IPL 2026: Top 4 Players Who Might be Released by CSK

IPL 2026: Well, being released by an IPL franchise is undoubtedly one of the most bizarre experiences for the seasoned as well as uncapped players of the league. From financial loss to plagued future opportunities, being released by an IPL team can undoubtedly take a huge toll on a player’s mental health as well as their gameplay on the field.

Over the decades, the history of the Indian Premier League has witnessed numerous instances where a lot of players who failed to perform in the previous editions ended up being released by their respective IPL teams. Have you ever wondered about the players who might be released in the IPL 2026 edition when it comes to the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) franchise? Well? Let’s find out.

In this article we will take a look at the top four players who might be released by the CSK squad ahead of the IPL 2026 edition.

IPL 2026 : Top 4 Players Who Might be Released by CSK

• Vijay Shankar

The 34-year-old professional Indian cricketer, Vijay Shankar, is at the first spot in our list of the top four players who might not be a part of the CSK squad in the IPL 2026 edition. The batting all-rounder, Vijay Shankar, was picked up by the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) franchise for a staggering INR 1.20 crore ahead of the IPL 2025 edition.

Although the CSK franchise anticipated Vijay Shankar to dominate the field with his all-rounder exploits, the cricketer failed to meet the expectations of the selectors and ended up majorly underperforming throughout the IPL 2025 edition. Therefore, the CSK squad might give a second thought about retaining Vijay Shankar ahead of the IPL 2026 edition.

• Ravichandran Ashwin

At the second spot in our list of the top four players who might be released by the CSK squad ahead of the IPL 2026 edition we have one of the most seasoned players of the Indian Premier League, Ravichandran Ashwin who marked his homecoming to the CSK squad in the ongoing IPL 2025 edition after almost a decade.

Well, although Ravichandran Ashwin has never failed to perform for any IPL franchise that he has played for so far in his career, CSK is no exception. The franchise might still decide to release Ashwin ahead of the IPL 2026 edition since they already have numerous dynamic spinners in their squad. Additionally, releasing Ashwin frees up a huge salary cap space to acquire multiple players or a marquee overseas player.

• Deepak Hooda

Next, at the third spot in our list of the top four players who might not be a part of the CSK squad in the IPL 2026 edition, we have the thirty-year-old Indian professional cricketer Deepak Hooda, who has represented his country in One Day International and Twenty20 International cricket. Deepak Hooda was acquired by the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) for a staggering INR 1.7 crore at the TATA IPL 2025 mega auction held in Jeddah in November 2024.

Well, despite being acquired for a whopping INR 1.7 crore, Deepak Hooda underperformed for the team and could amass only a total of 31 across six matches throughout the season with a dismal average of 6.20 and a strike rate of 75.60, which could turn out to be a major reason for his dismissal from the CSK squad ahead of the IPL 2026 edition.

• Rahul Tripathi

Finally, at the fourth spot in our list of the top four players who might be released by the CSK squad ahead of the IPL 2026 edition, we have the thirty-four-year-old Indian professional cricketer Rahul Tripathi, who was acquired by the CSK franchise for a staggering auction price of INR 3.40 crore.

Well, despite the huge price cap, Rahul Tripathi has majorly disappointed the selectors in the ongoing IPL 2025 edition and failed to create an impact on the field. Rahul Tripathi managed to score a mere total of 55 runs in the season, with a modest strike rate of 97.87, which played a crucial role in CSK’s disappointing performance in IPL 2025, finishing at the bottom of the points table.