IPL 2026: “CSK’s first priority will be…” R Ashwin Reveals Franchise Plans With Its Big-Budget Moves

Chennai Super Kings will walk into the IPL 2026 mini auction with a purse of INR 43.40 crore and a clear plan to rebuild after a rough 2025 season. The team finished well below expectations, which has pushed the management toward a major overhaul.

Ravichandran Ashwin shared his view on what CSK will chase first. He said CSK will target an Indian all-rounder right away. He pointed to Venkatesh Iyer as their most likely pick. He added that CSK had earlier looked at Glenn Maxwell for that role, but Maxwell is unavailable now.

Ashwin said, “CSK’s first priority will be Venkatesh Iyer. They would have thought of Maxwell in the other slot. Now that he’s out, it’ll be Livingstone.” He believes Liam Livingstone will become CSK’s main overseas option because the team wants a powerful middle-order hitter who can bowl.

CSK made some bold calls before the auction. They released players like Matheesha Pathirana and added an extra INR 9 crore to the purse after Ashwin’s own IPL retirement. These moves gave them more freedom to chase high value names.

Ashwin felt Pathirana’s release made sense for the bigger picture. He said most teams expected Andre Russell to enter the auction, so CSK wanted to stay ready. They also had eyes on Cameron Green. But with only 30 crore earlier, Ashwin said they had no chance to compete. He added, “Pathirana looked like a very obvious release” because CSK needed room for marquee all-rounders.

CSK’s changes follow what Ashwin called a disastrous 2025 season. The team struggled even though Shivam Dube had a strong year with the bat and Noor Ahmad impressed with the ball. The management now wants depth, balance and more impact players.

The auction gives CSK a chance to reset. If they land Venkatesh Iyer and a proven overseas all-rounder like Livingstone, the squad could quickly look stronger. Fans will be keen to see how CSK spend their large purse and which big names they secure.