Chennai Super Kings (CSK) will have a tough time in figuring out their team combination in the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL 2026). The five-time champions, who finished at the bottom of the points table for the first time in the league’s history, have a problem of plenty this season as their squad is packed with some phenomenal talent – but largely inexperienced. One of the biggest talking points about CSK’s playing XI will be MS Dhoni and if he will find a full-time place in the line-up.
The second talking point will be how can CSK accommodate Rs 14.20 crore uncapped buys Kartik Sharma and Prashant Veer in the playing XI. Third, the biggest threat for the five-time champions is the lack of pace bowling options who are lethal in nature. While batting remains the team’s strong suit, it is their bowling which could hamper their IPL 2026 campaign. Therefore, deciding on a strong playing XI will be crucial for CSK’s success in the tournament.
Predicted CSK playing XI for IPL 2026
PositionPlayerRole1.Sanju SamsonWicketkeeper-batter2.Ayush MhatreOpener3.Ruturaj Gaikwad (C)Batter4. Dewald Brevis Batter5.Shivam DubeAll-rounder6.Prashant VeerAll-rounder7.Jamie OvertonAll-rounder8.Rahul ChaharSpinner9.Matt HenryPacer10.Khaleel AhmedPacer11.Noor AhmadSpinnerImpact player: MS DhoniBetter numbers as opener, but Gaikwad to stay at 3
Out of 71 matches that he has played in the IPL so far, Ruturaj Gaikwad has opened the innings on 60 of them. He has a superior record while batting at the top of the order, having amassed 2289 runs. Despite his track record, the CSK captain is most likely to continue batting at number 3, a new role that he embraced over the last two seasons.
CSK are likely to give Ayush Mhatre the long rope and allow him to bat with Sanju Samson at the top of the order. The youngster from Mumbai showed flashes of brilliance in his debut season last year and will be the perfect partner for Samson.
Now, that brings us to another important aspect – leaving Urvil Patel out. The wicketkeeper-batter, who was recruited mid-way through IPL 2025, usually bats in the top-order. With number 3 locked, and Brevis and Dube set to bat at number 4 and 5, Patel simply will have to warm the bench, unfortunately.
What about Sarfaraz Khan?
Safraraz Khan got lucky after he was picked up by CSK in the IPL 2026 mini-auction after initially going unsold. The Mumbai star now has a golden opoortunity to revive his T20 career. But, that golden opportunity faces multiple hurdles. For starters, as mentioned above, the side’s top 5 is more or less already set. This leaves him with very little scope to find a chance of squeezing into the playing XI.
Second, even if CSK would want to play him somewhere in the lower-middle order, his one-dimensional ability as a batter leaves him in a tricky situation. The team would want an all-rounder at that position. While it is highly unlikely that Sarfaraz will warm the bench throughout the tournament, he will have to wait for his opportunity.
Prashant Veer over Kartik Sharma
Prashant Veer is expected to be picked over Kartik Sharma initially in CSK’s playing XI. Veer is an all-rounder, touted to be the like-for-like replacement for Ravindra Jadeja in the line-up. Sharma, on the other hand, is a wicketkeeper-batter. CSK have no shortage of keeper-batters as they have four stars who can don the gloves and bat – Samson, Dhoni, Urvil and Sharma. Therefore, unless CSK decide to test their bench strength, Sharma is an unlikely candidate to make it to the playing XI.
MS Dhoni as impact player may be a reality
The fact that Sanju Samson is now in CSK and can take over the gloves can finally bring peace to MS Dhoni and the team. The 44-year-old can’t bat for a long time and doesn’t have the same vigour that he once possessed. Even in IPL 2025, he was seen coming out to bat at as low as number 8, something which was severly criticised. Reports also claimed that while he is fit, he has issues with his knees which prevents him from running between the wickets efficiently.
Therefore, this would be perfect chance for CSK to use Dhoni as an impact player. After all, he is in the final phase of his career. CSK would need MSD’s brilliance from behind the stumps, in terms of strategizing and driving traffic. However, Gaikwad is no stranger to captaincy. And he has Samson to turn to as well. So, it won’t be a huge loss for CSK if MS is off the field.
Predicted CSK playing XI for IPL 2026: MS Dhoni as impact player, will Sarfaraz Khan find spot? Inside Sport India.
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