"CSK would suit me" - Discarded India spinner expresses desire to play for five-time champions ahead of IPL 2026 Auction

Discarded Team India spinner Rahul Chahar expressed his desire to play for the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) ahead of the IPL 2026 auction, set to take place on December 16. The 26-year-old was part of the SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) in IPL 2025 but played only one game. It resulted in the franchise releasing him before the auction.

Meanwhile, CSK released several players in the off-season, following their dismal 2025 campaign, where they finished at the bottom of the table. They will enter the auction with the second-highest purse of ₹43.40 crore.

In an interview with Crictracker ahead of the 2026 auction, Chahar said:

"I have a decent bowling record at Chepauk, and CSK would suit me, considering how the ball tends to move there. Rajasthan is my home team, so either CSK or RR would work for me."

Like the Super Kings, RR endured a forgettable 2025 IPL season, finishing second from bottom on the standings with four wins in 14 games. Chahar has also played six T20Is and an ODI for Team India, having debuted in 2019.

How has Rahul Chahar performed in Chennai in the IPL?

Rahul Chahar, as mentioned by him above, boasts an outstanding IPL record at the Chepauk Stadium in Chennai. The leggie has picked up 14 wickets in nine matches at the venue at an average of 15.92 and an economy of 6.19.

In his most recent outing in Chennai in the IPL, Chahar produced an excellent spell of 2/16 in four overs in 2024. The Rajasthan-born spinner has also enjoyed massive success in team wins in Chennai, picking up 12 wickets at an average of 11 and an economy of 5.50 in the IPL.

Overall, Chahar has picked up 75 wickets in 79 IPL games at an average of under 29 and an economy of 7.72. He will enter the auction with a base price of ₹1 crore.

Chahar has previously played for the Punjab Kings (PBKS), Mumbai Indians (MI), and Rising Pune Supergiant (RPS), apart from SRH last season. He was integral to MI winning back-to-back titles in 2019 and 2020, picking up a combined 28 wickets across the two seasons.