IPL 2026 is knocking on the door. After a disappointing campaign in 2025, the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) have been putting in their efforts for months to reshape their team. In a major move, they secured the service of Sanju Samson in exchange for Ravindra Jadeja and Sam Curran in the swap deal with the Rajasthan Royals.
The team management and the fans of CSK will have high expectations from the star keeper-batter. But cricket is not only about an individual show, but it also depicts team games. To regain the golden days, along with Sanju, other CSK players also need to step up on big occasions. Who will be the players who can produce stand-out performances other than Sanju Samson? Let’s find out. As the Chennai Super Kings management has tried to create a balanced team with both experienced and emerging talents, the article will also follow the same, maintaining a proper balance.
3 Players other than Sanju Samson who can power CSK to another IPL title:
3. Sarfaraz Khan
Sarfaraz Khan was in havoc form during the previous domestic season. The batter who played Test matches for India and was known for strong defense and technical abilities, took everyone by surprise when he started to score runs at a rapid pace for Mumbai. Khan’s transformation was not only surprising but also impactful. If it carries the same form in the IPL 2026 season, then CSK will have an advantage over the opposing bowlers.
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Sarfaraz Khan’s recent performances in domestic tournaments:
|
Tournaments |
Total Number of Innings |
Runs |
Strike Rate |
|
Ranji Trophy 2025-26 |
9 |
425 |
75.13 |
|
Vijay Hazare Trophy 2025-26 |
5 |
303 |
190.57 |
|
Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 2025 |
7 |
329 |
203.09 |
2. Ayush Mhatre
The young gun can act like a trump card for the team in the upcoming Indian Premier League season. The top order batter, whose leadership skills helped India U-19 to claim the ICC U-19 World Cup, is capable of scoring a significant amount of runs at a quick pace. Last year, when he joined the team mid-day, as the replacement of injured Ruturaj Gaikwad, the 18-year-old did not take long to prove his batting antics. In his debut IPL season, the top-order batter scored 240 runs in 7 matches with a strike rate of 188.97 and a 34.28 batting average.
1. Shivam Dube
The seam bowling allrounder was the silent hero behind Team India’s T20 World Cup 2026 triumph. He has been associated with CSK for more than 4 years and knows the atmosphere of the team very well. Under any conditions, Dube can prove to be a game-changer. In the previous season with the Super Kings, he scored 357 runs in 14 matches and maintained a strike rate of 132.22. Though his bowler persona remained unused in the season. The management can trust him more in his bowling, as he picked up wickets in crucial T20 WC 2026 matches.
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