Former Indian cricketer Ravichandran Ashwin has selected his top playing XI for Chennai Super Kings in the upcoming IPL 2026 season. This decision comes after MS Dhoni, the iconic CSK player, was ruled out for the first two weeks due to a calf strain. Ashwin’s lineup includes Sanju Samson as the wicketkeeper and opener alongside skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad.
In Ashwin’s chosen team, Urvil Patel takes the No. 3 spot, followed by Dewald Brevis at four and Shivam Dube at five. For the sixth position, Ashwin offers two options: Sarfaraz Khan or Ayush Mhatre. Kartik Sharma has been picked for the seventh spot over Prashant Veer.
In the bowling department, Ashwin has opted for Akeal Hosein and Noor Ahmad as the main spinners, with Hosein also contributing with the bat at No. 8. The pace attack features Matt Henry and Khaleel Ahmed. Additionally, Ashwin has named four Impact Player options, including Anshul Kamboj, Shreyas Gopal, Ramakrishna Ghosh, and Rahul Chahar.
Chennai Super Kings are gearing up for IPL 2026 after a disappointing 2025 season, where they finished at the bottom of the table for the first time in their history. Fans are eager to see the team bounce back from this setback. The team, led by Ruturaj Gaikwad, will kick off their campaign against Rajasthan Royals on March 30 at Baraspara Stadium in Guwahati.
