3 RCB Players Who Would Fit Into CSK's IPL 2026 Squad, And It's Not Virat Kohli – Cricket.com

Chennai Super Kings (CSK) had their worst Indian Premier League (IPL) season in 2025, finishing at the bottom of the points table for the first time in their history. CSK managed to win only four of their 14 fixtures, while their arch-rivals, Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), went on to win their maiden title.
Here, we look at three RCB players who could walk into CSK’s line-up in IPL 2026:
The Super Kings had the lowest scoring rate (8.7) and average (25.2) in the powerplay in IPL 2025, and that’s where Salt could come in handy. The 28-year-old from England had the third-best strike rate in the first six overs among batters with at least 200 runs in that phase. In the powerplay, Salt smashed 318 runs at an average of 39.75 and a strike rate of 174.7. He scored almost 80 percent of his total IPL 2025 runs in the powerplay.
The big man from Australia was one of RCB’s most impactful players in IPL 2025. David hammered 187 runs at an average of 62.33 and a strike rate of 185.14. He operated at a strike rate of almost 190 in the death overs – another area where CSK struggled in 2025. The Men in Yellow had the worst scoring rate in the death overs, with the likes of MS Dhoni, Ravindra Jadeja, and Shivam Dube all operating at a strike rate of less than 160.
The wicketkeeper-batter from Vidarbha had his best IPL season earlier this year, scoring 261 runs at an average of 37.29 and a strike rate of 176.3. Jitesh played some clutch knocks for RCB and finished quite a few games for them. With Dhoni already 44 and unlikely to continue for much longer, CSK will soon need a new wicketkeeper. Jitesh would be a perfect replacement for MSD.
IND W vs ENG W: ‘Impressive’ Kranti Goud Strikes Twice To Jolt England Early
cricket.com staff
Why Rishabh Pant’s Injury Might Spell The End Of Karun Nair’s Test Comeback
Abhishek Singh
India Women's 2025 World Cup Quest: England Series Needs To Solve Key Problems
Aakash Sivasubramaniam
IND vs ENG Trends: Sixes Galore, Keeper-Batters On A Riot & More
Dhanush Lavanya
From Division Four in 2014 To T20 World Cup 2026, Italy's Rise Is Truly Inspirational
Pramod Ananth
A Broken Body, A Beating Heart: Lord’s Was Stokes’ Declaration Of Cricketing Immortality
Gaurav Nandan Tripathi
Dear England, It's Arrogance, Not Bazball
Gaurav Nandan Tripathi
India vs England Day 5 Prediction: India's Predicted Score, Best Batter, Best Bowler, Key Stats, Pitch Report, Weather & More
cricket.com staff
3 Records KL Rahul Can Break During India Tour Of England 2025
cricket.com staff
Not Joe Burns, Watch Out For These 3 Italian Players At T20 World Cup 2026
Abhishek Singh

source