IPL 2026 auction in Abu Dhabi on December 16 delivered blockbuster bids, with groups spending ₹ 215.45 crore on 77 gamers, together with 29 abroad stars. Chennai Tremendous Kings emerged aggressive, exhausting practically their complete ₹ 125 crore purse to safe 25 gamers, leaving simply ₹ 2.40 crore. Uncapped sensations Prashant Veer and Kartik Sharma shattered information because the joint-highest paid at ₹ 14.20 crore every, whereas traded-in captain Sanju Samson commanded ₹ 18 crore.
Season of excessive hopes for Chennai Tremendous Kings after banking on younger weapons
Chennai Tremendous Kings enter IPL 2026 with renewed vigour after a dismal 2025 bottom-table end, pivoting to youth-infused firepower underneath new influences like Samson. Retained skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad pairs with Samson at ₹ 18 crore every, forming a dynamic opening duo mixing expertise and aggression—Samson’s explosive 2025 home type (over 500 runs at 180+ strike price) justifies the commerce from Rajasthan Royals. CSK focused uncooked expertise, splashing ₹ 28.40 crore on Veer and Kartik, whose base costs have been a mere ₹ 30 lakh, signalling franchise religion in unproven gems amid MS Dhoni’s ₹ 4 crore retention as mentor-wicketkeeper.
Veer, the Uttar Pradesh all-rounder, impressed in current Ranji video games with 20 wickets and 300 runs, incomes CSK’s mega-bid for his seam-bowling selection and lower-order hitting. Kartik mirrors this as a wicketkeeper-batter with sharp glovework and middle-overs acceleration from Madhya Pradesh home circuits. Shivam Dube anchors the finishers, Noor Ahmad bolsters spin assault, mixing with veterans like Khaleel Ahmed for death-over management.
Abroad picks like Dewald Brevis, Nathan Ellis, and Akeal Hosein add international depth, with eight overseas slots crammed strategically. Anshul Kamboj and Gurjapneet Singh present home tempo choices, whereas finances buys like Rahul Chahar and Mukesh Choudhary guarantee spin-pace steadiness. This squad depth positions CSK for a playoff push, leveraging younger vitality on batting-friendly pitches.
Additionally READ: IPL 2026 Auction: Full list of unsold players along with their base price
Salaries of CSK gamers in IPL 2026
CSK’s public sale technique 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. Under is the total breakdown:
| S.No. | Participant | Offered Value (₹) |
| 1 | Sanju Samson | 18 crores |
| 2 | Ruturaj Gaikwad | 18 crores |
| 3 | Kartik Sharma | 14 crores 20 lakh |
| 4 | Prashant Veer | 14 crores 20 lakh |
| 5 | Shivam Dube | 12 crores |
| 6 | Noor Ahmad | 10 crores |
| 7 | Rahul Chahar | 5 crores 20 lakh |
| 8 | Khaleel Ahmed | 4 crores 80 lakh |
| 9 | MS Dhoni | 4 crores |
| 10 | Anshul Kamboj | 3 crores 40 lakh |
| 11 | Gurjapneet Singh | 2 crores 20 lakh |
| 12 | Dewald Brevis | 2 crores 20 lakh |
| 13 | Nathan Ellis | 2 crores |
| 14 | Akeal Hosein | 2 crores |
| 15 | Matt Henry | 2 crores |
| 16 | Matthew Quick | 1 crores 50 lakh |
| 17 | Jamie Overton | 1 crores 50 lakh |
| 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 |
Additionally READ: IPL 2026 Auction: Complete list of sold players with their price
