The Chennai Super Kings step into the 2026 IPL season with a refreshed yet familiar squad, showcasing a strong core of retained players who continue to define the franchise’s winning identity. Blending seasoned performers with emerging talent, CSK enters the new season with stability, experience, and tactical depth. With reliable match-winners across departments and smart retentions that strengthen team balance, the Chennai Super Kings look well-prepared to chase another successful campaign in 2026.
CSK Team Full Overview
| Captain | Ruturaj Gaikwad |
| Coach | Stephen Fleming |
| Home Ground | MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai |
| IPL Titles | 5 (2010, 2011, 2018, 2021, 2023) |
| Owner | Chennai Super Kings Cricket Ltd (Subsidiary of India Cement) |
CSK Squad 2026 | CSK Team Retained Players
Batsman
Ruturaj Gaikawad
Batsman
MS Dhoni
Wicket Keeper/Batsman
Dewald Brevis
Batsman
Sanju Samson
Wicket Keeper/Batsman
All Rounders
Anshul Kamboj
All Rounders
Jamie Overton
All Rounders
Ramakrishna Ghosh
All Rounders
Shivam Dube
All Rounders
Bowlers
Khaleel Ahmed
Bowler
Noor Ahmad
Bowler
Mukesh Choudhary
Bowler
Gurjapneet Singh
Bowler
Nathan Ellis
Bowler
Shreyas Gopal
Bowler
CSK Released Players 2026
| CSK Team Release Players Name 2026 |
|---|
| Ravindra Jadeja – CSK to RR |
| Sam CurranCSK to RR |
| Rahul Tripathi |
| Vansh Bedi |
| Andre Siddarth |
| Rachin Ravindra |
| Deepak Hooda |
| Vijay Shankar |
| Shaik Rasheed |
| Kamlesh Nagarkoti |
| Matheesha Pathirana |
| Devon Conway |
| Ravichandran Ashwin |
Chennai Super Kings – Complete Updated History 2008 to 2025
Chennai Super Kings have developed one of the most legendary legacies in IPL history. Over more than a dozen seasons, they have consistently made the knockout rounds and provided some of the most memorable performances of any team in this tournament. MS Dhoni, who was bought for ₹9.5 crore in the very first auction of IPL, is considered the face of CSK. Under the tutelage of Stephen Fleming, their head coach, CSK built a reputation for discipline stability and long-term thinking.
Rise, Dominance & Early Heartbreaks
CSK got close to the glory in their first two seasons, losing the 2008 and 2009 finals in the last ball. It paid off in stubbornness when they won two titles back to back – the 2010 and 2011 seasons made them early flamboyant giants of IPL.
But the next few years were a struggle. After four years without a title, the franchise was ordered to shut down for two seasons over a scandal that shook Italian football. But when they came back in 2018, they produced one of the greatest comebacks ever to win a third IPL trophy and show that class doesn’t disappear.
Thrillers, Comebacks & Ups and Downs
One of the most thrilling matches in IPL history, CSK lost by a run the 2019 final against Mumbai Indians. In 2020 veteran Parthiv Patel’s men found it hard to adjust to the conditions in UAE and were languishing at the bottom – an unusual sight for their supporters.
But like they always do, CSK bounced back yet again in 2021, capping a successful league stage campaign with a win over Kolkata Knight Riders to lift their fourth title. A subpar 2022 season ensued, but the team bounced back magnificently in 2023 by winning their fifth IPL title to bolster that rich legacy.
2025 Season – Full Overview
CSK endured one of its most challenging seasons in 2025. They won just four out of fourteen games and ended bottom of the points table. Batting inconsistency and an exaggerated dependence on spin-friendly conditions either from nature or man-made that didn’t exactly turn out in their favour played its part as well.
Leadership Changes
Ruturaj Gaikwad was the captain at the start of the season and an elbow injury had him out midway into it. The captaincy changed hands again, with the return of MS Dhoni and there was some semblance of balance in the squad but results were hard to come by in the season.
