximately ₹20 crore in their auction purse, providing sufficient resources to aggressively pursue these targets. By focusing on specific roles rather than star names, CSK can construct a more cohesive and effective unit for IPL 2026.

If executed correctly, this strategic reset could mark the beginning of another dominant era for one of the IPL's most successful franchises.