CSK Playing 11 IPL 2026: Who Will Keep Wickets | Aakash Chopra's BEST XI

The Chennai Super Kings (CSK) will play their first match on March 30 against the Rajasthan Royals (RR) in Guwahati in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026. The Super Kings are five-time champions in the tournament under the captaincy of MS Dhoni. Like the other seasons, Dhoni will continue to keep behind the wickets for the franchise. Until he retires from cricket, the former captain is likely to be the keeper. But they also have Sanju Samson now, who can take over once Dhoni retires.

Moreover, the former skipper has passed on the leadership baton to Ruturaj Gaikwad in 2024. Despite being a brilliant batter, Gaikwad has not been able to help CSK qualify for the playoffs as a skipper. Under him, the 5-time champions have failed to qualify for the playoffs. However, CSK have played in the finals 10 times, which makes them one of the best teams in the IPL.

CSK Playing 11 for IPL 2026 (Probable)

For the upcoming season, CSK Playing 11 IPL 2026 will look quite different from last season. They have made a huge change in the middle order by bringing in Kartik Sharma, Prashant Veer, and keeper-batter Sanju Samson. In the bowling front, they also have Rahul Chahar and Jamie Overton who can play in the tournament but according to the pitch conditions. Gaikwad and Ayush Mhatre are likely to open the innings with Sanju Samson batting at No. 3 position. CSK have Noor Ahmad, Overton, and Dewald Brevis as overseas players.

Aakash Chopra CSK Playing 11 in IPL 2026

India's former cricketer Aakash Chopra is well known for his predicted XIs ahead of the tournament. He does a proper analysis of the players, teams, and their requirements before giving away their playing XI. Hence, for CSK, he has predicted Dewald Brevis and Noor Ahmad as the overseas players, and the rest would be Indians. He has included the newcomers Prashant Veer, Rahul Chahal, Samson, and Kartik Sharma to the playing XI. In the bowling department, Aakash has added Khaleel Ahmed to the CSK Playing XI in IPL 2026.

Injury Update in CSK Squad 2026

As of now, the CSK team is injury-free. No member of the squad is injured and has started their training camp ahead of the season. They are practising at the MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai, and will play their first match in Guwahati. The World Cup winners Samson and Shivam Dube are yet to join the team.

Conclusion

The 5-time champions will look forward to having a strong start to the tournament since the last two seasons have been quite forgettable for them. They have two matches in Chennai in the first half, which will give them a chance to secure wins and keep the points ready. Gaikwad will surely be under pressure since it's his third season as captain and the team hasn't done well under him. Meanwhile, all eyes will be on the new comers, especially Sanju Samson.