Performance Breakdown
- CSK had a problem of losing batting momentum and not opening up at crucial stages.
- They posted some of the worst run rates this year, which hurt them in high-scoring games.
- The bowlers, especially the spinners, were a mix of hits and misses but there were standout performances.
Key Performers
- Noor Ahmed was the most impressive, bagging 24 wickets for the season.
- Shivam Dube was their highest run-scorer and he proved to be the most dependable batsman for the side throughout this season.
- Ravindra Jadeja reached an important personal milestone after he became CSK’s leading wicket-taker of all time.
- MS Dhoni guided the team well in limited opportunities and also missed very few chances behind the stumps.
Finishing the Season
CSK signed off on a memorable note thrashing Gujarat Titans by 83 runs. Devon Conway and Dewald Brevis both played out of their skin, and the bowlers were up there with one of the performances of the season. Despite the overall disappointment of the campaign, a positive end hinted at better days to come.
Updated CSK Performance Table (Including 2025)
| Season | Matches | Wins | Losses | NR | Final Standing | Top Run Scorer | Top Wicket Taker |
| 2008 | 16 | 9 | 7 | 0 | Runners-up | Suresh Raina (431) | Albie Morkel (17) |
| 2009 | 15 | 8 | 6 | 1 | Semi-finalist | Matthew Hayden (573) | Muralitharan (14) |
| 2010 | 16 | 9 | 7 | 0 | Champions | Suresh Raina (520) | Muralitharan (15) |
| 2011 | 16 | 11 | 5 | 0 | Champions | Michael Hussey (492) | R. Ashwin (20) |
| 2012 | 19 | 10 | 8 | 1 | Runners-up | Suresh Raina (441) | Ben Hilfenhaus (14) |
| 2013 | 18 | 12 | 6 | 0 | Runners-up | Michael Hussey (733) | Dwayne Bravo (32) |
| 2014 | 16 | 10 | 6 | 0 | Playoffs | Dwayne Smith (566) | Mohit Sharma (23) |
| 2015 | 17 | 10 | 7 | 0 | Runners-up | Brendon McCullum (436) | Dwayne Bravo (26) |
| 2016 | – | – | – | – | Suspended | – | – |
| 2017 | – | – | – | – | Suspended | – | – |
| 2018 | 16 | 11 | 5 | 0 | Champions | Ambati Rayudu (602) | Shardul Thakur (16) |
| 2019 | 17 | 10 | 7 | 0 | Runner-up | MS Dhoni (416) | Imran Tahir (26) |
| 2020 | 14 | 6 | 8 | 0 | 7th Place | Faf du Plessis (449) | Sam Curran (13) |
| 2021 | 16 | 11 | 5 | 0 | Champions | Ruturaj Gaikwad (635) | Shardul Thakur (21) |
| 2022 | 14 | 4 | 10 | 0 | 9th Place | Ruturaj Gaikwad (368) | Dwayne Bravo (16) |
| 2023 | 16 | 10 | 5 | 1 | Champions | Devon Conway (672) | Tushar Deshpande (21) |
| 2024 | 14 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 5th Place | Ruturaj Gaikwad (583) | Tushar Deshpande (17) |
| 2025 | 14 | 4 | 10 | 0 | 10th Place | Shivam Dube (357) | Noor Ahmed (24) |
FAQs
Q.1 Why was CSK banned for two years?
Ans: The team was suspended due to the involvement of team officials in betting-related activities.
Q.2 Who is the CEO of CSK?
Ans: Kasi Viswanathan serves as the CEO and also acts as one of the directors.
Q.3 Who are CSK’s best players historically?
Ans: CSK’s most iconic players include MS Dhoni, Suresh Raina, and Ravindra Jadeja.
Q.4 Will MS Dhoni play in IPL 2025?
Ans: Dhoni featured as an uncapped player and even took over captaincy mid-season in 2025.
Q.5 Who wears jersey number 7 for CSK?
Ans: MS Dhoni continues to wear the No. 7 jersey.
