Ravichandran Ashwin, the former Indian all-rounder, expressed his disappointment with the Chennai Super Kings' (CSK) auction strategy following their underwhelming IPL 2026 season, which concluded on May 31. He criticized CSK for opting for two uncapped players, Kartik Sharma and Prashant Veer, at over ₹14 crores each, instead of acquiring Venkatesh Iyer from Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Jason Holder from Gujarat Titans, who were picked for a combined ₹14 crores and helped their teams reach the finals. CSK struggled throughout the season, finishing eighth with only six wins. Ashwin pointed out issues with team dynamics and decision-making, particularly in player roles. He noted that while other teams faced injuries, CSK's problems arose after the season began. The season's highlights included a match-winning performance by Sanju Samson and a disappointing loss to Lucknow Super Giants that severely impacted CSK's playoff chances.