Dhoni, Fleming and Gaikwad to have meeting to draw up CSK retention list

Shamik Chakrabarty, Mumbai

Chennai Super Kings haven’t decided their retention list for the 2026 IPL, RevSportz understands. In fact, it hasn’t even been discussed in-house yet.

A meeting between head coach Stephen Fleming, former captain MS Dhoni and current captain Ruturaj Gaikwad will finalise the list. At the moment, the franchise is waiting for the IPL to put out the date for the submission of the list of the retained players ahead of the mini-auction.

A CSK official rubbished the rumours that the five-time champions have been contemplating on parting ways with Devon Conway and Sam Curran. Recently, a story did the rounds that CSK would be offloading Conway and Curran, along with Rahul Tripathi, Deepak Hooda and Vijay Shankar, as they aim an overhaul of the squad.

“See, we haven’t discussed it in-house yet,” the official told RevSportz. “MS has just returned from the US. Fleming is in New Zealand, and the IPL hasn’t even given the date as regards the submission of the list of the retained players. Fleming, MS and Ruturaj will have a meeting to draw up the list. Then it will be taken to Mr Srinivasan for his approval.”

N Srinivasan, the former BCCI and the ICC chief, has returned as the CSK chairman and he will have the last word on all cricket matters. The franchise will not change its coaching staff, for Srinivasan “doesn’t like chopping and changing, and is in favour of having stability”.

Off-spinner conundrum

With Ravichandran Ashwin hanging up his IPL boots, there’s a void in the spin department and as the official admitted, it would be a challenge to fill it. “There are a few left-arm spinners, but off-spinners are in short supply,” he said. “We did our scouting at the TNPL and the junior level, there are a few who bowl off-spin, but getting that quality is very difficult. And in a mini-auction, it’s very unlikely that you will get top quality. Franchises will hardly release the top Indian players.”

CSK might have to look overseas to plug the gap, but once again, it’s a cricketing decision, to be finalised by the coach, ex-skipper and current captain.

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