IPL 2026: 3 CSK Players Who Could Be Traded Before the IPL Auction
The five-time champions Chennai Super Kings (CSK) had a tough season in IPL 2025, ending at the bottom of the points table with only four wins. Their campaign was also affected by the injury to captain Ruturaj Gaikwad, who missed half the season due to an elbow fracture. MS Dhoni stepped in as captain again, but even his leadership couldn’t turn the season around for the five-time champions.
As IPL 2026 approaches, CSK will undergo a team overhaul and aim to win it all again. During this situation, the franchise may trade players with other franchises ahead of the auction. Here are three players we think CSK could pursue in those trades.
3 CSK Players Who Could Be Traded Before the IPL Auction
Vijay Shankar
In IPL 2025, middle-order batter Vijay Shankar did struggle for CSK. In five innings he only scored 118 runs with a strike rate of less than 130. The trouble he had with slow-scoring often interrupted the team’s momentum in the middle overs, hindering others from playing freely and forcing the team to play more defensively. Therefore, Chennai-based franchises could entertain the possibility of trading Shankar in the quest for a dynamic all-rounder who can escalate scoring and provide stablity in the vital middle overs.
Shreyas Gopal
Karnataka’s leg-spinner and all-rounder Shreyas Gopal could be one of the players CSK might trade. He didn’t play much in IPL 2025 because the team leaned on Ravindra Jadeja and Noor Ahmad, who performed steadily in the middle overs.
Gopal mostly got a chance to bowl only when Ravichandran Ashwin was having a tough time with his bowling. Gopal brings valuable IPL experience, having maintained an economy rate of 8.16, and his four-over spells have regularly been game-changers.
However, with the current spin resources performing well, CSK may consider trading him and investing in a promising domestic spinner who can be groomed for the future.
Devon Conway
Devon Conway might be one of the first players to be traded. The left-handed batter managed just 156 runs in six innings and had a low strike rate, even though the team had spent INR 6.25 crore to buy him in the mega auction.
His struggles to give quick starts at the top often left CSK chasing the run rate in important matches. To improve the top order, the team might look for a more aggressive overseas opener who can give a strong start and keep the momentum going. Since Ayush Mhatre and Dewald Brevis performed really well in the few chances they got last season, the team may decide to move on from the New Zealand wicketkeeper-batter.
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