Follow UsFor the first time in IPL history, Chennai Super Kings (CSK) finished at the bottom in IPL 2025. In the aftermath of that disastrous finish, plenty of changes will ring in at Chepauk, with Ravichandran Ashwin already announcing his IPL retirement.
Several players will follow Ashwin out of the club, and that’s where reinforcements would be crucial if they want to return to winning ways in IPL 2026. That’s where Ashwin feels that CSK might go hard for the 30-year-old Tim Seifert, who was RCB’s replacement pick in IPL 2025.
Seifert has had a glorious Caribbean Premier League (CPL) 2025 season, where he smashed the joint-fastest century in tournament history, off 40 balls.
“I think CSK might go for Tim Seifert. If you look at CSK’s history, they always go with experienced players. Seifert is a good option if they part ways with either Devon Conway or Rachin Ravindra, and they are looking for an overseas opener. He has the experience, and he’s an excellent fielder, and he’s a wicketkeeper as well. He has evolved his T20 game to a level,” Ashwin told on his YouTube channel.
Ashwin also compared Seifert to some legendary openers from the past, stating that he fits in the CSK DNA and definitely warrants a bid.
“He’s on the same page as Josh Inglis; he’s been batting selflessly, and I think he should be on the radar this year. CSK have always gone after experienced openers, be it Watson, McCullum. Looking at this pattern, I think he might get a bid from CSK,” he added.
One particular aspect of his game that caught Ashwin’s attention: his selflessness. During his stellar 125* against the Falcons, the right-hander raced away to his century with two sixes and a single.
“He was on 87, the team needed 53 off 42, he could have taken it slowly to get to his 100. But then he went for two sixes, and got to his 100. T20 hundred is a big achievement, I think Tim Seifert might be a huge pick in IPL 2026 Auction. If not CSK, some other team will definitely pick him.”