The five-time IPL champions were involved in one of the biggest trades in IPL history ahead of the IPL 2026 auction.
There are two ways to thrive at an auction. One is to play on the basis of the purse, which the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) are expected to do this season. The second and the most clever way, is to keep a decent purse, and also scout players from around the world who can turn into absolute superstars. This is the approach that the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) are looking forward to adapting in the IPL 2026 auction.
The five-time Indian Premier League (IPL) champions have submitted the name of an unknown Sri Lankan youngster named Traveen Mathew in the target players shortlist ahead of the mini auction on December 16 in Abu Dhabi. The 21-year-old has been an integral part of the U19 side of Sri Lanka, and was also in the team for the recently concluded Emerging Teams Asia Cup 2025.
Traveen Mathew has also been a part of the Sharjah Warriors in the ILT20. Though he has played just two matches for the franchise till date, there seems to be some talent on show by the youngster if the likes of the Men in Yellow have shown so much of an interest in acquiring him.
In the three matches which he played in the Emerging Teams Asia Cup 2025, Mathew bagged seven wickets, which is impressive for an off-spinner. These wickets included a three-wicket haul against Hong Kong and the Pakistan Shaheens. Come the IPL 2026 auction, the youngster is expected to receive some heavy bidding from many franchises, with CSK watching him from close quarters.
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With INR 43.40 Crore remaining in the purse, what can’t a franchise do? Out of all the franchises, CSK and KKR have the purse to bid for any player they want. However, it is about a lot more than just that. The franchises must also keep in mind the balance of the team, and then arrive at a conclusion to determine the players that they want to go after.
CSK have parted ways with two of their most valuable assets, namely Ravindra Jadeja and Matheesha Pathirana ahead of the 19th IPL edition. That being said, Noor Ahmad is suddenly the main spinner for CSK, which is exactly why they would need to look for another spin-bowling option. Shreyas Gopal is another spinner they have retained, but he might not make the cut into the playing XI.
Apart from the options that the Men in Yellow will go after in the auction, the Traveen Mathew option is something they would be looking at for the long-term. Good finger-spinners are a rare commodity these days, and a franchise who once enjoyed the services of Ravichandran Ashwin would need someone to fill those huge shoes. Though Mathew might not walk into the XI, the CSK management can surely groom him into a player for the future.
The five-time IPL champions will have to sort their bowling a bit. Apart from the lack of spin-bowling options in the squad, the team would need a few pace bowling options as well. The likes of Nathan Ellis provide a good cushion at the death with Khaleel Ahmed and Anshul Kamboj doing the trick in the powerplay. That being said, the franchise does not have enough back-ups, and it is something they will have to look at. And they surely have the funds to look around.
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