Former India cricketer Suresh Raina has recommended that Chennai Super Kings (CSK) target the in-form Sarfaraz Khan in the IPL 2026 auction on Tuesday, December 16. The 28-year-old has been in exceptional form for Mumbai in the ongoing 2025-26 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT).
Sarfaraz has scored 256 runs in six matches at an impressive average of 64 and a strike rate close to 183. CSK, meanwhile, will enter the auction with the second-largest purse of ₹43.40 crore. Speaking about the franchise’s auction strategy on Star Sports, Raina said (via India Today):
“The form Sarfaraz is in, even if he plays four or six matches and wins you two games, it will be fully justified. Chennai’s wicket is technically sound, and if he gets set in a system like CSK, where the focus is on winning games, I think CSK will benefit greatly from his form.”
Raina further added:
“I think he is in great form. We saw earlier that when Venkatesh Iyer was bought for a big amount, the form wasn’t quite there. Sarfaraz, on the other hand, is batting really well right now. You don’t get that kind of player easily—the range of shots he plays, the confidence he has.”
Sarfaraz Khan Absent From IPL Action Since 2023
Despite excelling in domestic cricket, Sarfaraz Khan went unsold in the last two IPL auctions in 2024 and 2025. The right-handed batter last appeared in the IPL for Delhi Capitals (DC) in 2023. Over his eight-year IPL career, Sarfaraz has represented three franchises: Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB), Punjab Kings (PBKS), and DC.
So far, his IPL record has been modest, averaging below 23 with a strike rate of 130.58 in 50 matches. His overall T20 stats are slightly better, with an average of 25.33 and a strike rate of 135.42 across 102 games. Nevertheless, his current form in the short format could work in his favor in the IPL 2026 auction, where he will go under the hammer with a base price of ₹75 lakh.
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