Samira Vishwas
Tezzbuzz|18-12-2025
IPL 2026 auction in Abu Dhabi on December 16 delivered blockbuster bids, with teams spending ₹ 215.45 crore on 77 players, including 29 overseas stars. Chennai Super Kings emerged aggressive, exhausting nearly their entire ₹ 125 crore purse to secure 25 players, leaving just ₹ 2.40 crore. Uncapped sensations Prashant Veer and Kartik Sharma shattered records as the joint-highest paid at ₹ 14.20 crore each, while traded-in captain Sanju Samson commanded ₹ 18 crore.
Season of high hopes for Chennai Super Kings after banking on young guns
Chennai Super Kings enter IPL 2026 with renewed vigour after a dismal 2025 bottom-table finish, pivoting to youth-infused firepower under new influences like Samson. Retained skipper Travel Giikwad pairs with Samson at ₹ 18 crore each, forming a dynamic opening duo blending experience and aggression—Samson’s explosive 2025 domestic form (over 500 runs at 180+ strike rate) justifies the trade from Rajasthan Royals. CSK targeted raw talent, splashing ₹ 28.40 crore on Veer and Kartik, whose base prices were a mere ₹ 30 lakh, signalling franchise faith in unproven gems amid MS Dhoni’s ₹ 4 crore retention as mentor-wicketkeeper.
Veer, the Uttar Pradesh all-rounder, impressed in recent Ranji games with 20 wickets and 300 runs, earning CSK’s mega-bid for his seam-bowling variety and lower-order hitting. Kartik mirrors this as a wicketkeeper-batter with sharp glovework and middle-overs acceleration from Madhya Pradesh domestic circuits. Shivam Dubey anchors the finishers, Noor Ahmed bolsters spin attack, blending with veterans like Khaleel Ahmed for death-over control.
Overseas picks like Dewald Brevis, Nathan Ellisand Akeal Hosein add global depth, with eight foreign slots filled strategically. Anshul Kamboj and Gurjapneet Singh provide domestic pace options, while budget buys like Rahul Chahar and Mukesh Choudhary ensure spin-pace balance. This squad depth positions CSK for a playoff push, leveraging young energy on batting-friendly pitches.
Salaries of CSK players in IPL 2026
CSK’s auction strategy prioritized top-end spending on elite batters and uncapped all-rounders, with Samson topping at ₹ 18 crore alongside Gaikwad. Veer’s ₹ 14.20 crore deal highlights CSK’s youth gamble, outbidding rivals for his all-phase utility. Below is the full breakdown:
| S.No. | Player | Sold Price (₹) |
| 1 | Sanju Samson | 18 crores |
| 2 | Travel Giikwad | 18 crores |
| 3 | Kartik Sharma | 14 crosses 20 lakh |
| 4 | Prashant Veer | 14 crosses 20 lakh |
| 5 | Shivam Dubey | 12 crores |
| 6 | Noor Ahmed | 10 crores |
| 7 | Rahul Chahar | 5 cries 20 lakh |
| 8 | Khaleel Ahmed | 4 80 lakes |
| 9 | MS Dhoni | 4 crores |
| 10 | Anshul Kamboj | 3 cries 40 lakh |
| 11 | Gurjapneet Singh | 2 cries 20 lakh |
| 12 | Dewald Brevis | 2 cries 20 lakh |
| 13 | Nathan Ellis | 2 crores |
| 14 | Akeal Hosein | 2 crores |
| 15 | Matt Henry | 2 crores |
| 16 | Matthew Short | 1 cries 50 lake |
| 17 | Jamie Overton | 1 cries 50 lake |
| 18 | Sarfaraz Khan | 75 lakh |
| 19 | Zak Foulkes | 75 lakh |
| 20 | Aman Khan | 40 lakh |
| 21 | Shreyas Gopal | 30 lakh |
| 22 | Ayush Mhatre | 30 lakh |
| 23 | Ramakrishna Ghosh | 30 lakh |
| 24 | Urvil Patel | 30 lakh |
| 25 | Mukesh Choudhary | 30 lakh |
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