New Delhi, March 28 – Former Indian cricketer Ravichandran Ashwin has selected his strongest playing XI for the five-time champions, Chennai Super Kings (CSK), with options for an "Impact Player," after the team's captain, MS Dhoni, was subsequently ruled out for the first two weeks of the 2026 Indian Premier League (IPL), which will begin on Saturday.
"MS Dhoni is currently undergoing rehabilitation for a calf strain. As a result, he is likely to miss the first two weeks of IPL 2026," the franchise said in a statement.
Ashwin has chosen Sanju Samson as the wicketkeeper, and he will also open the innings with captain Ruturaj Gaikwad.
The former CSK player has selected three attacking batsmen in the next three positions, including Urvil Patel at No. 3, batter Dewald Brevis at number four, followed by India's 2026 T20 World Cup all-rounder Shivam Dube at number five.
Ashwin has provided two options for the number six position. His first choice is Sarfaraz Khan, while the other is India's U19 World Cup champion captain, Ayush Mhatre. The former Indian spinner has also selected Kartik Sharma for the number 7 spot.
In the bowling department, he has selected Akeal Hosein and Noor Ahmad as the main spinners, with Hosein also capable of contributing with the bat at number eight.
For the pace attack, Ashwin has gone with Matt Henry and Khaleel Ahmed.
Ashwin has provided four options for the "Impact Player," including Anshul Kamboj, Shreyas Gopal, Ramakrishna Ghosh, and Rahul Chahar.
CSK enters the new season after a disappointing 2025 campaign, where they finished at the bottom of the table, the worst result in the franchise's history. Known for their consistency and strong performances over the years, the team's poor showing came as a surprise to fans.
The Ruturaj Gaikwad-led side will begin their IPL 2026 campaign against Rajasthan Royals on March 30 at the Barapara Stadium in Guwahati.
Ashwin's CSK playing XI:
Sanju Samson (wk), Ruturaj Gaikwad (c), Urvil Patel, Dewald Brevis, Shivam Dube, Sarfaraz Khan/Ayush Mhatre, Kartik Sharma, Akeal Hosein, Noor Ahmad, Matt Henry, Khaleel Ahmed
Impact Player: Anshul Kamboj/Shreyas Gopal/Ramakrishna Ghosh/Rahul Chahar.
