Rachlin Ravindra is one of the highly sought-after New Zealand all-rounders who were released by Chennai Super Kings before the auction of the IPL 2026. CSK also sold Devon Conway and Matheesha Pathirana, selling Ravindra Jadeja and Sam Curran to get Sanju Samson. Releasing Rachlin was not a move that would be well received given the potential that the former has demonstrated in the past two seasons.
CSK initially sold Rachlin in 2024 (IPL) at 1.8 crore and he was even bought at 4 crore through RTM card in 2025 when he was bid by Punjab Kings. Last season in eight innings he had scored 191 runs, and had flown with his best score, 65, star. His figures were not great but his utility as a versatile batter and a part-time left arm spinner kept him in the limelight.
He has a good package of skills that can be useful in any franchise. Rachlin is able to open, anchor middle overs or play a finishing role when necessary. To that, add his capability to bowl useful overs, and he is a complete T20 package. As the mini-auction is set to take place on December 16, he would be attractive to several of the teams that might want to bolster their teams to participate in the IPL 2026.
1. Kolkata Knight Riders
KKR parted with Quinton de Kock, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Venkatesh Iyer and Andre Russell, who have left behind a lot of vacancies at the top and in their all-rounder department. They will have a huge purse of 64.30 crore and will be aiming at rebuilding formidably in the IPL 2026 auction.
Rachlin Ravindra would suit them very well. He is able to open the innings or batt at No. 3 and his left-arm spin provides a balance to the side. Next to Russell and Venkatesh, KKR require a reliable multipurpose player, and Rachlin can add both consistency in batting and convenient spin.
Although his IPL 2025 season was silent, he has played outstandingly in huge events such as the ODI world cup 2023 and the champions trophy 2025. This quality is an asset that makes him a good candidate to KKR as a second choice to Narine and Varun Chakaravarthy.
2. Delhi Capitals
Delhi Capitals began well in IPL 2025 but failed later due to slowness as far as the start in the powerplay was concerned. The ineffective Jake Fraser-McGurk and Faf du Plessis also forced the franchise to give them both and it is evident that they desire a new opening mixture.
Rachlin Ravindra has the ability to provide the aggressive starts that DC was not getting the previous season. Rachin can fit in as an attacking opener with already in the mix, KL Rahul, Karun Nair as well as Abishek Porel and also provide quality left-arm spin whenever it is required.
With ₹21.80 crore left and five overseas slots open, Delhi have the budget and the space to bring in a player like Rachin. His ability to lift the scoring rate in the first six overs makes him a strong fit for their IPL 2026 plans.
3. Chennai Super Kings
Even though CSK released Rachin, they could still try to bring him back at a lower price. With Jadeja and Sam Curran traded to Rajasthan Royals, CSK’s spin-bowling all-rounder department looks thin, and Rachin can help fill that gap.
The team currently has Shivam Dube and Jamie Overton as pace-bowling all-rounders, but they lack a left-arm spinner who can contribute with the bat. Rachin may not be on Jadeja’s level, but he can grow into the role under CSK’s setup.
With ₹43.40 crore in their purse, CSK have the capacity to bid for him again. Many fans felt he should have been retained, so it won’t be surprising if the franchise tries to continue their association with the New Zealand star.
