Former Indian opener Kris Srikkanth has urged Chennai Super Kings to play Rahul Chahar in their playing XII in the upcoming IPL 2026. Srikkanth reckons Sunrisers Hyderabad did not utilise Chahar properly in the previous season.
While the Hyderabad pitch is known to be a batting paradise, Chennai’s pitch offers assistance to the spinners. Chahar has the IPL experience under his belt and he would look to deliver the goods for CSK after he was bought for INR 5.20 crore in IPL 2026 mini-auction.
The leg-spinner has scalped 75 wickets in 79 IPL matches at an average of 28.67 and an economy rate of 7.72.
Srikkanth said on his YouTube Channel, “Rahul Chahar is a good bowler who has done well in the IPL. SRH did not use him well last year. Leg-spinners are always potential match-winners.”
The 1983 World Cup winning player said CSK should bowl Shivam Dube in the middle overs, and not at the death.
He added, “CSK have three gun bowlers in Khaleel Ahmed, Matt Henry, and Noor Ahmad. They should use Shivam Dube as their sixth bowler. But sneak in his two overs in the middle overs and never in the death like India did in the T20 World Cup.”
With Nathan Ellis ruled out of the tournament, Srikkanth reckons Matt Henry will need to take the ownership of bowling at the fag end of the innings.
“At the death, Matt Henry will have to take ownership. He has to learn and start doing it, as he has for New Zealand. Noor Ahmad can also do a job in the end overs. They might have to take a chance with Gurjapneet Singh in the 11, given his death bowling prowess. If they feel he is a certified death bowler, play him in the 12. New faces are routinely doing well in the last few IPLs,” said Srikkanth (via the aforementioned source).
CSK will begin their IPL 2026 campaign against the inaugural champions, Rajasthan Royals, at Guwahati on 30th March.
