Chennai Super Kings officially kick-started its pre-season camp ahead of the 2026 edition of the Indian Premier League on Sunday.

The five-time champion is currently training at the team’s High Performance Centre in Navalur under assistant coaches S. Sriram and Rajeev Kumar.

On Saturday, skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad and former captain M.S. Dhoni arrived in the city. Apart from the two, the other players include Ayush Mhatre, Urvil Patel, Mukesh Choudhary, and Prashant Veer. The current contingent includes only Indian players, with overseas recruits set to join later in the month. Head coach Stephen Fleming and bowling coach Eric Simons are expected to arrive in Chennai by March 16.

Since its fifth title in 2023 under Dhoni’s leadership, CSK has had two forgettable seasons, failing to qualify for the Playoffs. In 2024, the side narrowly missed out on qualification, while last year the Super Kings finished last, winning just four matches.

Prior to the player auction last year, the Chennai outfit made one of the biggest moves in the trade window, signing Sanju Samson from Rajasthan Royals. In return, Ravindra Jadeja and Sam Curran were traded to the Royals.

Seen in that light, 2026 is a pivotal year for the Men in Yellow and skipper Ruturaj. There is also heightened speculation that it could be Dhoni’s last year as a player. If that is the case, the team would want to give its icon a fitting farewell.

Published on Mar 01, 2026