IPL 2026: Stephen Fleming reveals MS Dhoni’s replacement in CSK squad

Chennai Super Kings (CSK) head coach Stephen Fleming has revealed that Sanju Samson would be the replacement choice for MS Dhoni once the latter retires from the cash-rich league after the IPL 2026 season.

Interestingly, before the IPL 2026 auction, CSK made one of the biggest trade deals in IPL history when they roped in Sanju Samson from Rajasthan Royals. Speaking after the IPL auction, Fleming stated they brought in Samson as the replacement of MS Dhoni when he retires. 

"The opportunity was there. We felt we were still a little bit light in our opening batting. And we were also looking at the fact that at some point, MS will move on," Fleming said after the mini-auction in Abu Dhabi.

“Sanju is an international-quality player. He fills that role very well — succession planning. It’s about refreshing and seeing what Chennai will look like in six years’ time, not two years," he added.

Speaking exclusively to Times Now, CSK CEO Kasi Viswanathan made it clear that MS Dhoni will be there to guide the youngsters in the near future. The IPL 2026 season is expected to start on March 26.

“He will be there, and he is the guy who is going to help the youngsters. You would have seen it after an IPL game - players, whether CSK or opponents, are always with him for at least an hour after the match, talking about cricket and his advice. That matters a lot, and it will be beneficial for these youngsters,” Kasi stated.

Chennai Super Kings (CSK) full squad for IPL 2026

MS Dhoni, Anshul Kamboj, Gurjapneet Singh, Jamie Overton*, Mukesh Choudhary, Nathan Ellis*, Noor Ahmad*, Ramakrishna Ghosh, Sanju Samson, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Shivam Dube, Shreyas Gopal, Syed Khaleel Ahmed, Ayush Mhatre, Dewald Brevis*, Urvil Patel, Kartik Sharma, Prashant Veer, Rahul Chahar, Matt Henry*, Akeal Hosein*, Matthew Short*, Zak Foulkes*, Sarfaraz Khan, Aman Khan.

*denotes overseas player.

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