 "Suresh Raina has hinted that he might join CSK next season. Image: X/Reuters")
Former India and Chennai Super Kings (CSK) star Suresh Raina has dropped a massive hint that he might be back in the team’s dressing room for the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 season. Raina, who was part of the commentary team during CSK’s last league match of IPL 2025 against Gujarat Titans in Ahmedabad, teased fans with a big update.
Will Raina return to CSK?
Speaking live on air alongside Sanjay Bangar and Aakash Chopra, Raina revealed that CSK are currently looking to hire a new batting coach for next season. Trying to get more out of him, Aakash asked Raina if the new coach’s name started with the letter ‘S’. Raina, with a cheeky smile, responded, “He has made the fastest fifty,” before laughing.
Aakash reacted with excitement and said, “Chalo ho gaya bhai, you heard it first here!” (It’s confirmed, you heard it here first!)
Fans were quick to connect the dots. Raina had once smashed a 16-ball fifty in the IPL 2024 season against Punjab Kings, which is still the fourth-fastest half-century in IPL history and the fastest by any CSK player. So, it sounded like Raina was talking about himself and could be in talks with CSK management.
Raina was one of CSK’s biggest match-winners over the years, scoring 5528 runs in the IPL before retiring in 2021. If the hints are true, he could be taking over from Mike Hussey, CSK’s current batting coach, who has been with the franchise since 2018. When Raina played for CSK, he was the vice-captain and was called ‘Chinna Thala’ by local fans.
CSK’s worst IPL season
CSK had a forgettable campaign this year as they finished last in the IPL 2025 points table with just 4 wins in 14 matches. This is the first time CSK finished at the bottom of the points table in their entire IPL history. After regular captain Ruturaj Gaikwad got injured mid-season and MS Dhoni took over as stand-in skipper, fans hoped for a turnaround. But CSK’s poor run continued as they kept losing games on the trot.
Following their final league stage game against Gujarat Titans, Dhoni refused to provide a clear answer on his retirement plans and said that he has plenty of time to decide on that off-season. But many believe that Dhoni is unnecessarily stretching his career and should step aside to allow younger players to take over. He can still play a significant role by being part of the dressing room in a capacity other than as a player.