The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 auction is reportedly slated for the second or third week of December, kicking off preparations for the next season. Reports say that all franchises have been instructed to finalize and submit their lists of retained and released players by November 15.
As the retention deadline looms, the cricket world remains fixated on the status of Chennai Super Kings (CSK) skipper MS Dhoni, whose participation continues to be the subject of widespread speculation.
CSK’s Cryptic Response
While Dhoni has consistently stated his intent to play as long as his fitness allows—despite a persistent knee injury over the last two seasons—CSK has chosen a playful approach to address the rampant rumours.
In a witty response to the auction dates and deadline announcement, the franchise took to X (formerly Twitter) and posted: “Don’t worry, we’ve updated the bio.”
The team’s bio was then updated to read, “Nothing’s official till you see it here,” a subtle message cautioning fans against believing unverified reports about the iconic captain’s future. The tweet, however, only intensified the online chatter about “Thala’s” return.
Franchise Strategy
Franchises are now strategizing for the mega-auction. Reports suggest that CSK is planning to release five players, including high-profile names such as Deepak Hooda, Vijay Shankar, Rahul Tripathi, Sam Curran, and Devon Conway.
The team has already received a significant financial advantage, with their auction purse getting a boost of ₹9.75 crore following the retirement of Ravichandran Ashwin in August, providing Chennai Super Kings with considerable financial flexibility for new signings.