3 Chennai Super Kings players who might be benched in IPL 2026

A lot of eyeballs this year would be on the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and how their new-look squad, brimming with talented youngsters, performs at the 2026 Indian Premier League (IPL). 

CSK have a squad full of potential, but some might say that they lack experience in certain positions. This could lead to multiple chopping and changing in the early parts of the season. However, once the combination is settled, it could get really difficult for certain players to break into the team and feature at all in the entire tournament. 

However, doors are never locked for any player, and they can easily feature for their franchise due to injuries or impressing during training and net sessions. 

Here are 3 CSK players who might be benched for entire IPL 2026:

3. Matthew Short (Batting all-rounder)

Matthew Short was signed by CSK at the most recent mini auction for his base price of INR 1.50 crore. However, it feels like the 30-year-old was picked up as a potential replacement or backup for other overseas players in the squad, most notably Dewald Brevis. Based on the South African’s form and performances in yellow last season, it is a safe bet that the 22-year-old will be CSK’s first-choice overseas batter.

Short is an experienced 30-year-old batter well capable of bowling some tidy offbreaks. The Australian, however, is a top-order batter, a position that would be occupied by the likes of Ruturaj Gaikwad, Ayush Mhatre and Sanju Samson, CSK’s latest signing. Short, therefore, might be facing a season of sitting on the bench in Chennai.