Aakash Chopra opens up on CSK’s requirements in IPL 2026 auction

Former Indian Test opener Aakash Chopra has opened up on Chennai Super Kings’ requirements ahead of IPL 2026 mini-auction. Chopra reckons the franchise needs more spinners for the upcoming season after Ravichandran Ashwin announced his retirement from IPL.

Chopra reckons CSK won’t be able to manage with Noor Ahmad and Ravindra Jadeja. As per the latest reports, the all-rounder duo of Sam Curran and Ravindra Jadeja is all set to be traded to the Rajasthan Royals for Sanju Samson.

Meanwhile, Ahmad was the second-highest wicket-taker in the previous season with 24 scalps in 14 games. The spinner from Afghanistan had bowled with an average of 17 and an economy rate of 8.16 in IPL 2025.

“They might need a spinner now because Ashwin has left. So you will have to get someone in his place because you will not be able to manage with Ravindra Jadeja and Noor Ahmad. You will need more spinners,” Aakash Chopra said on his YouTube Channel.

The renowned commentator highlighted that the five-time champions have a decent pace attack, but they would look to add more teeth to their bowling line-up.

“Matheesha Pathirana’s stocks have gone slightly down, but Khaleel Ahmed’s have gone up. They have Anshul Kamboj, Nathan Ellis and Mukesh Choudhary as well. So they have bowlers, but you may want to add a bit more to that as well,” he observed.

The former Delhi cricketer said CSK will need one, if not two, good batters in the auction.

“With Ruturaj (Gaikwad) returning, opening and captaincy get set. There isn’t much to think about there. However, if you let Rahul Tripathi, Vijay Shankar and Devon Conway go, although you have Shivam Dube and Ravindra Jadeja in the lower-middle order, you still need one, if not two, fairly good batters, in which you need one or two overseas ones as well,” he said.

The renowned commentator added that CSK will need to strengthen their overseas batting line-up.

“When I see their overseas recruits, especially in terms of batting, Dewald Brevis, yes, but what about the rest? Only Rachin Ravindra is there, who can play as a proper batter. Then you see bowlers. They have Noor Ahmad, Matheesha Pathirana, Nathan Ellis, Jamie Overton and Sam Curran. None of them is a batter. If you release Devon Conway, you need another batter,” Chopra reasoned.

CSK had finished the previous season as the cellar-dwellers with four wins and 10 losses.