Chennai Super Kings (CSK) have surprised many at the IPL 2026 auction, held in Abu Dhabi on December 16, 2025, by adopting a youth-centric approach, a departure from their traditional strategy of relying on experienced players. The five-time champions entered the auction with the second-highest purse of ₹43.40 crore and made some significant acquisitions, signaling a shift in team building philosophy.
The biggest talking point of CSK's auction strategy was their heavy investment in uncapped Indian players. They splurged ₹14.20 crore each on spin-bowling all-rounder Prashant Veer from Uttar Pradesh and wicketkeeper-batter Kartik Sharma from Rajasthan. These acquisitions made Veer and Sharma the joint-most expensive uncapped players in IPL history. Both players had a base price of ₹30 lakh.
Prashant Veer is an all-rounder who has impressed with both bat and ball in domestic cricket. In the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, he scored 112 runs in six innings at an average of over 37 and a strike rate exceeding 170, while also taking nine wickets in seven matches. Kartik Sharma, on the other hand, is a power-hitting wicketkeeper-batter who has caught the attention with his performances in Rajasthan's domestic circuit. He has scored 334 runs in 12 T20s at an average of 30.36 and a strike rate of 162.92, including two fifties, and has also amassed 331 runs in five Ranji Trophy matches at an average of 55.16, with two centuries.
CSK also picked up West Indies spinner Akeal Hosein for ₹2 crore at his base price. Other notable buys for CSK include Matt Short (₹1.50 crore), Aman Khan (₹40 lakh), Sarfaraz Khan (₹75 lakh), Matt Henry (₹2 crore), and Rahul Chahar (₹5.20 crore). Sarfaraz Khan was signed at his base price of ₹75 lakh in the accelerated auction after going unsold in the initial round. Rahul Chahar was acquired after a bidding war with Punjab Kings.
Ahead of the auction, CSK traded Ravindra Jadeja and Sam Curran to Rajasthan Royals in exchange for Sanju Samson. The team retained Ruturaj Gaikwad (c), MS Dhoni, Ayush Mhatre, Dewald Brevis, Urvil Patel, Shivam Dube, Jamie Overton, Ramakrishna Ghosh, Noor Ahmad, Khaleel Ahmed, Anshul Kamboj, Gurjapneet Singh, Shreyas Gopal, Mukesh Choudhary, and Nathan Ellis.
The decision to invest heavily in uncapped players reflects a change in strategy for CSK. Head coach Stephen Fleming said the franchise had been tracking Kartik closely and felt the timing was right to act. He added that they needed Prashant's skillset after the Jadeja trade. This new approach may be aimed at building a team for the future, with a focus on developing young talent. Some analysts suggest that CSK's squad feels like a fresh reset button, delivering a balanced, well-rounded, and flexible side filled with promising young talent.
