The signing was made within seconds of them buying another uncapped player in the form of Prashant Veer who was bought for the same amount of money making both players the join most expensive buys.
The 20-year-old left-arm spin-bowling allrounder, was first noticed while playing for Noida Super Kings in the UP T20 League.
Under the IPL's maximum-fee rule, an overseas player's auction fee is capped at the lower of the highest retention slab and the highest price fetched at the previous mega auction.
The IPL 2026 Auction is scheduled to begin on December 16 (Tuesday), 2025. The IPL mini auction 2026 will begin at 2:30 PM IST.
CSK will walk into the IPL 2026 auction with the second-largest purse of Rs 43.40 crore, only behind KKR
On December 16, IPL 2026 auction is scheduled to start at 2:30 PM IST in Abu Dhabi. All the ten IPL franchisees are set to spent around Rs 237.55 crore to fill up 77 available slots.
CSK have released 11 players, the most among the 10 franchises, as they attempt to reset after finishing bottom of the table for the first time in their IPL history
IPL 2026's retention list is defined by three themes: the blockbuster Jadeja-Samson-Curran swap, the release of several global stars, and franchises making sharp value
Pathirana's release follows two injury-affected seasons and a notable dip in form.
CSK MD Kasi Viswanathan reveals why the franchise made the tough call to trade Ravindra Jadeja and Sam Curran for Sanju Samson ahead of IPL 2026.
His return to the franchise that first dubbed him Rockstar marks a full-circle moment - but it also raises a key question: why would one of the IPL's top all-rounders accept a reduced salary now?
The batter, who has three IPL and three international centuries to his name, is seen as MS Dhoni's replacement in the squad, both as a leader and a wicketkeeper-batter.
Since this is not a mega auction, franchises have the freedom to retain or release as many players as they wish.
The move is termed surprising as CSK fans are questioning whether Sanju in the squad is worth sending their legend Ravindra Jadeja over to the other side
Seventeen years after he first wore the jersey of Rajasthan Royals in the inaugural IPL, the veteran all-rounder could return to the franchise where it all began, bringing his journey full circle
IPL 2026 retention rules allow franchises to retain an unlimited number of players, with no cap on the number of capped Indian players, overseas players, or uncapped players they can keep
Ravindra Jadeja for Sanju Samson, a swap once dismissed as fantasy by insiders, is now at the heart of active negotiations between Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Rajasthan Royals (RR)
The veteran, who has been the face of the Super Kings since the league's inception in 2008, remains committed to guiding the franchise through another season
Reports suggest that Devon Conway, Deepak Hooda, Vijay Shankar, Rahul Tripathi, and Sam Curran may find themselves on CSK's release list
Veteran spinner Ravichandran Ashwin's IPL career was full of drama. Here are the top five controversies that defined his 16 years in the tournament.